Grillmasters Get a Food Safety Lesson

Two Sides of Grilled Food

Grilled foods are usually considered healthy because they are cooked without fat. For instance, a typical 4-ounce chicken breast cooked on the grill contains about 5 grams of fat, while a 4-ounce serving of homemade fried chicken contains about 10 grams of fat.

When it comes to preparing food, grilling is a healthier option. Over the past several years, there have been concerns about grilling increasing your risk of getting certain cancers. Compounds from grilling, called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are the result of cooking meats on high heat. It is not clear at this time if either of these compounds increase your cancer risk. Detailed questionnaires by health officials suggest this is the case, but no evidence proves this occurs outside of controlled animal studies.

Healthy Grilling

Because there is no established link between grilling and cancer risk, no organization has outlined any guidelines for safe grilling. That doesn't mean that you can't take matters into your own hands. There are steps that you can take to lower your risk of these potentially cancer-causing chemicals:

• Trim the fat—PAHs are formed when fat drips onto hot coals. Flames and smoke redeposit PAHs onto the food. To minimize the PAHs from forming, trim as much fat as you can from the meat.
• Marinate—HCAs are produced when meat is grilled or cooked at high temperatures causing charring. Some studies suggest that marinating meat before grilling may reduce the formation of HCAs.
• Precook—Pop the meat in the microwave to partially cook it before grilling.
• Use smaller cuts of meat—Smaller cuts take less time to grill.
• Remove charred parts—After grilling, cut off any charred parts from the meat.
• Grill other foods—Add variety to your meals by grilling fruits and vegetables instead of meat. Vegetables do not produce HCAs.

Safe Grilling

Follow these safe food preparation guidelines during your next grilling adventure:

• Frequently wash your hands and surfaces—This can prevent cross-contamination of bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli ) infection.
• Use separate plates—Use one cutting board for raw meats and a clean one for other foods in order to reduce bacteria crossover. Be sure to use separate plates, utensils, and platters for raw and cooked foods. For instance, if the raw steaks are carried out on a platter and tongs are used for placing them on the grill, you must use a new clean platter and tongs for taking the cooked steaks off the grill when they are done.
• Keep the temperatures appropriate—Meats should be refrigerated while marinating and up to the point of being cooked. When the grilling starts, be sure the internal temperature of meats is appropriate to kill bacteria. Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperatures. Leftovers should be refrigerated immediately and tossed if left out more than 1 hour in hot temperatures.

Here are some minimum safe food internal temperatures:

Make sure that you allow the meat to rest for a minimum of 3 minutes after you remove it from the grill. This will help to seal the juices in.

A Simple Meal on the Grill

With the grilling basics all nailed down, try this great meal mainly cooked on the grill in less than 1 hour.

Revision Information

• Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD, FAAP
• Review Date: 05/2017
• Update Date: 07/10/2015