To mark the start of Food Safety Week (7 – 13 June), Lancaster City Council’s Public Health and Safety Team is reminding people in the Lancaster District about the importance of good food hygiene in the home.
Food hygiene is particularly important during the summer months, when levels of food poisoning soar. There are around 120,000 extra cases of illness recorded across the UK when the weather is at its warmest.
“Every year around in excess of 400 people in the Morecambe and Lancaster district get ill from food poisoning,” notes Steve Mann, the Council’s Public Health and Safety Manager. “We expect to see the number of cases increasing as the weather gets warmer and barbeques and eating outside become more frequent.
“To help people learn more about this and the simple things they can do to keep themselves and their families safe, members of the Public Health and Safety Team will be available to speak to for help and advice at supermarkets within the district during 7 -11 of June.
“People should not worry unduly about food poisoning; there are some simple common sense steps people can take to avoid getting ill,” he added. “Just storing, handling and cooking food properly will minimise the risk.”
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that following simple principles will help people to keep food safe.
“Proper cooking will kill food bugs,” advises Bob Martin, a food safety expert at the FSA. “It’s especially important to make sure poultry, pork, burgers and sausages are cooked all the way through. If there’s any pink meat or the juices have any pink or red in them, germs could be lurking! Check your food is steaming hot all the way through before serving.
“Avoiding cross-contamination is also extremely important, that is preventing bacteria from spreading between foods and from contaminated surfaces or utensils. Make sure you store raw meat covered and at the bottom of the fridge, below and away from ready-to-eat food.
“Never use the same chopping board for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods without washing the board and knife thoroughly first.”
The FSA also highlights that clean hands in the kitchen are vital in the fight against food poisoning; while food must also be kept at the right temperature. Food that needs to be chilled should be kept in the fridge and check that it’s running at the right temperature – between 0°C and 5°C. Storage above this range can allow bacteria to grow or harmful toxins to form. Also, on a picnic, don’t take food out of the fridge until the last minute and use a cool bag to keep it chilled until ready to eat.
• For more advice on food safety go to eatwell.gov.uk/keepingfoodsafe