But before you fire up the grill, Virginia Tech food safety expert Melissa Wright shares tips to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from foodborne illnesses. All raw meat should be kept in a cooler at 40°F or below until time for grilling. Don’t reuse marinade that has touched raw meat or poultry. Using the same platter or utensils allows bacteria from the raw food’s juices to spread to the cooked food. “This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly, and lead to foodborne illness.”Keep cold food cold – Cold foods in individual serving dishes can be placed directly on ice on your picnic table or in a shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice.