Your City Council
SAFE SUMMER COOKING
This summer whatever you’re cooking up on your barbecue keep food safe for friends and family while providing a safe environment.
Bugs such as E.Coli 0157, Salmonella and Campylobacter can cause serious illness. So here are some simple steps to avoid food poisoning:
- Ensure food such as burgers and sausages are piping hot all the way through with none of the meat pink and juices running clear
- When cooking medium/rare steaks cook or seal them on each side to ensure any harmful bacteria is killed.
- If cooking for large numbers you could cook food in the oven first and then finish it off on the barbecue for added flavour
- If reheating food make sure it is piping hot all the way through before serving
- Ensure frozen food is defrosted properly before cooking
- Turn food regularly and move it around the barbecue to cook it evenly
- Don’t assume that if meat if charred on the outside it will be cooked properly on the inside, cut into it to check it is cooked right through
- Warm weather is perfect for bugs to grow so keep food out of the fridge for a short a time as possible
- Wait until the charcoal is glowing red, with a powdery grey surface before starting to cook.
If raw meat touches or blood drips from it onto cooked or ready-to-eat food then food poisoning bacteria present can transfer onto it causing it to become contaminated. This is known as cross contamination. Such bacteria can also be transferred from your hands, chopping board, or utensils. This is also a form of cross contamination and you can prevent it by ensuring you:
· Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat
· Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat
· Never put cooked food on a plate that has been used for raw meat
· Keep raw meat in sealed containers away from ready-to-eat foods
· Don’t put raw meat products directly next to cooked food on the barbecue
The Food Team have produced a Guide to Storing Foods Safely in your Fridge.