rarely, other campers may have a very contagious gastroenteritis such as a viral cause
many other potential pathogens are spread from faeces which are likely to find their way onto your hands by using toilet paper, touching toilet seats, or toilet doors
WASH HANDS AFTER touching anything in the camp toilets including door handles!
Gastro from the water
whilst this is a problem in many urban areas in countries with dodgy water supply systems contaminated by sewage (cryptosporidium, hepatitis A and typhoid in particular), it is a major issue for campers albeit with different pathogens (especially giardia)
one should assume all “fresh water” streams are potentially contaminated and should be treated
WASH HANDS BEFORE touching food (and afterwards) - hand sanitizers need to have more than 60% alcohol
perishables MUST be kept below 5degC or above 65degC - temperatures between these for more than 1-2 hrs risks dangerous bacterial growths
return cold foods to the cooler, and chill leftovers promptly or discard
NB. the top shelf in many car fridges has a temperature a few degrees warmer than the main compartment - put fruit, veges, chocolate here, not perishables!
Keep it simple stupid (KISS) approach - don't take perishables
if you want to keep it simple, take non perishables
this avoids the need for fridges or ice esky coolers
example non-perishables
dried or dehydrated foods such as soups, rice, noodles, uncooked pasta, powdered milk, dried fruits
nuts
whole fruits and vegetables
pre-packaged, shelf-stable meals
peanut butter
canned meats eg, tuna
concentrated fruit juices
bread - may last 48hrs or so, although will rapidly become mouldy within a day if left in the warmth of a car
once reconstituted or cooked, consume within 1-2 hours, refrigerate or throw out
Same day semi-perishables
some things can be taken to be consumed later that day without being in a fridge (although should at least be in a cooler if ambient temperatures are warm)
examples:
hard cheeses (cheddar cheese may last a few hours)
thawing small packaged frozen foods in a cooler may be an option albeit risky if you don't understand the process and risks (see below)
For the food handling expert - you can bring perishables
taking a fridge or an iced esky cooler allows taking perishables but these MUST be managed carefully - see keeping your food and drinks cool
assume all raw meats, especially poultry or ground mince, are contaminated with bacteria
their juices risk cross-contamination of other foods so:
package them well so they don't leak the juices
stack them in the fridge near the bottom so if they do leak they don't contaminate everything
Don't use the same platter and utensils that held raw product to serve cooked product
ensure they are cooked to a safe internal temperature
most meats should be cooked to 63degC minimum
all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal must be cooked to at least 71degC - don't trust the color of the meat!
all raw poultry (raw or ground) must be cooked to at least 74degC
heat hot dogs to steaming hot
reheat any leftover food to at least 74degC
allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before slicing or consuming
clean the thermometer between uses
assume all perishables need to be discarded once more than 1-2 hours outside of a fridge (may be less if ambient temperatures are over 30degC)
this includes washed eggs and very soft cheeses
out of a fridge status includes eskies when there is no frozen ice left
For the food handling genius - consider using cryovac bags and thawing out frozen foods
leaving frozen food out at room temperature or using running hot water is NOT considered safe thawing!
according to official advisories1), there are only a few ways to safely thaw perishable foods:
1. In a fridge
most items over 500g will require 24 hours to thaw at fridge temperatures of around 3-4degC
after thawing in a fridge:
ground meat, stew meat, poultry, seafood, should remain safe and good quality for an additional day or two before cooking
red meat cuts (such as beef, pork or lamb roasts, chops and steaks) 3 to 5 days
food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking albeit with some loss of quality
2. In cold water
this will allow faster thawing but much more work and you will obvious need access to uncontaminated cold water which may be an issue when camping
the item MUST be securely packaged so water will not get into the food to avoid spoiling the food or contaminating it
use cold tap water and change every 30 minutes
500g meat will usually take 1 hour to thaw
after thawing in cold water:
food must be cooked immediately
cannot be re-frozen unless cooked first
3. In a microwave
this is likely to create uneven thawing and also some areas may start to cook, thus foods must be cooked immediately
not a great approach, and few campers will have a microwave
4. JUST cook it frozen
this is probably the best camping approach if you don't have a fridge or you need it cooked immediately
cooking times will need to be 50% longer than for non-frozen foods
make sure you have your meat thermometer if cooking frozen raw meat!
an extension of this is to use cryovacs and cook in boiling water
pre-cook foods such as pasta with meat sauce, place into cryovac bags, seal well, then freeze and bring to camp in a fridge or freezer
place the well sealed cryovac bag in a pot of hot water of at least 60degC on a stove and it should thaw within 10-12 minutes for a small pack - for many pre-cooked cryovac foods you can then just keep the bag in there until it is fully re-heated and then ready to serve - make sure the water doesn't get into the bag and make sure you don't burn yourself opening the bag!