Kilkenny people advised to be careful cooking meat this weekend

As the county gets ready for the upcoming bank holiday weekend, Safefood is encouraging people who are attending parties or get togethers in Kilkenny to be cautious when barbequing meat.

 Home cooks are advised to use a meat thermometer and make sure that BBQ meats like burgers, chicken, and sausages reach 75 degrees Celsius to make them as safe and tasty as possible.

New research from the food regulatory body has revealed 32% of adults admitted returning food at a BBQ because it was undercooked, only 20% of people knew that 75 degrees Celsius is the optimum temperature for safely cooked BBQ meats and two thirds of people still rely on the 'cut and check' method.

Dr Linda Gordon, Chief Specialist in Food Science at Safefood said: "Whether it's for a summer barbeque or cooking in your kitchen, a meat thermometer adds that extra layer of reassurance when cooking meats like burgers, sausages, chicken and kebabs. It’s important that we prioritise good food safety practices when cooking these foods. If you don’t own a meat thermometer, it is important these foods are cooked until piping hot, with no pink meat and the juices running clear."