Eating Without Fear

If you're out flipping burgers and chicken on the grill this holiday weekend, you might want to keep some safety tips in mind. 

"For absolute food safety, it's recommended that ground meat, chicken be cooked to 185 degrees. That means we're talking about a well done hamburger.  So, if you prefer your burgers medium rare or even rare, there's a little bit of a risk there, especially more of a risk if you're not sure how that ground beef was handled before it even got on the grill," said Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center registered dietician Yvonne Thigpen.

Thigpen says never to mix your cooked and raw meat and utensils.

"Once something is cooked, especially if it's real perishable like meat items, sausage, ribs, on a hot day like today where it's over 90 degrees, it should only be left out for an hour and then put back in the fridge to keep that food safe for all of your guests," said Thigpen.

And she says, after you've grilled, she advises cleaning the grill grate before you use it the next time.

If you do get food poisoning, she recommends drinking plenty of water and if you're not better in 24 hours, go to the hospital.

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