Investigating BBQ Food Safety

by

Scott Morris

Bbq Food Safety

Instances of food poisoning double within the summer months, therefore make sure you know the easy steps that will help to keep food safe.

Food poisoning is usually mild, and most people improve inside a week. But sometimes it may be more severe, even deadly, so it is important to take the risks seriously. Kids, seniors and people along with weakened natural defenses are especially vulnerable to food poisoning.

“The safest option is to cook food indoors using your oven,” states a spokesperson from the Food Standards Agency (Fsay). “You may then place the cooked food outside on the bbq for flavour.” This can be an easier option if you are cooking food for a lot of individuals at the same time.

But if you prefer to cook on the barbecue, the two primary risk factors tend to be:

undercooked meat

spreading germs through uncooked meat on to food thats ready to consume

The reason being raw or even undercooked meat may contain germs that cause food poisoning, such as salmonella, E.coli as well as campylobacter. However, its easy to kill these types of germs by cooking meat till it is piping hot throughout.

Cooking meat on the barbecue

When youre cooking any kind of meat on a bbq, such as chicken (chicken or even turkey), pork, steak, burgers or sausages, make sure:

The hot coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface before you begin cooking, as which means that they’re hot enough.

Frozen meat is properly thawed before you decide to cook it.

You turn the actual meat frequently and move it around the barbecue to cook it evenly.

Remember that meat is safe to eat only when:

It is actually piping hot in the centre.

There isn’t any pink meat visible.

Any juices are clear.

“Dont assume that because meat is charred on the exterior it will be cooked properly inside,” says the Fsa spokesperson. “Cut the meat at the thickest part and ensure none of it is pink inside.”

Some meat, such as steaks and joints of beef or lamb, can be served rare (not cooked in the centre) so long as the outside has been correctly cooked. This will destroy any germs that could be on the outside of the meat. However, food made from minced meat, for instance sausages and burgers, must be cooked completely all the way through.

Raw meat

Germs from raw meat can move easily on to your hands, and then onto anything else you touch, including food that is cooked and ready to eat. This is known as cross-contamination.

Cross-contamination sometimes happens if uncooked meat touches anything (such as plates, utensils, tongs and chopping boards) which then comes into contact with other food.

Some simple steps to help avoid cross-contamination are:

Wash both hands after every time you contact raw meat.

Use separate utensils (dishes, tongs, storage containers) for cooked and raw meat.

Never place cooked food on a plate or surface that has had raw meat on it.

Keep uncooked meat inside a sealed container away from foods that are ready to consume, such as salads and buns.

Dont place uncooked meat next to cooked or partly-cooked meat on the barbecue.

Dont put sauce or marinade on cooked food if it has already been used with uncooked meat.

Keeping food cool

Its also important to keep a few foods cool to avoid food-poisoning germs spreading.

Make sure you keep the following foods cool:

salads

dips

milk, cream, yogurt

desserts and cream cakes

sandwiches

ham and other cooked meat

cooked rice, including rice salads

Dont leave meals out of the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours, and do not leave food under the sun.

See the Food Standard Agency’s GermWatch campaign.

Fire safety

Make sure your barbecue is steady on a level surface, away from vegetation and trees.

The fire Service recommends covering the bottom of your barbecue with coal to some depth of a maximum of 5cm (2in). Use only recognised firelighters or starter fuel, and then only on cold coals.

In no way use petrol on a barbecue.

If you would like to learn more about which barbecue suites your needs:http://www.bbqbarbecues.co.uk/http://www.bbqbarbecues.co.uk/charcoal-bbqs-3346-0000http://www.bbqbarbecues.co.uk/patio-bbqs-3348-0000

Article Source:

Investigating BBQ Food Safety }

Submitted by: Harrie Dadhwal

You re looking to redo your driveway or add that patio and BBQ area you ve always wanted and you re starting to look at your paving options, but everyone tells you that stone pavers are a bad idea you should use concrete or asphalt instead. But are the things they re telling you true? Here are five of the most common misconceptions when it comes to stone paving:

1. Stone pavers don t last

This is only true if your pavers aren t of good quality. Quality stones will last just as long as a concrete or asphalt slab will, and they re more aesthetically pleasing, too. Just make sure you find a supplier who only sources the best stone pavers on the market.

2. Stone pavers can become uneven over time

This will only happen if your pavers are not laid correctly the first time. If you re unsure about how to lay your stones, contact a professional to do it for you. Some stones are also adjustable once they have been laid (whereas a slab of concrete is not), so there is some room to fix up any mistakes later on.

However, tree roots and poor drainage can also result in your pavers becoming uneven. These kinds of problems should be looked at before the stones are laid and designs should be adjusted accordingly to ensure as little of this affects the layout as possible.

3. Stone pavers encourage weed growth

If pavers are laid properly, there is no reason for weeds to miraculously spring up between the stones overnight. Generally, pavers are laid with polymeric sand or another kind of joint sand, which leaves no space for weeds to grow. This also stops the infestation of bug nests and the gathering of dirt between stones.

4. Stone pavers are costly and difficult to repai

While some styles can seem to be a little on the expensive side, their durability and attractiveness add value to your home (much more than either concrete or asphalt would). There is also a range of affordable pavers on the market; you just have to know where to look.

And pavers are not difficult to repair at all. It is much easier to replace a single stone if it somehow becomes damaged then it is to repair damage to concrete. The latter often involves the use of professionals who quite often have to replace part of the slab if not the entire thing. It is handy to get a few extra stones than you need, just in case any become damaged down the line.

5. Stone pavers are difficult to lay

In reality, it is no more difficult, or time consuming, to lay down some pavers than it is to lay a concrete or asphalt slab. As long as the surface has been hard packed (and you can hire machines that do this) and you have a set design that you follow, the process is relatively easy.

Pavers stones can make your home much attractive and beautiful if you use it in a proper way.

About the Author: This article posted by Harrie D. on behalf Yarrabee and Castlemaine Stone Solutions. Yarrabee deals in wide range of natural stone paving solutions of high quality pavers. They also provide quality durable sandstone and long lasting granite.Source:

EzineArticles.com/6691248

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