Are bristle brushes bad for BBQ?
Doctors warn that using wire bristle brushes could be hazardous to your health. The risk: The brush’s wire bristles can break off, remain on the grill grate and end up in the food you’re cooking. Then, once you eat it, they could potentially lodge in your stomach or intestines and cause major damage.
Why are grill brushes dangerous?
Basically, the issue is that the coarse wire bristles from your grill brush can break off and get into the food you’re grilling. If you then swallow one, it can puncture parts of the digestive system like the esophagus, intestines, stomach, or liver.
What kind of grill brush is safe?
A good grill brush is made with brass or food-grade stainless steel bristles. The head of the brush should be hard, food-grade plastic or metal to hold the bristles tightly in place. Avoid any grill brush that warns against use on a hot grilling surface.
When should I brush my grill?
Brush Off Grates and Racks Immediately after each cooking session, brush off the grates and racks when they are cooler but still warm, using a high-quality stainless steel grill brush to clean off food particles.
Is it safe to use metal brush on grill?
Sharp bristles can get left behind after cleaning and stick to your food, posing a risk. If you use a stainless steel or brass wire brush to remove stuck-on food from grill grates, be aware of this surprising downside: Small, sharp bristles can break off as you’re cleaning and get stuck to your grill’s cooking surface.
Are wire BBQ brushes dangerous?
Why a Wire Grill Brush Can Be Dangerous And one study revealed that between 2002 and 2014, around 1,700 Americans had to go to the emergency room after accidentally ingesting wire bristles. And those were just the reported cases! They can cause severe damage internally, and may even require emergency surgery.
What happens if you swallow a BBQ brush bristle?
And some people may not notice right away that they’ve swallowed a bristle. It happened to Kevin Gallant, who struggled with unexplained stomach issues for about a year and a half before having surgery. In the end, surgeons found a brush bristle and part of Gallant’s small intestine had to be removed.
Can a grill brush get stuck in your throat?
Wire bristles from grill brushes can get stuck on the barbecue and then swallowed. Doctors haven’t found a surefire way of removing the thin, sharp wires from people’s mouths and throats.
How did Lisa Wadden get a BBQ Brush stuck in her throat?
X-rays showed Wadden had swallowed a thin wire about 1.5 centimetres long, which had become embedded in her throat. An CT Scan image shows a barbecue brush bristle lodged in Lisa Wadden’s throat. (Lisa Wadden) Over four months, she had multiple CT scans, X-rays, scopes and two unsuccessful attempts to remove it through surgery.
What kind of BBQ brush do you use?
Others opt to keep the brush, but without the bristles. The bristle-free brush is a circle of tightly coiled steel. Rob Reinhardt, who runs Prairie Smoke and Spice BBQ in Regina and teaches barbecue classes, prefers this type of brush. Rob Reinhardt says it’s important that barbecue owners clean their grill.
And some people may not notice right away that they’ve swallowed a bristle. It happened to Kevin Gallant, who struggled with unexplained stomach issues for about a year and a half before having surgery. In the end, surgeons found a brush bristle and part of Gallant’s small intestine had to be removed.
Wire bristles from grill brushes can get stuck on the barbecue and then swallowed. Doctors haven’t found a surefire way of removing the thin, sharp wires from people’s mouths and throats.
X-rays showed Wadden had swallowed a thin wire about 1.5 centimetres long, which had become embedded in her throat. An CT Scan image shows a barbecue brush bristle lodged in Lisa Wadden’s throat. (Lisa Wadden) Over four months, she had multiple CT scans, X-rays, scopes and two unsuccessful attempts to remove it through surgery.
Others opt to keep the brush, but without the bristles. The bristle-free brush is a circle of tightly coiled steel. Rob Reinhardt, who runs Prairie Smoke and Spice BBQ in Regina and teaches barbecue classes, prefers this type of brush. Rob Reinhardt says it’s important that barbecue owners clean their grill.