Food Safety

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7th November 2009, 02:00pm - Views: 824





People Feature Queensland Health 1 image

People Feature Queensland Health 2 image



7 November 2009


Challenging times put focus on safe food



When economic conditions get tough, householders prepare more meals at home for

themselves – and look for food bargains to help cut costs.


The real skill in returning to cuisine basics for family meals or entertaining at home is

not just to be sensible with the shopping but to also store and prepare our food so it

is safe and healthy.


Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said Australian Food Safety

Week starting on Monday

would highlight good value in food and getting the benefits

from it at home.


“About a fifth of the more than one million estimated cases of food poisoning that

occur each year in Queensland are linked to poor food safety practices in the home,”

she said.


“We can all help to protect our families, friends and ourselves from food poisoning.”


One of the main causes of food poisoning is cross-contamination, which happens

when bacteria from raw foods including meat, poultry and vegetables with visible dirt,

such as unwashed potatoes, get transferred on to ready-to-eat foods.  


They can spread via hands, chopping boards, knives and other kitchen implements.


Hands should

be cleaned

before preparing food and after handling any raw foods

such as chicken and meat. 


Only equipment that has been thoroughly cleaned

should be used to prepare food,

especially food that will not be cooked or heated before being eaten, such as salads.


Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 5ºC. 


Defrost frozen poultry, minced, rolled and stuffed meats thoroughly before cooking

and cook them

right through until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into

the middle.  


Australian Food Safety Week from 9-15 November is an activity of the Food Safety

Information Council, a not-for-profit association with members from government,

business and community groups. Queensland Health is a member of the association.

 

There’s more information about preparing safe food at home on the Queensland


People Feature Queensland Health 3 image

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Media contact:



Jamie Collins






(07) 3234 0215









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