Don’t let chicken BBQ cause an upset

Midweek weather hasn’t been tempting many of us to eat outdoors this summer – except for the ducks in Victoria Park, that is. On the other hand, we have seen a few sunny days sneaking through at the weekend. If that’s propelled you outdoors with your barbecue set, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is reminding you to watch that chicken, which can easily ruin your weekend.

The warning is especially timely as a new survey has found that chicken is now our most popular barbecue food, with the traditional “bangers and burgers” losing popularity. Over a quarter of a million people fall ill every year due to campylobacter, the bug most often carried on raw poultry – and the numbers suffering over the barbecue season is 50% higher than over the rest of the year. To keep us safe, the FSA has issued a list of timely reminders (see box).

Alongside the advice on handling chicken is another reminder on rice. Many households cook a batch of rice and then re-heat portions as they need them. However, warm rice is a great breeding ground for bacteria – and that could be a recipe for disaster. The FSA says that if you’re preparing rice beforehand, ensure it is fully cooked and then cool and refrigerate it within one hour of cooking. The rice should then be consumed within 24 hours.

•For more information on the FSA’s strategy to tackle campylobacter and other food safety information, go to: www.food.gov.uk/chickenchallenge

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Food safety tips 

•Cook all chicken in the oven before giving it a final finish on your barbecue. Your friends and family will still experience that special barbecue-charred taste – and you will know that you’ve cooked the chicken all the way through. This technique can also be used for sausages, burgers and kebabs if you’re cooking for large numbers, as you’ll want to avoid providing undercooked food.

•Cook your barbecue food thoroughly until you are sure that your poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs are steaming hot, with no pink meat inside. Turning meat regularly and moving it around the barbecue will help to cook it evenly. Charred on the outside doesn’t always mean cooked on the inside, so it’s always safer to cut open and check your burgers, sausages and chicken. If in doubt – keep cooking. If your food is charred on the outside but not cooked through, you can always cut it in half and cook the middles as a new outside. You’ll end up with thinner burgers, but peace of mind.

•Disposable BBQs take longer to heat up and to cook food – always check that your meat is cooked right through before serving.

•Avoid cross-contamination by storing raw meat separately before cooking. Use different utensils, plates and chopping boards for raw and cooked food. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water and dry them before handling your food for the barbecue and after handling raw foods including meat, fish, eggs and vegetables. 

•Don’t wash raw chicken or other meat. Cooking will kill any bacteria present, including campylobacter. Washing chicken, or other meat, can spread dangerous bugs on to your hands, clothes, utensils and worktops by splashing.

•Keep plates and cutlery away from raw meat and fish. Never serve your guests cooked food on a plate or surface that’s had raw meat or fish on it, and don’t use cutlery or marinades that have been in contact with raw meat. Cook marinades thoroughly if you intend to use them as a glaze or sauce. There’s no point in serving up food with a flourish if you’re adding bugs back into the mix.

•Keep cold foods below 8°C and hot foods above 63°C. Don’t leave food that you would store refrigerated standing around in the warm. You can get a cool bag for this purpose. Keep the number of times the bag is opened to a minimum until the food is eaten.

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