Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Zoe Forsey & Courtney Pochin

Why you can't eat your burger if it's pink - and how to check if it's cooked properly

There's nothing like firing up the barbeque on a warm evening - sitting in the garden, drink in hand, a burger cooking over the coals.

Many people might not worry too much about what their beef burger looks like, as they assume you can eat them pink - the same as with steak.

However, experts have confirmed that this isn't the case and you need to be more careful or you could end up with a nasty case of food poisoning.

It's different in restaurants, as they can put strict controls on the way burgers are cooked but we can't do this when cooking on the barbecue.

According to the Food Standards Agency 's website, burgers that are served rare or undercooked may contain harmful bacteria which could make you sick.

Always be sure the meat is properly cooked (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

It explains: "Harmful bacteria can be carried on the surface of whole cuts of meat. When a rare steak is seared these bacteria are killed, making the steak safe to eat.

"When meat is minced to produce burgers, any harmful bacteria from the surface of the raw meat spread throughout the burger. Unless the burger is cooked right through, these bacteria can remain alive on the inside.

"This applies to all burgers, including burgers made from good quality or expensive meat.

"That's why a burger needs to be served well done, while a steak can be served rare."

And it's not just cheap meat that can cause problems, as contamination can start at any point of the process including during the slaughter.

There is no way of knowing which animals carry harmful bacteria in their gut.

But there are a few steps you can take to check if your burgers are cooked properly and safe to eat.

  • cut the burger in the middle and check none of the meat inside is pink
  • check all the juices run clear
  • make sure the burgers are steaming hot all the way through.

You can also reduce the chances of getting food poisoning by avoiding cross-contamination.

Do you have a cooking tip to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.