OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Many Americans will use grills over the July 4th weekend, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to make sure the food served is safe.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends using a meat thermometer when grilling to make sure any bacteria present will be killed.
E. coli and salmonella bacteria can be common in ground beef and chicken, so it's good to take precautions.
Cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees should kill E. coli bacteria, if they are present.
All poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Experts say cooks should use different platters for cooked meat instead of reusing the same platter that held raw meat.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
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On the Net:
Food Safety and Inspection Service: http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
