Food Poisoning Free Barbeques

As summer approaches, people are beginning to get their grilling equipment ready. When grilling, barbequing, and cooking meat in general, certain minimum temperatures should be reached. FoodSafety.gov provides a handy table which lists proper minimum cooking temperatures for meats.   

According to the website located at foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html, the following are recommended temperatures:

It is important to remember that meats can harbor dangerous foodborne bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. When foods are manufactured or processed, they can become cross-contaminated with E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria bacteria, which can introduce foodborne illnesses into the home.

E. coli can lead to bloody diarrhea in victims. Children, the elderly, and those with weak immune symptoms are at a greater risk of developing an E. coli related complication known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which is a potentially fatal kidney disorder. Salmonella, likewise can result in diarrhea and stomach cramps. Salmonellosis food poisoning can result in reactive arthritis in rare cases. Listeria, which has been associated with soft cheeses and deli meats, can cause stillbirths in pregnant women.

The only way to be sure that preparing and consuming food will not lead to food poisoning or foodborne illness outbreaks is for the companies responsible for the manufacturing and production of those foods to ensure that their products hit the store shelves free from bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and any other foodborne illness causing pathogens.