BBQ Food Safety Tips: Enjoy the Sunshine Without the Stomach Ache

With the fine weather finally here, many of us are dusting off the barbecue and enjoying meals outdoors with family and friends. Whether you’re hosting a garden BBQ or cooking for the first time, food safety should be just as important as choosing what’s on the menu.

Following a few simple food safety rules will help ensure your BBQ is remembered for the right reasons.

Keep Food at the Right Temperature

One of the biggest food safety risks during a BBQ is leaving food out in the warm weather for too long.

Top Tips:

• Keep raw meat refrigerated until you’re ready to cook it.
• Don’t leave chilled foods sitting outside for more than two hours (or one hour if temperatures are particularly high).
• Only take out what you need and return leftovers to the fridge as soon as possible.
• If transporting food to a park or beach, use a cool box with ice packs to keep food cold.Prevent Cross Contamination

Raw meat naturally contains bacteria that can spread to cooked food, salads and ready-to-eat items if they come into contact with each other.

Top Tips:

• Store raw meat separately from salads, bread and cooked foods.
• Use separate chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods.
• Never place cooked burgers or sausages back onto the plate that held the raw meat.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.

These simple steps can significantly reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Cook Food Thoroughly

Barbecues often cook food quickly on the outside while leaving the centre undercooked. This is especially important for burgers, sausages and chicken.

Top Tips:

• Cook food over an even heat rather than flames.
• Turn food regularly to ensure it cooks evenly.
• Cut into the thickest part of the meat to check it is piping hot throughout with no pink meat remaining.
• The safest option is to use a food thermometer. The centre of the food should reach at least 75°C.

Remember, if in doubt, cook it a little longer.

Don’t Forget the Salads

Food poisoning isn’t only caused by meat. Salads, coleslaw and potato salad can also become unsafe if left in the sun.

Keep these foods chilled until serving and return them to the fridge promptly after the meal.

Enjoy Your BBQ Safely

A little planning goes a long way when it comes to food safety. By keeping food at the correct temperature, preventing cross contamination and making sure food is cooked thoroughly, you can enjoy a safe and delicious BBQ all summer long.

If you’re a food business preparing BBQ packs, takeaway foods or ready-to-cook products, ensuring correct storage, labelling and food safety information is equally important to help your customers enjoy their food safely.

For any further information please contact a member of our team on 01 2091904 or [email protected]