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Safety Tips To Help You Avoid Barbecue Blunders

Posted: 7/6/2011

When you’re grilling this summer, remember to use different brushes when basting raw and cooked meats.

(NAPSI)—Warmer weather is often the signal for backyard chefs to heat up the grill for a barbecue. Unfortunately, that’s when the risk of food poisoning often heats up as well.

The good news is that grill masters can help keep their family and friends safe by following a few tips from the Home Food Safety program. The program is a collaborative effort of the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods.

“Whether it’s a picnic, barbecue or potluck, it’s important to apply the same home food safety techniques to help keep you and your guests safe from food-borne illness,” said registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Jim White.

• Before firing up the coals, scrub the grill, utensils and coolers with hot, soapy water. Set aside plates and utensils to handle raw foods and another set for cooked foods since cross-contamination tops the list of food safety concerns during the grilling season. Always wash utensils in warm, soapy water between uses.

• Plan ahead so you are able to wash your hands before, during and after handling foods outside. According to White, it’s important to wash your hands in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer or pack of moist towelettes nearby when soap and water are not readily available.

• When preparing favorites, such as steak and chicken, remember to use different brushes to baste raw and cooked meats, and boil any leftover marinade before using it to season cooked meats. “A food thermometer is the only way to ensure food has been cooked to the proper temperature,” White said. “It is not safe to rely on color or firmness or wait for the juices to run clear.”

• Stock coolers with plenty of ice and a refrigerator thermometer to ensure foods are stored below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Don’t let foods stay unrefrigerated for more than two hours, or one hour in hot weather (90 degrees Fahrenheit or above).

The Home Food Safety program is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of food-borne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling food.

For a downloadable chart of safe minimum internal temperatures for all your barbecue favorites, visit www.homefoodsafety.org.

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