The FSA’s BBQ Warning: Why “Looks Done” Is Not a Safety Check

A barbecue can look successful long before the food is safe to eat. The outside of a burger or chicken piece may be browned while the centre remains undercooked, and warm weather can give bacteria the ideal conditions to multiply. That is why the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have issued a practical warning focused on the everyday mistakes that can turn a summer gathering into a food-poisoning risk.

The agencies say confirmed Salmonella cases in England reached their highest level in a decade in 2024 and remained at a similar level in 2025. Campylobacter infections also stayed higher than normal. Their BBQ safety announcement links many summer risks to undercooked or mishandled meat, poultry and eggs, particularly when food is prepared outdoors and left in the heat.

Why appearance is not enough

Colour and grill marks are useful clues, but they cannot reliably tell you whether the thickest part of a burger, sausage, kebab or chicken portion has cooked through. The FSA advises using a clean meat thermometer and checking the centre of the thickest part. Its consumer advice is to reach at least 75°C.

This matters most for burgers, sausages, kebabs, pork and poultry, which should be cooked all the way through. If you do not have a thermometer, the FSA also recommends checking that the food is piping hot, that no pink meat remains and that the juices run clear. These visual checks are less precise than a thermometer, so using both methods gives a more dependable final check.

Whole cuts such as steaks are different. The agencies note that steak can be served pink or rare when the surface has been adequately seared, because the main bacterial risk is on the outside of an intact cut. That distinction does not apply automatically to minced meat or rolled products, where bacteria can be present throughout.

A safer barbecue routine

Prepare the equipment first. Keep a clean thermometer nearby, place a clean plate beside the grill for cooked food and set out separate tongs, knives and boards for raw and ready-to-eat ingredients.
Keep raw food isolated. Raw meat juices can transfer bacteria to bread, salads, sauces and cooked food. Use separate utensils and wash your hands after handling raw meat before preparing anything that will be eaten without further cooking.
Check the centre, not the surface. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food without touching bone or the grill. Check more than one piece when portions vary in size, and return any item that has not reached the target temperature to the heat.
Control the time outdoors. Keep cooked chicken, egg dishes and prepared salads chilled until they are needed. Store perishable food in a cool bag with ice packs and do not leave it sitting in warm weather for more than two hours.

This sequence is simple, but it prevents several common failures at once: undercooking, cross-contamination and temperature abuse. The official cooking guidance also recommends using a clean probe in the centre of food and explains that poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs need thorough cooking.

Serving safely is part of cooking

Food safety does not end when the grill is switched off. Use a fresh plate for cooked meat rather than returning it to the plate that held the raw food. Keep salads, coleslaw and other ready-to-eat dishes away from raw meat and its packaging. If you are serving in batches, put out smaller portions and replace them rather than allowing one large bowl to sit in the heat for the entire meal.

The same principle applies to leftovers. Refrigerate safe leftovers promptly and discard food that has been left out beyond the recommended time. Do not use smell or appearance as a safety test: harmful bacteria may be present without making food look or smell unusual.

Extra care for higher-risk guests

Young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system can be more vulnerable to serious foodborne illness. For these guests, it is especially important to cook meat thoroughly, keep chilled dishes cold and avoid serving food that has been sitting outside for too long.

Anyone experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting should avoid preparing food for other people. The FSA and UKHSA advise waiting until at least 48 hours after symptoms have cleared before returning to food preparation or work. That precaution protects the people sharing the meal, not just the person who is ill.

The takeaway from the new warning is practical rather than dramatic: do not guess when barbecue food is ready. A thermometer, separate utensils, cold storage and sensible serving times remove much of the uncertainty. For a visual reminder of thermometer-led grilling, Safefood’s meat-thermometer campaign shows the same principle in action: check the centre, then serve.