Ahead of July Fourth, barbecue lovers should use caution with certain grill brushes

By Leah Rainwater

When people think of safety on the Fourth of July, they’re probably not thinking about what’s happening on their grill.

For years, especially during the summer, the American Medical Association has warned anyone who uses a wire bristle brush to use caution.

A wire-bristled brush can cause an array of health and safety hazards, as the bristles may break off and stick to food or the grill itself.

When ingested, wire bristles have been known to cause bodily injury and can even lead to medical emergencies.

”When you’re using a standard grilling brush, these little bristles can easily break off, they get embedded into the meat product that you’re cooking,” said Dr. Cynthia Brownfield with Mosaic Life Care. “And then somebody could eat them and end up having it lodged into their throat or even worse, swallowing it into their stomach.”

If that isn’t concerning, Brownfield said there are even worse outcomes.

”The bristles can penetrate through your intestines and cause significant disease and possibly death,” Brownfield said.

More than 130 people go to the emergency room each year due to injury from a wire bristle. Usually, injuries involve the mouth, throat or tonsils and can sometimes require surgery.

Brownfield says to avoid risk of these injuries, use cleaning brushes with coils or the grill spatula to clean the grill instead.