Barbeque Food Safety

Clean

• wash and dry your hands before you prepare food and every time after you touch raw meat or poultry

• before you start handling food make sure all barbecue tools and all surfaces on which you put food are clean

Cook

• precook chicken, meat patties and sausages before barbecuing

• meats should be marinated in a covered container in the fridge, not on the bench

• have clean plates and cooking utensils ready. Don’t place or prepare raw meat next to cooked or partially cooked meat or other ready-to-eat foods

• use one set of utensils for raw meat and poultry and another set for cooked food

• always wait until the existing food on the barbecue has been cooked through and taken off the barbecue before adding any more raw meat

• turn the food regularly so that it cooks evenly

• minced meat, meatloaf and sausages should be cooked until steaming hot right through, and pork and poultry juices should run clear – use a meat thermometer to check temperatures

• place cooked items on a clean plate, not one that was used for raw meat

Cover

• when eating outdoors, keep your food covered to prevent contamination from insects, birds and pets

• cover and refrigerate any leftovers as soon as possible after cooking

• throw out perishable food that you have left at room temperature for more than two hours

Chill

• when buying meat, if your trip back from the supermarket is likely to take more than 30 minutes, pack your chilled and frozen purchases in a chilly bin. Don’t leave food in a hot car – perfect conditions for growing bacteria

• keep meat, poultry and other perishable foods cold until you are ready to cook them

• use an icepack and cooler bag or chilly bin to keep food cold outdoors

• store raw meat and poultry in the refrigerator away from other foods and below ready-to-eat foods.