Tips for healthier summer grilling

• Marinating meat can lower the formation of dangerous chemicals from grilling
• Precooking meat in the microwave before putting it on the grill can also minimize risks
• Hot dogs should just be eaten a handful of times each summer, says a local dietitian
• Inspect the grilling surface for bristles that may have fallen out of a cleaning brush

Everybody loves summer barbecues. But it's wise to keep certain health risks in mind as you eat your way through grilling season.

According to the National Cancer Institute, meat that is cooked over an open flame, or at high temperatures, can produce chemicals called HCAs and PAHs, which in large quantities have been found to cause cancer in animals.

There's also concern about nitrites, found commonly in hot dogs, the quintessential summer food.

And this time of year, hot weather can cause dishes served outdoors to spoil more quickly, leading to bacterial contamination and possible food poisoning.

Grills themselves can also be problematic: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns consumers about incidents of wire bristles coming loose from grill-cleaning brushes and ending up inside barbecued food, causing internal injuries to people who unknowingly swallow them. The CDC recommends checking a grilling surface for wire bristles every time you use the barbecue — and to use other methods to clean the grill.

For tips on how to make the food part of summer grilling safer, we turned to Ilyse Schapiro, a registered dietitian with offices in Harrison and Greenwich, Connecticut.

Research has shown that marinating meat or fish for about 30 minutes can help reduce the chemicals emitted during grilling. What should be in the marinade?

You can marinate it in something acidic, like red wine, which has been shown to lower the formation of (harmful chemicals). You can also marinate your food in beer.

What about precooking meat before you put it on the barbecue?

If you put it in the microwave for around 90 seconds, it starts the cooking process and decreases the amount of time your food is going to sit on the grill. Also, grilling food at a lower temperature, away from the direct heat source and the smoke, will lower the risks of these compounds accumulating on the food.

When fat drips onto the coals, the resulting smoke (and its chemical compounds) can cling to the meat. How do you avoid that?

You always want to cook with the leanest cuts possible. When we cook with leaner meat, less smoke will be emitted. The best thing to cook on a grill would be fish.

Hot dogs are everywhere during the summer, from ball parks to barbecues. Is it OK to eat as many hot dogs as you want this time of year?

Regular hot dogs are filled with sodium and fat. They don't have any redeeming qualities. That being said, does one of my children like hot dogs? Yes. Does she have them every week? No. You should limit it to a handful of times a summer.

What about nitrite-free hot dogs?

Even if it says nitrite-free, they're using celery powder or celery juice, which is naturally high in nitrates. And a nitrate turns into a nitrite. At the end of the day, whether it's a "natural" or a regular hot dog, it's still a processed food. And we're trying to get away from processed foods.

What's the best way to make sure foods don't spoil when you're serving them outside?

When cold food is above 41 degrees and hot food goes below 135 degrees, that's the danger zone. That's where bacteria can grow. To keep on top of things, you can check the temperature with a basic food thermometer. If you're having a barbecue at home, label when you take your food outside, so you know how long it's been away from a cold or heat source. The safest thing is to go with the two-hour rule: Food is no longer safe if it's been in that danger zone for more than two hours. When in doubt, throw it out.