Brett Taylor
Americans love to grill. According to a 2020 report by the Home, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA) , nearly two-thirds of American adults own a grill or smoker, and 75% of them use their grill even in winter.
As popular as cooking is, the grill is probably not the most widely used cooking appliance you own. Therefore, it is understandable that even the most competent home cooks can make cooking mistakes that can endanger the health, especially the health of the elderly.
"Food safety is important to everyone, but it's extremely important to people who may be more prone to severe food poisoning," said Brian Katzowitz, a health communications specialist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). . "Adults over 65 are more likely to develop foodborne illnesses due to a weakened immune system."
The 5 most popular parties for barbecues
- July 4th (68%)
- Remembrance Day (56%)
- Labor Day (56%)
- Father's Day (42%)
- Mother's Day (29%)
To help grill masters at the weekend to expose themselves and their tablemates to non-foodborne illnesses, we asked two experts for advice: CDC Katzowitz and Robyn Goldberg, registered dietitian, nutritionist and author of The Eating Disorder Trap . Here are seven tips for safer and healthier grilling in your garden.
1. Choose propane over charcoal
Propane gas grills are a healthier option because they produce less smoke than charcoal grills, according to Goldberg. While coal is not carcinogenic by itself, it is smoke. Gas grills also have a smaller carbon footprint, Goldberg adds, which makes them better for the environment than charcoal. Propane is the most common fuel used by barbecue owners in the United States (61%), followed by charcoal (49%), according to the HPBA.
2. Keep your grill clean
Having an outdoor grill may make you feel like you don't have to keep it clean like the stove in your kitchen. But food germs can spread just as easily outdoors as indoors. While the CDC doesn't have explicit guidelines for cleaning grids, Katzowitz suggests washing the grids and prepping the surfaces with hot, soapy water before cooking. Don't forget to clean tongs, spatulas, and other kitchen utensils while you're at it.
3. Check your grill brush
A grill brush is a great tool for removing charred debris from the grids, but if you use a wire brush, be aware that the bristles may fall off and later get stuck in the grill food. After you've cleaned your grill with a brush, use a damp cloth or paper towel to clean loose bristles. One way to completely avoid the risk of hair growth is to scrub the grids with a collected piece of aluminum foil. When the grill is cold, grab the aluminum ball by hand and rub it; When it's hot, use pliers as a makeshift grip.
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4. Separate raw foods from cooked foods.
Cross-contamination is the enemy, so don't use the same utensils and plates that came in contact with raw meat to serve food. Do not let fruits, vegetables, and other foods that you plan to eat raw come into contact with raw meat, sauce, or meat marinades. Wash your hands with soap and water before cooking and after handling raw meat. Raw meat, including poultry and shellfish, can be contaminated with salmonella, E. coli, and other potentially harmful bacteria.
5. Cool food properly
Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be stored in the refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit until you're ready to put it on the grill. As soon as the internal temperature rises above 40 degrees, germs can multiply. In general, leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking. However, if you're grilling in hot weather and it's over 90 degrees outside, the food should be refrigerated or frozen within an hour of cooking.
6. Avoid smoked, charred, or well-cooked meat.
According to the National Cancer Institute, consuming muscle meat, including beef, pork, poultry, and fish, cooked or smoked at high temperatures can increase your risk of cancer. Potentially harmful chemicals are formed when substances in meat react to high temperatures, flames and smoke. To reduce the risk, avoid prolonged cooking over high heat, use a microwave to pre-cook meat before grilling, continuously turn meat when cooking on a high heat source, and remove charred parts before grilling.
Safe minimum cooking temperatures
- Ground beef, pork, beef, lamb: 160 degrees
- Ground chicken, turkey: 165 degrees
- Steaks, roasts, chops: 145 degrees
- Poultry: 165 degrees
- Fresh pork, ham: 145 degrees
- Parboiled ham: 165 degrees
- Finfish: 145 degrees
Source: foodsafety.gov
7. Beware of undercooked meat
In general, ensure that meat, poultry, and seafood are cooked to the recommended safe indoor temperatures by using a food thermometer. Otherwise, the heat may not be enough to kill any harmful germs that may be present. Because fruits and vegetables cook faster than meat, make sure the meat is fully cooked to a safe internal temperature when you put them together on a skewer, e.g. B. Skewers, cook. Cooking meat and products on separate skewers can facilitate preparation to the desired degree of cooking.
Aaron Kassraie writes on topics that are important to military veterans and their families to AARP. He's also a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously reported on US foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency's Washington office and worked on the news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.
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