Gentlemen, Start Your Grills!

Amy Higgens

Outdoor grilling ranks high among customers' favorite themed special events. But as summer temperatures heat up, so does the risk of foodborne illness. Some of the biggest grilling blunders, according to a recent survey by the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foods Foundation, include not using meat thermometers to test for doneness, sharing utensils among different raw meats leading to crosscontamination, and leaving food out without refrigeration.

To help operators get a handle on safer grilling techniques, ADA/ConAgra Foods has created the Grillometer.The print-friendly reference chart, available at www.homefoodsafety.org, details the proper internal temperatures of a variety of grill-topping favorites, including burgers, chicken breasts, seafood and pork.