Q: Is it safe for a pregnant woman to go to a barbecue? I’m a little worried since it’s a danger to be around raw meat.
A: Yes, barbecue is very safe to eat as long as the food is cooked to a safe temperature so that all the harmful bacteria is killed. You want to make sure that all the meat should be cooked to a temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Pregnant women should not eat meat that is “red” when cooked. Chicken should be cooked throughout, and fish should be flaky, not mushy.
Also make sure the raw meat never comes in contact with the cooked meat, so be careful to separate utensils and dishes that have touched raw meat. If you follow the above guidelines, you do not have to be concerned.
— Answer provided by Dr. Owen, physician on JustAnswer.
Daily Answer is excerpted from the JustAnswer archives and features information provided by a Expert on JustAnswer.
