Food Safety at Christmas

The Shire of Capel Environmental Health Team provided some information on food safety ahead of the festive season at the Capel Christmas markets at the weekend.

As the weather warms up and we conduct more food preparations for Christmas, the team is raising awareness of food safety and the risks associated with poor food handling.

Principal Environmental Health Officer Mark Chadwick said recent Salmonella outbreaks have resulted in a focus on raw egg products.

Residents are urged to source eggs that are clean and free from cracks, store in refrigeration and wash hands after touching the shell, particularly when preparing raw egg products.

Tips for avoiding food poisoning.

Read the most recent article about avoiding Listeria risk at Christmas.

The Shire’s Environmental Health team regularly inspect food businesses and can provide further information regarding food safety.

If you have any questions please contact the Shire on 9727 0222 to chat with one of the Environmental Health Team officers.

If you are at risk of Listeria infection you need to avoid, or where possible cook, the following foods:

Unpackaged ready to eat meats from delicatessen counters and sandwich bars; packaged sliced ready-to-eat meats; cold cooked chicken purchased ready to eat, whole, diced or sliced and refrigerated paté or meat spreads All soft, semi-soft and surface ripened cheeses e.g. brie, camembert, ricotta, feta and blue (pre-packaged and delicatessen), unpasteurised dairy products (e.g. raw milk or cheeses) and soft serve ice cream Pre-prepared or pre-packaged cut fruit and vegetable salads e.g. salads sold in bags or containers or from salad bars, shops or buffets, etc; pre-cut fruit and vegetables that will be eaten raw; frozen fruit or vegetables that may not be further cooked (e.g. berries, peas, sweet corn); rockmelon/cantaloupes (whole or cut); and bean or seed sprouts Raw seafood (e.g. oysters, sashimi or sushi); smoked ready-to-eat seafood; ready-to-eat peeled prawns (cooked) e.g. in prawn cocktails, sandwich fillings; and prawn or seafood salads; and seafood extender.

Also follow these food safety tips to reduce your risk of Listeria infection as well as other forms of food poisoning:

Always wash your hands with soap and running water and dry thoroughly before handling food and keep food utensils and cooking areas clean Unlike most other food poisoning bacteria, Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures, so ready to eat food or leftovers should never be stored in the fridge for more than 24 hours. Since Listeria grows slowly in the fridge, it will do so only very slowly at cold temperatures so make sure your refrigerator is keeping your food at or less than 5°C. Avoid refrigerated foods that are past their ‘use by’ date Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use or freeze within 24 hours Always look for cooking and storage instructions on the food package label and follow them when provided. Cook high-risk foods such as poultry, minced meat, sausages, hamburgers and leftovers to 75°C Cook egg dishes, such as quiche, to 72°C in the centre (or until the white is firm and the yolk thickens).

Find out more about Listeria and test your knowledge with a food safety quiz on the Food Safety Information Council website.