Cleaning Your Grill - Grill Brush Warning from Doctors

PROVIDENCE, RI (CBS) – Several cases of people swallowing grill brush bristles have prompted doctors at Rhode Island Hospital to issue a warning about this unexpected danger.

In a newly published study, Rhode Island doctors note six cases over the course of 18 months where people accidentally swallowed wire grill brush bristles.

The incidents all required endoscopic or surgical removal.

Dr. David Grand, a radiologist who authored the paper, says the six patients all complained of mouth, esophagus, or abdominal pain.

Doctors found the common link was that the patients had eaten meat cooked on a grill that was cleaned with a wire brush immediately prior to cooking.

In three cases, the wire caused damage to the patients’ stomachs or intestine.

“Although foreign body ingestion is not a rare complaint in an emergency department, it is striking that in only 18 months we identified six separate episodes of wire bristle ingestion after eating grilled meat,” Grand said.
“The public should be aware of this potential danger.”

The doctors involved in the study now suggest wiping down your grill with paper towels after using a grill brush.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/30/ri-doctors-warn-of-wire-bbq-grill-brush-danger/


So, while it's important to clean your grills and smokers, if you use a wire brush to clean your grates, be careful and make sure you wipe the grates down with paper towels to remove any left over metal fragments.