17°c Partly cloudy
22°c Thundershowers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Warning: don't eat your barbecue cleaning brush By Michelle Locke
Beware of barbecue-brush bristles. (CP)
From the Department of Things You Did Not Know You Had to Worry About comes a new advisory: Don't eat your barbecue cleaning brush.
Specifically, beware of accidentally ingesting broken-off bristles from brushes. Apparently, those bristles can stick to the grill and wind up in hamburgers or other food.
While this isn't exactly an epidemic -- a small number of cases have been reported so far -- it is a real problem with unpleasant results.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, internal injuries have been reported from accidental ingestion of bristles, including six cases at Rhode Island Hospital between July 2009 and November 2010. Six more cases were identified from March 2011 to June 2012.
Dr. David Grand, a radiologist who works in the hospital's department of diagnostic imaging, says he and his colleagues realized there was a problem after finding ingested bristles in a couple of patients who'd fallen ill after barbecues.
"We all put our heads together and said, 'Hey, has anyone seen this before?' Once we had three cases identified, we realized that something was happening," he says.
Since reporting the findings to the CDC, doctors at the hospital have received emails from around the United States reporting similar cases.
No particular brand or style of brush has been identified as more problematic than another, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission is reviewing available data to see if there's a need for a consumer warning, product recall or other regulatory action.
In the meantime, health officials recommend examining the grill surface carefully before cooking to make sure there are no stray bristles.
Another possibility is to use alternative methods to clean the grill, no bristles needed.
Chef and veteran griller Bruce Aidells usually takes care of grill residue by leaving the grill on for 5 to 10 minutes after he's done cooking (this happens automatically with charcoal, of course). This turns the residue into ash that can be wiped off when the grill cools.
That's great for after you've cooked. But what about before? That's where oil comes in.
Well-oiled grill grates prevent food from sticking. The less food that sticks, the less messy the grates will be afterward. And that means less cleaning.
So how do you get well-oiled grates? Don't be crazy and spritz them with cooking spray while the grill is going. This can cause dangerous flaring.
To oil your grates, start by heating the grill. Once it is at temperature and you are ready to cook, wad up a paper towel. Soak the paper towel in an inexpensive high-heat oil, such as canola or vegetable. Grasp the oiled towel with tongs, then rub it over the grates until they are nicely coated with oil.
Why not do it when the grill grates are cool? Because the oil will burn off as the grill heats. You want to do it just before putting the food on the grill. That's also why cooking spray isn't a great choice for grill grates. To be applied safely, you need to do it when the grill is cool. And that means most of it will be gone by the time you add food.
Combine this oiling technique with Aidells' suggestion of burning off any food residue after grilling and you won't need to do much grill brushing.
But Aidells, author of The Great Meat Cookbook coming out this fall, is more interested in cooking than cleaning. "I'm not so fastidious about cleaning my grill," he says with a laugh.
-- The Associated Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 8, 2012 C1
More Your Health
- Back to Top
- Return to Your Health
More Your Health
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Saudi MERS outbreak showed SARS-like features, including possible superspreader
2:36 AM 0
Poll
Most Popular Your Health
- Two Alberta family doctors suspended over inappropriate patient relationships
- Alberta Health Services reverses cuts to home, palliative and continuing care
- Canadian high school seniors in worse health than first-years. study shows
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- New Brunswick health minister says catastrophic drug plan on the way
- Study: Vaccine against sexually transmitted HPV cut infections in teen girls by half
- HEALTHBEAT: July 1 brings changes to way diabetics on Medicare purchase blood testing supplies
- Study says focusing preventive health care on those in poor health could save billions
- Saved by the kettlebell
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- Doctors say public purse and public health at risk because of government cuts
- Ontario workers who fear chemical made them sick told to file claim
- One case of rare brain disease confirmed in B.C.; two other cases now suspected
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Two Alberta family doctors suspended over inappropriate patient relationships
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Groin soreness sign of testicular cancer
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Training Basket
- Carb-loading and sports drinks: debunking marathon myths
- Two dead, one injured after helicopter crashes north of Fort McMurray, Alberta
- You can't break bad eating patterns, but you can modify them to your advantage
- Dr. Henry Morgentaler, the controversial abortion rights crusader, dead at 90
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- I'm going to die(t)
- Smoke sales forbidden at pharmacies, health facilities starting May 31
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Mother of biologist killed in chopper crash worried about daughter's risky job
- Ottawa tables final rules for medical marijuana, gives pharmacists a reprieve
- Website helps Parkinson's patients avoid protein-medication interaction
- Groin soreness sign of testicular cancer
- Study: Vaccine against sexually transmitted HPV cut infections in teen girls by half
- Canadian high school seniors in worse health than first-years. study shows
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- Website helps Parkinson's patients avoid protein-medication interaction
- Groin soreness sign of testicular cancer
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Poor preschooler eating habits can raise cholesterol, set stage for heart disease
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Iron overload often missed diagnosis for heart problems
- Doctors say public purse and public health at risk because of government cuts
- Training Basket
- Study: Vaccine against sexually transmitted HPV cut infections in teen girls by half
- Specialist moving to Toronto after 23 years at cutting-edge sleep lab
- Carb-loading and sports drinks: debunking marathon myths
- Iron overload often missed diagnosis for heart problems
- You can't break bad eating patterns, but you can modify them to your advantage
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- Website helps Parkinson's patients avoid protein-medication interaction
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- I'm going to die(t)
- CT-scans: weigh negative and positive effects
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.