Bbq Food Safety
Cases of food poisoning double within the summertime, so be sure you be aware of easy steps that can help to keep food safe.
Food poisoning is usually mild, and most people improve inside a week. But occasionally it may be worse, even lethal, therefore
it’s vital that you take the risks seriously. Kids, seniors and those with weakened natural defenses tend to be especially
vulnerable to food poisoning.
"The safest choice would be to cook food indoors making use of your stove," states a spokesperson from the Food Standards Agency
(Fsay). "You can then put the cooked food outdoors on the barbecue for flavor." This can be an simpler choice if you're cooking for a number of individuals simultaneously.
But if you prefer to cook on the barbecue, the two main risk factors are:
Undercooked meat
Spreading bacteria through uncooked meat onto food that’s ready to consume
The reason being raw or undercooked meat can contain germs that cause food poisoning, for example salmonella, E.coli and campylobacter. Nevertheless, it's very easy to kill these bacteria by cooking meat until it's piping hot throughout.
Cooking meat on the bbq
When you’re cooking any type of meat on the bbq, such as poultry (chicken or even turkey), pork, steak, hamburgers or sausages, make certain:
The coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface before you begin cooking food, as which means that they're hot enough.
Frozen meat is properly thawed before you cook it.
You turn the meat regularly and move it round the bbq to cook it evenly.
Remember that meat is safe to eat only if:
It is piping hot in the middle.
There isn't any pink meat visible.
Any juices are clear.
"Don’t assume that simply because meat is charred on the outside it will be cooked properly inside," states the Fsa spokesperson.
"Cut the meat at the thickest part and ensure none of it is pink inside."
Some meat, such as steaks and joints of beef or lamb, can be served rare (not cooked in the middle) as long as the outside has been correctly cooked. This can kill any kind of germs that might be on the outside of the meat. However, food produced from minced meat, for instance sausages and hamburgers, must be cooked thoroughly all the way through.
Uncooked meat
Germs from raw meat can move very easily on to your hands, after which onto anything else you touch, such as food that is prepared and ready to consume. This is called cross-contamination.
Cross-contamination sometimes happens if raw meat touches anything (such as dishes, utensils, tongs and chopping boards) that then comes into contact with other food.
Some easy steps to help prevent cross-contamination are:
Wash both hands after each time you touch uncooked meat.
Use separate utensils (plates, tongs, containers) for cooked and raw meat.
Never place cooked food on a plate or surface which has had uncooked meat on it.
Keep uncooked meat in a covered container away from foods that are ready to consume, such as salads and buns.
Don’t put uncooked meat alongside cooked or partly-cooked meat on the barbecue.
Don’t place sauce or marinade on cooked food if it was already used with raw meat.
Keeping food cool
It is also vital that you keep a few foods cool to prevent food-poisoning bacteria spreading.
Be sure you keep the subsequent foods cool:
Salads
Dips
Milk, cream, yogurt
Desserts and cream cakes
Sandwiches
Ham along with other cooked meats
Cooked rice, such as rice salads
Do not leave food out of the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours, and don’t leave food in the sun.
See the Food Standard Agency's GermWatch campaign.
Fire safety
Make sure your barbecue is steady on a level surface, away from plants and trees and shrubs.
The fire Service advises covering the bottom of your bbq with coal to some depth of a maximum of 5cm (2in). Only use recognised firelighters or starter fuel, and then only on cold coals.
Never use petrol on a bbq.
For more information or to purchase Gas Barbecues, Charcoal Barbeques, Patio Barbecues or Patio Heaters please visit our user friendly website or speak with one of our customer service operatives.
