BBQs

Food Safety

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Description

Avoiding cross-contamination

To avoid potential cross-contamination and the risk of foodborne illness, follow these steps:

  • make sure to keep raw meat away from other foods, including vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes. You can do this by packing meats separately or by making sure they are wrapped separately, so that juices don't leak out onto other foods.
  • use separate utensils, cutting boards, dishes and other cooking equipment when handling raw and cooked meats.  For example, do not place cooked meat on the same plate used to bring the raw meat to the BBQ. Raw juices can spread bacteria to your safely-cooked food and cause foodborne illness.
  • wash your hands carefully with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat.
  • clean all your cooking equipment, utensils and work surfaces, and then sanitize them with a mild bleach solution, in the following manner:
    • combine 5 mL (1 tsp) of bleach with 750 mL (3 cups) of water in a labelled spray bottle.
    • spray the bleach solution on the surface/utensil and let stand briefly.
    • rinse with lots of clean water and air dry (or use clean towels).

Thawing

Plan ahead. Thawing of meats should be done in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Sealed packages can be thawed in cold water. Microwave defrosting is acceptable if the food item is placed immediately on the grill. Meat should be completely thawed before grilling so that it cooks more evenly.

Cook thoroughly and use a digital food thermometer

Bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter are killed by heat. Raw meat must be cooked properly to a safe internal temperature to avoid foodborne illness. Colour alone is not a reliable indicator that meat is safe to eat. Meat can turn brown before all the bacteria are killed, so use a digital food thermometer to be sure.

To check the temperature of meat that you are cooking on the barbecue, take it off the grill and place it in a clean plate. Insert the digital food thermometer through the thickest part of the meat.

For hamburgers, you should insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the patty, all the way to the middle. Make sure to check each piece of meat or patty because heat can be uneven.

Remember to always clean your digital food thermometer in warm, soapy water between temperature readings to avoid cross-contamination.

Leftovers

Cool food by using shallow containers, so that it cools quickly. Discard any food left out for more than two hours. On hot summer days, don't keep food at room temperature for more than one hour. Remember to keep food out of the temperature danger zone of 4°C to 60°C (40°F to 140°F). When in doubt, throw it out!