Each year the Environmental Health Division sees a characteristic rise in the number of food poisoning cases through the summer period. When investigated, there is often one common factor: warm weather is the ideal time to cook outside but warm temperatures also make it easy for bacteria (germs) to multiply. Reducing the time that foods are in a warm environment and cooking foods thoroughly are crucial to ensuring food safety. It is also important to keep foods either very hot or very cold.
Following these tips in the order shown should help to minimise the length of time that foods are at room temperature and reduce the risk of food poisoning.
Buy the food
- Choose foods that are well within their use-by dates.
- Put raw meat in plastic bags.
- Put chilled foods in cool bags/boxes.
- Don't buy too much.
- Take food home straight away.
Store the food
- Refrigerate chilled foods immediately.
- Put raw meats below ready to eat foods.
- Keep your fridge at or below 5°C.
- Cover all foods
Set up the barbecue
- Position it outside, away from fences, trees and neighbour's property.
- Ensure the site is level.
- Light well in advance.
- Use approved lighting fuel, not petrol.
- Keep children and pets away.
- Provide fire fighting equipment e.g. garden hose or a bucket of sand.
Prepare the food
- Wash your hands before you start and in between handling raw and ready-to-eat foods.
- Prepare foods as late as possible and keep foods in the fridge until required.
- Defrost foods in the fridge or microwave.
- Use separate utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods or wash them in between, preferably with anti-bacterial soap.
- Marinate foods in the fridge. Don't put raw meat into a marinade if it is to be used for a sauce, rather reserve a portion specifically for the sauce.
- Wash salads and vegetables well.
Cook the food
- Wash your hands
- Pre-cook food in oven or microwave according to manufacturer's instructions and finish off on the barbecue.
- Cook immediately before eating.
- Ensure meat is thoroughly cooked and piping hot throughout.
- Don't handle raw and cooked foods with the same utensils.
- Never put cooked food back on the dish that held the raw meat.
Serve the food
- Wash your hands
- Eat food as soon as it is cooked
- Do not leave food in the sunshine
Clear up
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 1 hour or throw away.
- Dispose of refuse in covered bins to deter pests.
- Check coals are cold before storage.
- Never put hot ashes into the dustbin.
- Store briquettes in a dry place.
With a little extra care barbecues can be safe as well as fun!!
