Food safety

Shopping

When shopping, choose foods that are in good condition, reject bruised fruit, damaged packets, dented cans. Check the date codes on foods especially the 'use by' dates.

Use by dates

These are found on ready to eat foods or foods that need to be kept in the fridge eg dairy products. The use by date means that you must use the food before or on the date stated. The food may not be safe to use after this date. It is illegal for shops to sell you food past its use by date.

Best before dates

These are found on foods that are of a longer life eg bread, biscuits, crisps. The foods are at their 'best' quality before this date. Food can be sold past this date but it must be safe to eat.

At the check-out

When you are packing your goods at the supermarket check-out, make sure you put raw meats together in one bag. Put cooked ready to eat foods together (cream, cheese, milk, cooked ham etc.) Keep 'raws' (raw meats, fish, poultry and eggs) and 'roots' (root vegetables such as potatoes, leeks, carrots) away from 'readies' (ready to eat foods incl. salads) - by separating foods you can minimise cross contamination. This will save you time when you unpack your food when you get home eg all the refrigerated items will be in the same bag/s.

Buy your raw foods, chilled and frozen foods last and take them home quickly. Pack chilled and frozen foods tightly together to keep them cool. If you can, use a cool bag especially on hot days for frozen foods or ready to eat foods. Put foods away as soon as you arrive home.

Refrigeration

Storage of foods in the fridge

The most important rule is to keep raw foods at the bottom of the fridge away from any cooked foods as raw meats for example may drip blood onto cooked foods below.

• Raws - raw meats, fish, poultry and eggs, these should be stored covered at the bottom of the fridge
• Roots - root vegetables such as potatoes, leeks and carrots, these do not need to be kept in the fridge but should be stored in a dark dry place, you can place them in the fridge but make sure they are stored away from other fruits and salad vegetables
• Readies - ready to eat foods such as salads, fruit, cooked meats, cheeses and sandwiches, these must be covered and stored on the upper shelves of the fridge

Freezers

Freezers must be kept at between -18ºC to -22ºC. It is useful to have a thermometer in the freezer. If you do not have a thermometer make sure that the door fits well and that the goods are frozen solid. If you have a chest freezer it is important not to over fill near the top as this will affect the air circulation.

Generally, freezers work better when they are fairly full than empty (the opposite to fridges!). Ensure that foods are wrapped properly before placing in the freezer. Do not use carrier bags to freeze items in. Use proper freezer grade plastic bags or food containers. It is useful to label what the item is and the date you freeze it. Time passes quickly - how many times have you defrosted a food which is something completely different to what you wanted?

Follow the freezer manufacturers' guidelines for how long foods can be stored when frozen. Nothing lasts forever!

Cupboards

• Store root vegetables in a cool, dark place
• Dried foods must be kept dry, when packets are opened, store contents in jars or containers with tight fitting lids (flour, rice, cereals etc.)
• Check that seals and safety buttons on jars are intact
• Keep cupboards clean to keep away creepy crawlies
• Use up old foods first before opening more, check that once a food is opened that it does not need refrigeration
• Store pet foods away from human foods
• Check the dates on foods and use up promptly

See our resources page for posters, leaflets and activity sheets.

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