Don’t let food poisoning ruin Christmas

Don’t let food poisoning spoil Christmas for you and your loved ones. That’s the message from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) North West which is issuing a reminder about the basic rules for safe food storage, preparation and cooking.

Dr Lorraine Lighton, the HPA’s lead specialist for gastrointestinal illness in Greater Manchester, said: “We’ve looked forward to Christmas for months and it would be a shame if the festivities were to be spoiled by an outbreak of illness that could be avoided by following a few basic rules for safe food storage, preparation and cooking.”

Dr Lighton said there are a few simple tips which can help to reduce the risk of food poisoning: 

• Do wash and dry your hands before and after handling raw food and after using the toilet. If you are ill, especially if you have diarrhoea, get someone else to do the cooking.
• Do wash, peel or cook raw fruit and vegetables before use unless they are in a package labelled “ready to eat”.
• Don’t wash your turkey (or other poultry). Food poisoning germs can splash from your bird onto the sink, worktops and other food. Any germs on the bird will be killed by proper cooking. 

The Food Standards Agency has advice on its website on the safe storage and preparation of turkeys. The HPA recommends that anyone planning to serve poultry this Christmas reads the advice before buying their bird.

http://food.gov.uk/safereating/hyg/turkey/