The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and with the holiday come picnics, cookouts and the major challenges of cooking and storing food outdoors.

The county Health Department reminds us that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) recommend four steps to safe food: clean, separate, cook and chill.

Bacteria can multiply faster at higher temperatures which can result in unpleasant and sometimes dangerous illnesses.

Here are some basic guidelines: Clean: Wash your hands. Wash your hands if you are preparing/cooking the food. Wash your hands before you eat.

Separate: Raw meat should always be kept separate from other foods, both when storing and preparing. Improper handling of raw meat, seafood and eggs could cause contamination of utensils and preparation surfaces as well as other food.

Cook: Make sure to cook all meats to their recommended temperatures. Poultry needs to be cooked to 165 degrees, whereas fish and whole cuts of beef need to be 145 degrees.

Chill: Keep your warm food warm and keep your cold food cold. Know the safe temperatures and how to properly store the food. In hot weather, cold food should be refrigerated after being out for up to two hours and only one hour if the air temperature is 90 degrees or warmer. Salads and meat generally should not be stored in the refrigerator for more than a few days before throwing it out.

Food-borne illness can be serious and sometimes life-threatening, but these illnesses are preventable if you take the necessary safety steps. To learn more about food safety, visit https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/ and https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-food-safely-while-eating-outdoors.