Stay food safe over Christmas

Christmas, hot weather and upset tummies don’t have to go together if Cape York, Torres Strait, and Northern Peninsula Area residents follow a few simple food safety tips this festive season.

Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service Public Health Medical Officer Dr Allison Hempenstall said the Queensland heat posed a risk to food safety if not managed properly.

“During the festive season, we can expect many more gatherings of family and friends and sharing of food to occur during the festive season,’’ she said.

“We want people to enjoy themselves, but also make sure there are no unfortunate after effects.

“Preparing food for a lot of people can be risky, especially at this time of the year when several generations get together, the weather is hot, and the fridge is overloaded.

“All of these factors can conspire to provide perfect conditions for food poisoning bacteria to multiply in our food and result in stomach upsets, abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.’’

Dr Hempenstall said food-borne illnesses affected an estimated 4.1 million Australians each year.

“While most recover within a few days, the illness can be particularly serious in the very young, the elderly, those with existing health problems and pregnant women,’’ she said.

Symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases include headache, fever, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting.

Symptoms usually start six to 72 hours after exposure to the bacteria and typically last four to seven days.

“If symptoms persist for more than a few days or are severe, always see a doctor,’’ Dr Hempenstall said.

“People should also stay home from work, school or other activities until symptoms have ceased for at least 24 hours to avoid passing the illness on to others.’’

Dr Hempenstall said many types of bugs could cause food poisoning. The two most common being Campylobacter and Salmonella.

“But food poisoning can be avoided at any time of year, not just during the festive season, if all Torres Strait, Cape York, and Northern Peninsula Area residents adopt good food safety habits,’’ she said.

“For instance, poultry, chicken, turkey, rolled and stuffed roasts, sausages and mince dishes should be cooked fully.

“Hams will keep for several days with proper handling by removing them from plastic wraps, covering with clean cloth to stop them drying out and by following instructions on the packaging.

“And make sure your raw Christmas food is stored correctly at the bottom of your fridge so that its juices can’t drip on to ready to eat food like salads or desserts stored higher up.

“Finally, once the eating is over, the best way to ensure your leftovers are safe is to refrigerate them immediately after a meal or when food has stopped steaming.

“Then, before eating them, always ensure leftovers are heated to at least 70°C for at least two minutes and are steaming all the way through.”

Here are 6 tips to keep family and friends, food-safe during the holidays:

1. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before preparing foods and after handling raw meat. Use running water and soap and then dry using a clean towel – and don’t prepare food for others if you have had vomiting or diarrhoea in the previous 48 hours.
2. Don’t cross-contaminate fresh or cooked food with raw meat or poultry. Carry them in separate shopping bags, use separate chopping boards and utensils, store cooked and fresh food covered and separate from raw food in the fridge.
3. Avoid the undercooked turkey by making sure it is fully defrosted in the fridge or get your supplier to defrost it in their cool room. You might want to consider cooking something smaller like a turkey breast or other poultry. Don’t wash any poultry before cooking as that will spread the bacteria around your kitchen. Cook the turkey until a meat thermometer shows it has reached 75° C in the thickest part and cook any stuffing separately as it might not fully cook inside a whole turkey.
4. Salads are perfect for our climate and healthy but keep them refrigerated and serve up just before you eat them, returning leftovers to the fridge. Cooked rice and pasta are also a food poisoning risk if not refrigerated, so don’t forget to refrigerate the pasta or rice salad.
5. Seafood is also a great choice for Christmas and if it is cooked most common food poisoning bacteria and viruses will be killed; but there can be risks if you eat it raw, for example raw oysters or sashimi. Be careful and hygienic in preparing precooked prawns, bugs or crabs which can also be contaminated by your hands when they are peeled or shelled.
6. Cooked egg dishes are also simple and nutritious but try to avoid raw or minimally cooked egg dishes, such as raw egg mayonnaise or fancy desserts, which can be a particular risk for food poisoning. Never use cracked or dirty eggs.

Learn more about The Food Pantry on the Queensland Government website.