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Retail giant Tesco has shared comprehensive advice on the correct techniques for preparing, defrosting and storing meat safely, with special emphasis on sausages. The supermarket chain specified that particular meats, including sausages, chicken, turkey, game, duck, pork, mince, and rolled or boned joints, need complete cooking. Sausages - among Britain's most popular meat products - must be prepared "until piping hot throughout, with no pink colour in the centre". The retailer explained: "If you have a temperature probe, check the centre of the meat has reached 70C for at least two minutes (or 75C for at least 30 seconds)." In contrast, alternative meats such as steaks, whole cuts of lamb, and venison may be prepared and eaten rare, as dangerous bacteria that cause food poisoning are present only on the surface of these cuts. Pregnant women should guarantee all meat is completely cooked owing to toxoplasmosis dangers, it is essential to highlight. Frozen sausages must be entirely defrosted before preparation, reports the Express . Tesco advised: "Defrost in the fridge overnight, or if you're going to cook it straight away, you can defrost using the microwave. It's best not to use running water to avoid spreading germs around." The retailer shared another crucial recommendation, warning shoppers against rinsing sausages. This occurs because water can potentially splash onto surfaces, thus spreading bacteria, including those which might cause food poisoning. The supermarket explained: "We may have read in cookbooks or been told by our grandmother to wash poultry or meat before preparing it but in fact this is one of the worst things you can do. "Just small numbers of Campylobacter, and other food poisoning bacteria, such as Salmonella and E.coli O157, found in fresh poultry and other raw meat can cause serious infections." Tesco advised always keeping raw sausages in sealed containers at the bottom of the fridge "to stop juices dripping onto other ready-to-eat foods". They also urged cleaning surfaces before and after food preparation and using separate chopping boards and utensils for raw sausages, meat, and other ready-to-eat foods. Following cooking sausages, they recommended washing all the utensils thoroughly with hot water and washing up liquid or putting them in the dishwasher, and washing your hands thoroughly. They also proposed disposing of any meat packaging carefully and washing your hands afterwards.
