Health Tip: Safely Marinate Food

Marinating can add a delicious kick to your meals, but if you're not careful, it could lead to food poisoning.

The Homefoodsafety.org website offers these marinating safety tips:

• Place food and the marinade in a container made of food-grade plastic or glass, never metal.
• Always store marinating food in the refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and make sure food is covered. Don't allow food to marinate on the kitchen counter.
• If packing marinated food to go, place it inside a cooler, in ice and out of sunlight.
• Reserve some marinade to add to food when it's done cooking. Never reuse marinade that's been added to raw meat.
• Use a food thermometer to make sure you have thoroughly cooked the food, and to ensure optimal taste.