BATON ROUGE — Every year, there are an estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness and 3,000 deaths in the United States.

It is a good reminder to watch out for bacteria over the Fourth of July weekend.

"If you're not safe or careful, they can make you sick, and we definitely don't want our 4th of July festivities ruined by foodborne illness," Meredith Carothers, of the USDA Food Inspection Service, said.

Experts say there are four steps to keeping food safe.

First, stay clean. Keep your hands, utensils and surfaces clean before, during and after you prepare food.

Next, separate raw meats away from other ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination.

“So using like a new utensil as you're putting raw food on the grill and then using a new utensil before you take the cooked food off the grill, not using the same one," Carothers said.

Additionally, make sure that the meat you are grilling reaches the right temperature. It varies based on what you are preparing. Use a food thermometer for accuracy.

And finally, chill. Don't leave out food that can spoil for more than two hours at room temperature. It should be less than an hour if you are outdoors in the heat.