Food safety week

Are you protecting your family from cross-contamination?

One in ten people suffer from food poisoning every year in the UK. In England and Wales it has been estimated that at least 60% of food poisoning cases are acquired in the home.

A number of studies have shown that consumers may know and be familiar with the correct food safety practices but do not necessarily always put these into practice.

It is very easy to prevent food poisoning but it is also very easy to become complacent and forget the basics.

What causes food poisoning?

Harmful bacteria, or pathogens, are responsible for most food poisoning cases.

Most cases of food poisoning result from eating large numbers of these bacteria that are living on food. However, some food borne diseases only need low numbers of bacteria to make someone ill.

Studies have found that there are four main factors, which contribute to food poisoning outbreaks in England and Wales. These are known as the Four Cs:

• Cleanliness
• Cooking
• Chilling
• Cross-contamination

Cleanliness

You can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria by observing good personal hygiene and keeping work surfaces and utensils clean.

Harmful bacteria live in and on our bodies, especially on and around our faces, hands and on our clothing. If these bacteria are transferred from our bodies or clothes onto food and allowed to multiply, then the food can become unsafe to eat. Hands are the common culprits, transferring bacteria from raw to ready to eat food. It is important to wash your hands regularly especially:

• after visiting the toilet
• after handling raw foods
• before touching ready-to-eat food

And remember:

• don’t handle food when you are ill with stomach problems, such as diarrhoea and vomiting
• don’t touch food if you have sores or cuts, unless they are covered with a waterproof plaster
• always wear a clean apron when preparing food and preferably keep long hair tied back

Cooking

Proper cooking kills food poisoning bacteria such as listeria, salmonella, E.coli 0157 and campylobacter. It is important to cook food thoroughly, especially meat. Make sure that food is cooked right through and piping hot in the middle.

When re-heating food make sure it is piping hot all the way through and don’t reheat it more than once.

Chilling

It is very important to keep certain foods at the right temperature to prevent bacteria growing or toxins forming. Always look at the label on the packaging. If it says that the food needs to be refrigerated, make sure you keep it in the fridge.

If food that needs to be chilled is left standing at room temperature, food poisoning bacteria grow and multiply to dangerous levels. Cooked leftovers should be cooled quickly (within 90 minutes) and then covered and put in the fridge. Putting food in shallow containers and dividing it into smaller amounts will speed up the cooling process. Never leave food to cool in the oven!

Cross-contamination

Cross-contamination is the transfer of bacteria from foods (usually raw) to other foods. The bacteria can be transferred directly when one food touches (or drips onto) another. It can also be transferred indirectly, for example from hands, equipment, work surfaces, or knives and other utensils. The bacteria then spreads to other food. Cross-contamination is one of the major causes of food poisoning.

When you touch raw chicken or meat, germs get onto your hands.  If you don’t wash your hands thoroughly straight away, then germs can spread to anything you touch. This could be other food, the fridge door, a tea towel or something else. This is how germs manage to get around by hitch hiking from one place to another!

Cross-contamination can also occur when you are buying food in your local store or whilst eating outdoors. A recent study found Campylobacter and Salmonella present on the outside of some raw meat packaging and this is therefore a potential source of contamination to ready to eat foods. Take care when you buy raw meat, and when handling it at home, to ensure it is not in contact with ready to eat foods. You could use a cool bag to separate raw meats in your shopping trolley and to keep it cool on the way home.  

We often put our shopping bags on work surfaces whilst we unpack the food. These bags can also be contaminated so it is important to clean and disinfect work surfaces before preparing food on them.

Washing chicken

Lots of people think they should wash raw chicken or other meats, but there’s no need because any germs on it will be killed if you cook it thoroughly. If you do wash chicken you could splash germs onto the sink, worktop, dishes or anything else nearby.

Dishcloths

Dishcloths are moist, warm and are often rinsed quickly in cold water and left on the side. They are an ideal place for bacteria to hide and multiply. It is best to use semi-disposable cloths and throw them away frequently, or if you use a fabric cloth, it should be washed on a hot cycle in the washing machine every couple of days.

Cloths should never be left wet or soaked in disinfectant overnight.

Bleaching is not a substitute for a hot wash. Separate cloths should be used for washing the floor and bathroom areas.

Remember to:

• always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after touching raw food
• keep raw and ready to eat foods separate
• store raw meat in sealable containers at the bottom of the fridge, so it can’t drip onto other foods
• use different chopping boards/work surfaces for raw food and ready to eat foods
• clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after use with raw food

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