BATON ROUGE — About 60 percent of Americans plan to grill this Fourth of July, according to the National Retail Federation.

With large gatherings comes the need to review safety steps. The USDA says mishandling food can lead to foodborne illness.

Calvin Collier, owner of Smoked Bayou Restaurant & Bar, says to be mindful when getting on the grill.

"Pay attention to your propane hoses, make sure they are not cracked and don't have holes in them," said Collier. "Make sure you turn it completely off, don't grill close to your home, stay 10 feet away."

The safety reminders don't stop once the cooking is done. Alexis Motley, a registered dietitian who works at the Southern University Ag Center, says food should not be left out for too long.

"After an hour of sitting out, put the food away," said Motley. "If you need to take it back out, it's okay to warm the food up to the proper temperature."