Summer heat brings summer outings, backyard barbeques, cornhole tournaments, and if you’re not careful, foodborne illnesses. University of Tennessee food safety specialists are among a host of experts and scientists with Extension, USDA, and CDC nationwide who work in concert to reduce the numbers of people who get sick each year. In the US that’s an estimated 48 million people annually, some 128,000 who get hospitalized, and some 3,000 who will die. Produce — especially leafy greens — meat and poultry are major contributors to these illnesses. To help you keep your friends and family safe this summer follow the four basic steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Check out the CDC and USDA information.

Image of the 2025 UT Smoking School by R. Lazarian, courtesy UTIA. Find UT Extension publications about food safety, meat thermometers, and more online.