THE government has issued advice about food hygiene in an attempt to help the Manx public avoid falling victim as one of the 110 annual cases of food poisoning at barbecue time.
Incidents of food poisoning usually happen around this time of the year during the barbecue and picnic weather of summer months and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has issued its advice to mark the start of the Island’s Food Safety Week.
The Department is reminding people in the Island about the importance of good food hygiene in the home at this time of the year when levels of food poisoning soar. In the UK there are around 120,000 extra cases of illness recorded across the UK when the weather is warmest.
“Every year around 110 people in the Island get ill from food poisoning,” said Ivan Bratty, Food Safety Manager. “We expect to see the number of cases increasing as the weather gets warmer and barbeques and eating outside become more frequent.
“To help people learn more about this, and the simple things they can do to keep themselves and their families safe, officers of the Department will be available daily at a display at the Strand Centre from June 14th -18th between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm.
“People should not worry unduly about food poisoning; there are some simple common sense steps people can take to avoid getting ill. Just storing, handling and cooking food properly will minimise the risk.”
The Department advises that following simple principles will help people to keep food safe.
Mr Bratty continued:-
• Proper cooking will kill food bugs. It is especially important to make sure poultry, pork, burgers and sausages are cooked all the way through. If there's any pink meat or the juices have any pink or red in them, germs could be lurking! Check your food is steaming hot all the way through before serving.
• Avoiding cross-contamination is also extremely important, preventing bacteria from spreading between foods and from contaminated surfaces or utensils. Make sure you store raw meat covered and at the bottom of the fridge, below and away from ready-to-eat food. Never use the same chopping board for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods without washing the board and knife thoroughly first.
The Department also highlights that clean hands in the kitchen are vital in the fight against food poisoning; while food must also be kept at the right temperature. Food that needs to be chilled should be kept in the fridge, and check that it’s running at the right temperature - between 0C and 5C. Storage above this range can allow bacteria to grow or harmful toxins to form.
Also, on a picnic, don't take food out of the fridge until the last minute and use a cool bag to keep it chilled until ready to eat.
Ivan Bratty added, “Food poisoning is a miserable experience and so easily avoided. Just following simple steps in the kitchen can mean you don’t become another food poisoning casualty.”
For more advice on food safety contact the Department on 685894
