Danger - There Are Germs and Bacteria Ready to Join You at the Barbecue

Warm weather is the time of year when the smells of roasting meat on the barbecue is in the air. What a great time to be with friends and family in this time honored tradition of cooking "in the wild" and socializing with people you like and care about. What people don't realize is bacteria and germs may be an uninvited guest at your next cook out.

It's no secret that our atmosphere is loaded with fungus, mold, yeast, and bacteria. We tend to group them together and call them germs. Normally these very small, microscopic "critters" pose no problem. When they find a good place to grow and multiply, we need to be cautions as that is when they can harm us. Bacteria love what we often put on the grill: raw meat.

Follow these simple safety tips, and you'll not be bothered by these uninvited guests at our social gathering.

The proper meat handling procedures need to be followed. Dirty hands and cooking utensils can easily spread bacteria around a cooking area like a wildfire. Always wash your hands before handling meat and wash them after. If you had the meat marinated, do not put the marinade back into a bottle to reuse. Also, do not put the cooked meat back into the marinade. You may be adding bacteria to the meat.

You also need to use the proper cooking temperature. Heat kills most bacteria. It's important that you cook your meat to the temperature that will kill the bad guys. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the following minimum grilling temperatures.

Ground beef needs to be cooked to 160 degrees (71 C)
Chicken breasts need to be cooked to 170 degrees (77 C)
Steaks need to be cooked to 145 degrees (63 C)
Pork should be cooked to between 160 and 170 degrees (71 C - 77 C)

Take note that these are the recommended minimum internal temperatures of the meat. In order to determine the temperature, you will need a meat thermometer, especially if you have thick cuts of meat. By the way, make sure you clean the meat thermometer when and after you use it. You do not want to introduce germs back to the meat by using a dirty thermometer.

It is recommended that pregnant women should stay clear of the raw meat preparation and grilling at the barbecue. Also, let someone else clean up. This is a wonderful time for you to put your pregnancy to good use. Since it isn't safe for you to be around raw meat, enjoy your mini vacation and use the time to be more social with your friends and family.

These safety rules are very easy to follow. When you visit other people's barbecue, you can let them know of your concerns about bacteria and help them follow the safe grilling procedures. The rules come down to simple hygiene. Wash your hands before and after preparing and cooking food and use a clean meat thermometer.