The summer’s over and you know what that means – school’s in session! And while the new school year brings excitement and anticipation, it also ushers in something a little less desirable… foodborne bacteria.

In fact, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, packed lunches are incredibly vulnerable to bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses. But don’t worry. Your friends at Keep Our Food Safe are here to teach you the ABCs of a safe lunch.

Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety, explained that temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees, create a “danger zone” for food, where harmful bacteria can quickly multiply. Perishable items should always be stored in the refrigerator and kept cool, and reheated to their proper internal temperature, otherwise they can quickly enter the danger zone.

In fact, when school lunches are left in the danger zone, bacteria can multiply, leaving your lunch vulnerable to the bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. There are ways to avoid entering the danger zone when preparing a bagged lunch. First and foremost, wash your hands, cutting board, utensils and dishes before preparing lunch. Keep countertops clean, and don’t use the same cutting board or utensils for both meats and veggies, unless you have thoroughly washed these utensils between uses. This is the best way to minimize the spread of harmful bacteria and reduce the risk of cross contamination.

You can keep perishable items, like lunch meats and cheeses, cold by packing freezer packs or frozen juice boxes in with the lunch. Insulated lunch boxes work best in keeping perishable foods cold. Just make sure to double bag the food to help create insulation. Insulated containers are a good way to keep foods like soup and chili hot. Remember to keep the lid on until lunchtime so the food stays hot.

Be sure to recycle old packaging material, like plastic bags and disposable packaging. Old packaging can carry bacteria, and if they come in contact with other food, they could spread bacteria that causes foodborne illnesses. Another good way to avoid cross contamination!

When school’s out and kids head home and grab a snack before hitting the books, make sure foods like hot dogs, are heated to the proper internal temperatures before eating. If you’re reheating foods in the microwave, it’s important to rotate or stir the food halfway through cooking. Foods and liquids often don’t evenly heat in the microwave, leaving cold spots that may harbor harmful bacteria.

And college students, that late night pizza may look like tempting, but if it has been sitting out all night then it’s a good idea to avoid eating it. Pizza and other perishable foods should never be eaten if they’ve been left out for more than two hours.

Ready for the pop quiz? By studying these concepts you’ll be able to ace your Food Safety 101 exam.

Did you think we forgot about you? Guess again! We've been busy working on new and exciting Chew on This podcasts to educated consumers about food safety issues. And now it's time to release our latest podcast: Campylobacter Q&A.

Campylobacter is a leading cause of global foodborne illness, but it is often misunderstood. What is it? How dangerous is it? Why have a lot of us never heard of it?

In this new Chew on This podcast, Dr. Christine Hoang, assistant director of the AVMA’s Scientific Activities Division, answers these questions and tells us what systems are in place to keep our food safe from campylobacter. In our new podcast, we answer questions about “campy.” Listen now.

By the way, if you missed our last podcast, which discussed the ABCs of E. Coli, you can listen to it now.