Utah Heat Poses Health Risk To 4th Of July BBQs

Utah is HOT right now and with the upcoming holiday many are thinking of their favorite may-based salads for the event. 

Fourth of July BBQs are an American tradition and can be a great time. However, there are some rules that apply for food safety. One of the biggest being that you can’t leave your favorite side dishes like potato salad, macaroni salad, or egg salad out in the summer heat. 

My family didn’t follow this rule at a wedding in Texas several decades ago and the beloved potato salad ended up making the guest sick. Rumor has it that some even died.  

So, take my family lore to heart for your upcoming 4th of July BBQ and keep your favorite mayo-based salads in the fridge until serving time.  

Though mayo can be seen as the main issue, foods like eggs and chicken in these salads are the culprit. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that bacteria can accumulate from these foods when left out in the heat. This leads to foodborne illness.  

The best way to avoid this is to cook your eggs and chicken at proper temperatures and keep an eye on the dishes. Southern Utah should not be keeping any of these salads out since the USDA recommends only an hour of outside time at 90 F.  

You can also store these foods in a cooler if you are going somewhere like a park and not at someone's house. So have a safe 4th of July BBQ in Utah and watch your food.