YORK COUNTY — Whether you’re doing a little spring cleaning in your refrigerator or you’re wiping off that charcoal grill, just in time for summer grilling, food safety is of the essence.

It’s estimated that 48 million people, or 1 in 6 Americans, will get some sort of food borne illness each year, said Marianne Gravely, senior technical information specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Fortunately, there’s help. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expanding the hours of its Meat and Poultry hotline just in time for the warmer months. From now on, the hotline — accessed by calling 1-888-674-6854 — will be available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time as part of the agency’s efforts to expand its reach.

“We noticed over the years that we get more calls in the afternoon and, for a part of the country, 4 p.m. is only 1 p.m., so we wanted to expand our reach for the folks out west for whom 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. might not be as convenient,” Gravely said Tuesday.

Here are a number of tips to enjoy your spring and summer weather, safely and deliciously:

• Check the sell-by and use-by dates … and know the difference:

Yes, there is a difference between the sell- and use-by dates.

Sell-by dates are put on foods by grocers to help keep track of inventory and foods don’t often go bad once that date has passed, Gravely said.

“If a product says “sell-by,” try to find a date that’s farthest away from you,” she said. “‘Use-by’ is the information for the consumer. … it’s possible after that date it’ll still be fine, but they’re guaranteeing it’ll be the freshest, or have the best flavor.”

• Store foods properly:

“In the refrigerator, although foods will be safe, eventually they will spoil, so that’s where (use-by) dates come in handy,” Gravely said. “Food poisoning bacteria don’t grow in the refrigerator so keep perishable food either refrigerated or frozen … nothing grows in the freezer.”

But food where food poisoning bacteria — such as Staph and E. Coli — can grow, she said, is on the countertop.

“If you are preparing for grilling or even just planning dinner, you don’t want to leave those foods out on your counter,” she said.

She said bacteria are of particular concern because, unlike expiration, bacteria don’t affect the taste, smell or appearance of foods.

• Cook meats thoroughly, and use a thermometer:

Each kind of meat has a different recommended temperature to indicate doneness, Gravely said, and the only way to truly know if your meat is cooked is to take its temperature with a thermometer.

“The only way you can know a food’s reached a safe temperature is by using a thermometer … you can’t necessarily cut into it to make sure everything to make sure it’s done,” she said. “With ground beef in particular, we know that color is not a safe indicator of doneness.”

Thermometers should be placed into the thickest part of the meat and one should wait 10 to 20 seconds for the temperature to be read.

Steaks and pork chops should be cooked to 145 degrees with a three-minute rest following cooking. Chicken should register 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, and ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees.

• When cleaning out the closet (or the fridge), go with your gut:

Take cleaning “step by step,” Gravely said. Empty the pantry and wipe down the shelves. Toss any expired products — although, she said, canned goods that are past the use-by date are likely still good if the can is not damaged.

When cleaning out the refrigerator, remove items and toss any that are expired or unappetizing, wipe down the shelves with warm soapy water and let them air dry.

“If you feel the need to sanitize, use the ratio of a tablespoon of bleach to a gallon of water,” she said.

Don’t forget about that freezer.

“As you take things out, look at them, especially the foods that are in the freezer. If you can’t identify them, just toss them and resolve to properly labeling things with the date,” Gravely said.

And, importantly, have a plan, Gravely said. Place like items in the same place so they aren’t likely to be pushed to the back, where they will expire.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.