Safefood Issues Barbecue Caution

Barbecue Safety

Summer is well and truly here and safefood has issued a word of caution to anyone who is thinking of dusting down the barbecue to help take advantage of the good weather.

Speaking earlier, safefood Chief Executive, Mr. Martin Higgins said, "It's all too easy at this time of the year to spoil what should be a great time by failing to observe some very simple rules. We are urging consumers to be extra careful when barbecuing, and to simply make sure that food is cooked thoroughly before consumption."

Safefood is also encouraging consumers to cut down on their salt intake by opting for more fresh food and by cutting down on added salt at the table and when cooking. Research has revealed that people generally consume over double their recommended daily allowance (RDA) of salt, so to help consumers choose low salt options, safefood has developed a number of low salt recipes - the perfect accompaniments to any barbecue this summer.

Simple steps, which can help maintain healthy salt levels, also include using alternative flavourings such as black pepper, herbs, garlic and lemon juice, making home cooked meals and reducing the amount of salt you use at home. Copies of How much salt is good for you, a leaflet developed by safefood in association with the Irish Heart Foundation, which provides a clear outline of how to manage salt intake, is available by contacting safefood at 1850 404 567. A Salt Calculator can also be found on the site, which helps consumers work out how much salt is in specified amounts of food.

1 The Recommended Daily Allowance RDA for adults is 4g per day. Food intake surveys have shown that the average intake of adults is 10g.