Safefood offers essential food safety tips
Dublin, 15 May 2025: With the warmer weather here, Safefood is providing crucial advice to ensure barbecues are safe and enjoyable.
Summer is synonymous with grilling, but food safety should always be a priority. Safefood highlights five common barbecue mistakes and offers practical solutions to prevent food poisoning.
Top 5 BBQ food safety mistakes (and how to avoid them):
Dirty grill: Grease and food residue can harbour bacteria. Thoroughly clean your grill with a brush and hot, soapy water before you use it and once it’s cooled down afterwards.
Leaving food in the sun: Perishable foods like salads, dips, and raw meat should be kept refrigerated until serving. Cooked leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours.
Cooking frozen meat: Always fully defrost meat and poultry in the refrigerator overnight before grilling to ensure even cooking.
Cross-contamination: Use separate utensils, plates, and cutting boards for raw and cooked meat. Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw food.
Undercooking meat: Don’t rely on appearance alone. Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken, burgers, sausages and kebabs reach an internal temperature of 75°C. Alternatively, ensure meat is piping hot throughout, with no pink meat remaining and juices running clear.
“Hosting a barbecue should be a relaxed and enjoyable experience,” says Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety at Safefood. “By following these food safety tips, you can protect your guests and ensure your barbecue is a success.”
Additional Tips
- Check your refrigerator before shopping and discard any expired items past their Use By date
- Pre-cooking meat in the oven can save time. Ensure its fully cooked before grilling for flavour.
For more information on cooking meat safely and using a meat thermometer, please visit Safefood.net or follow Safefood on Facebook and Instagram.
ENDS
For further information or to request photos or an interview please contact:
Wilson Hartnell PR: Deribhile Brennan
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 086 457 6093
Safefood: Dermot Moriarty/Hayley Linehan
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Mobile: 086 381 1034 (Dermot) 087 406 9110 (Hayley)