Barbecue and Food Safety
From being a summer activity shared by family and friends, the barbecue is now rapidly becoming a year long activity. Cooking in the outdoors has its share of delights; it comes with a set of hazards as well, especially those linked with food contamination. As the barbecues grow in number and frequency, it is become all the more important to follow food safety norms while enjoying the barbecue.
When shopping for barbecue supplies, buy cold meat and poultry last, before checkout. Keep these items separate in the cart and enclose it in plastic bags to prevent cross-contamination. If the meat is likely to be exposed to lower temperatures for a long period while you are driving home, use a cooler with ice for perishables.
Thaw meat and poultry completely before grilling so that it cooks evenly. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. When transporting food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacteria growth. An insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs can keep the meats and poultry at 40
