It’s nearly summer and time for that favorite activity – cooking outdoors. But be careful you don’t accidentally ingest some wire bristles along with your food, which can cause injury, researchers warn.
    Nearly 1,700 people were seen in hospital emergency rooms over a 12-year-period, having suffered such injuries, and some required surgery, say researchers, who reviewed data from 2002 to 2014.
    The study found that that the majority of these injuries tend to be located in the head and neck region, with incidents more commonly occurring in the summer months.
    The problem is that the wire-bristle grill brushes, used for cleaning grill grates, may lose bristles when used. These bristles can adhere to the grill, become stuck to food, and then accidentally be ingested, the researchers say.
    The study's authors estimated 1698 cases presented to emergency departments in that time but caution that the number may be an underestimate because it doesn’t include cases presenting at urgent care facilities or other outpatient settings.
    Most of the injuries occurred in mouth and the oropharynx, which includes the throat and tonsils. In all databases, injuries involving the esophagus and head and neck were more frequent than abdominal injuries, according to the study, which appears in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
    The study's authors encourage consumers to exercise caution when cleaning grills with wire-bristle brushes, examining brushes prior to each use and discarding if bristles are loose. They recommend inspecting cooking grates prior to cooking, and checking into alternative cleaning methods.