Eating safely as temperatures rise

As temperatures climb this summer the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) predicts cases of foodborne illness will too.

NZFSA advises that people can fight back against the expected rise in illness by taking care with food. Simple precautions, such as proper hand-washing and keeping raw and prepared foods separate, can go a long way to preventing foodborne illnesses.

Each year about 200,000 New Zealanders get sick from foodborne bugs with an estimated cost to New Zealand of $86 million a year. Almost half of these cases are thought to be due to mishandling food in the home. Summer is a particularly hazardous time as food preparation often shifts from the kitchen to backyard barbecues and picnic areas. Bacteria multiply faster on food in moist, warm conditions.

“As summer approaches our thoughts turn to barbecues and picnics, and the last thing you want is to send your friends home with a foodborne illness,” says NZFSA microbiologist, Dr Roger Cook.

The 4Cs – clean, cook, cover, chill – are among the most effective ways to ensure you keep you food safe and your family and friends healthy.

“Cooking on a barbecue is not as accurate or consistent as using a kitchen cooker, so it’s a good idea to precook chicken, meat patties and sausages. That way you can be confident they are thoroughly cooked by the time they turn brown and crisp on the barbecue,” Roger says.

“Also, be sure to have separate utensils to handle raw and cooked meat, and don’t use the same plate to carry raw and cooked foods.”

With more people buying smarter, including making bulk purchases the potential for food safety problems can also multiply.

“When buying items in bulk, it’s important to make sure you have enough room in your refrigerator or freezer,” Roger says. “If you’re cooking large amounts of food in advance, divide it into smaller portions in shallow containers so it cools faster. Smaller portions are also easier to thaw because small food packages will defrost faster in the refrigerator.”

Food should be prepared as close as possible to eating time, and shouldn’t be left out too long. “If you’re serving snack food, put out small serves of dips and replace every few hours,” Roger says.

This year NZFSA and other organisations are giving New Zealanders the chance to win a great summer barbecue prize pack. One hundred prizes are on offer, with a total prize pool valued at $16,000 and a main prize of a superb Masport barbecue. You can enter online at www.foodsafe.org.nz during November.

Ends