August 2012
Food Safety Grilling Tips Preparing foods on the grill requires an extra measure of care to prevent food borne illness. Grilling carefully can also prevent excessive smoke and charring of foods that may be unhealthy. To have a safe and fun-filled grilling experience, follow a few simple steps. Preparation: Select high quality fresh meat for the best results in outdoor grilling. Keep meat products at 40°F or less until just before grilling. Keep marinating foods in the refrigerator. Do not use marinade as a sauce on cooked meat. Wash hands before and after working with raw meat or poultry. Handle raw and cooked foods separately. Wash work surfaces, utensils and cutting boards thoroughly with hot, soapy water before and after preparing meat for grilling. Use a different cutting board for meats than for raw fruits and vegetables. After the meat is placed on the grill, immediately wash utensils and platter with hot, soapy water before using them again to serve meat. After foods have been cooked serve within two hours or refrigerate at 40°F or below. Poultry products should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F; ground beef and pork – 160°F; beef, veal and lamb steaks and roasts – 145°F for medium rare and 160°F for medium. Fin fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F and shrimp, lobster and crab should be cooked until the meat is pearly and transparent in appearance. Clams, oysters and mussels should be cooked until the shells open. Cook meat thoroughly to kill all bacteria.