2nd August 2007, 07/257
It's BBQ time!
Having a BBQ this summer? Well make sure you don't serve up more
than you've bargain for and stay safe with West Lancashire District
Council's top food safety tips.
Cooking food outside can really increase the risk of food
poisoning. With this in mind the Council's Food Safety Team have
put together a useful list of key things to remember to help keep
your food in tip-top shape for alfresco dining.
Points to remember:
· Always wash your hands before touching food and after handling
raw meat and poultry.
· Always keep cooked food away from raw food and use separate
utensils for raw and cooked meats.
· If possible, keep meats, salads and other perishable foods in the
fridge until just before you are ready to cook/eat them.
Alternatively, use a cool box with ice packs in it.
· Make sure frozen food is fully thawed before you cook it.
· Wait until the charcoal is glowing red, with a powdery grey
surface, before you start to cook.
· Turn food regularly and move it around the barbeque to cook it
evenly.
· Cook poultry, sausages, burgers and chopped or minced meats right
through until none of the meat is pink and juices run clear.
· During cooking, if the food starts to burn on the outside, do not
assume that the inside of the food has reached a temperature that
will kill bacteria and is cooked through. Raise the grill height or
reduce the heat of the barbeque.
· Eat food as soon as it is ready.
· Keep serving bowls covered to protect food from dust, insects and
pets.
Cllr John Baldock, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Health,
said: "BBQs and outdoor eating are great fun during the summer
months but it can greatly increase the risk of food poisoning as
it's much more difficult to ensure food is properly cooked, or kept
at the correct temperature."
"I hope people take the time to read and follow these guidelines
set out by our Food Safety Team as they highlight a few simple
steps that we can all take to make sure that we all stay safe this
summer."
For more help and advice on Food Safety call the Food Safety Team
on 01695 577177 or visit the Food Safety section.
The Food Standards Agency has also produced a handy leaflet on how
to beat the barbecue bugs which can be downloaded from their
website Eatwell.
Related information
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