Barbecue and picnic food safety advice
Date published:
Barbecues
The main food poisoning risks when using a barbecue are:
- undercooked meat
- spreading bacteria from raw meat onto food that’s ready-to-eat
Clean and dry the barbecue grill and cooking utensils before using.
When cooking meat such as burgers, sausages, kebabs, chicken and pork, always check that:
- the meat is steaming hot throughout
- there is no pink meat visible when you cut into the thickest part
- meat juices run clear
Think about:
- cooking chicken and pork in the oven first
- then putting the cooked food on the outdoor barbecue for a short time for flavour
You can get detailed information and advice on the Food Standards Agency website:
It's also important to:
- think about fire safety
- be alert to the risks of carbon monoxide when barbecuing
Picnic food
Cases of food poisoning from campylobacter, E. coli, listeria and salmonella increase in the summer months.
These picnic tips can help keep you safer:
- wash your hands before preparing a picnic and, if possible, before eating it
- wash fresh fruits (including those with rinds) and vegetables under running tap water before packing them in the cool box
- place cold food in a cool box with ice or frozen gel packs - if using freezer packs (or frozen drinks also work well for this purpose), distribute them throughout the box not all at the bottom
- pack drinks in one cool box and perishable foods in another
- keep your cool box closed – once at the picnic site, limit the number of times the cool box is opened as much as you can (this helps to keep the contents cold for longer)
Once you’ve served the picnic, put any leftover food back in the cool box.
After four hours or more at temperatures of 8 °C and above, the risk from bacteria increases, and food may become unsafe to eat.
Find more detailed information at: