Approximately a third of all food poisoning cases in Australia occur in the home.
Bacteria and viruses can cause food borne disease and you can not necessarily tell by the look, smell or taste of the food if it is unsafe.
Tips for food safety at home
- Store raw meat, fish and poultry at the bottom of the fridge. Ensure that blood and juices do not drip onto other food.
- Cover all foods to protect them from contamination, or store them in containers with lids.
- Cool hot food quickly. Cool food on the bench only until steam stops rising then place the hot food directly into the fridge or freezer.
- Thaw frozen food in the fridge overnight unless the manufacturer directs otherwise.
- Wash hands in hot soapy water for around 30 seconds before any food handling. Ensure that hands are regularly washed during food preparation, particularly after touching
- raw foods, the body, garbage and pets. Thoroughly dry hands on a paper towel.
- Use separate chopping boards, utensils and serving platters for ready-to-eat food, such as salad, vegetables, and raw foods such as meat. This prevents cross contamination from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods.
- When cooking processed meats, pork and poultry, ensure they are cooked thoroughly and their juices run clear.
- Always reheat to steaming hot. This will kill any nasties. When reheating in the microwave, make sure that food is steaming throughout and not just on the edges.
- Clean all work surfaces, dirty dishes and utensils well with hot soapy water, rinse with clean hot water and dry them thoroughly with a clean tea towel or preferably let drip dry.