RESIDENTS are being reminded of the dangers of serving “pink burgers” this bank holiday weekend.

With gourmet burgers becoming more popular, Southend Council has backed a national Food Standards Agency campaign to highlight the dangers of burgers that are not cooked all the way through.

The Council are reminding everyone that burgers are made of minced meat, so any bacteria, on the outside of the whole piece of meat, are mixed up throughout burgers when the meat is minced.

If bacteria are mixed into the middle of the burger and it isn’t cooked all the way through, the bacteria can survive and cause food poisoning. That’s why a burger should be thoroughly cooked all the way through.

Mark Flewitt, Executive Councillor for Housing, Planning and Public Protection Services at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, said: “We want our residents to be equipped with the knowledge they need to enjoy a good grill without getting ill.

“Children, elderly and poorly people in your family in particular run the risk of getting food poisoning, or even worse – a life threatening illness - through serving a less than well-cooked burger at your barbecue this weekend.

“But if you follow the Food Standards Agency’s advice, you’ll be able to keep your loved ones safe and remember the bank holiday for all the right reasons.”

Come rain or shine this bank holiday weekend, the FSA is reminding everybody to cook burgers so they are hot all the way through, check that none of it is pink and that any juices run clear. 

Also, avoid cross-contamination by storing raw meat separately before cooking, using different utensils, plates and chopping boards for raw and cooked food.

Find out more about the FSA’s top tips at: www.food.gov.uk/burgers