Vic: Food hygiene essential to merry poison free festive season

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-1999
Vic: Food hygiene essential to merry poison free festive season

A health expert has warned that food hygiene and kitchen cleanliness are essential
for a merry poison-free festive season.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer GRAHAM ROUCH says failure to cook the Christmas turkey
correctly or even mishandling food could lead to a far from merry aftermath.

He says safe food practices are particularly important throughout the summer period
because it's the time when there's the highest number of gastroenteritis cases.

Dr ROUCH says the combination of the holiday period, warmer weather conditions and
an increase in outdoor activity, particularly at barbecues, leads to riskier patterns
of food handling and consumption.





Dr ROUCH says basic precautions should be taken including:

* don't leave food standing - keep hot food hot and cold food cold;

* cook food thoroughly so that the centre of any poultry or mince reaches a temperature
of 80 degrees and juices run clear;

* thaw frozen meat and chicken in the refrigerator or in the microwave.

He also warns that all knives and chopping boards used to prepare raw meats and poultry
should be thoroughly washed before re-using them to prepare non-cooked foods, such as
salads.

AAP RTV st/jlw/jn

KEYWORD: XMAS FOOD (MELBOURNE)

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