Public reminded of holiday food safety

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people about food safety ahead of long weekend barbecues and as people head off on holidays, as undercooked and mishandled food can cause a number of illnesses.

Dr Claire Neill, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “Bacteria on or in food are usually the underlying cause of food poisoning, which is an illness that occurs after eating or handling contaminated food or liquid. That is why there is a need for thorough cooking and good hand hygiene.

“Although it is probably far from people’s minds when they are enjoying food outdoors or on holidays, symptoms of food poisoning may include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever, and can sometimes lead to severe illness, so it is vital to exercise good food and hand hygiene and be mindful of what you eat.”

During barbecue season here are some top tips to reduce your risk of food poisoning:

Ensure that you barbecue meat until it is piping hot – particularly poultry – as this will kill off any bacteria.

Avoid cross-contamination: keep cooked food away from raw food, keep all cooking preparation surfaces and equipment including barbecues, utensils and chopping boards clean, and don’t use the same chopping board for vegetables and meat.

Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food and after handling raw meat, and before eating.

Dr Neill continued: “Bacteria can survive in all kinds of environments and can grow and spread rapidly given the opportunity. But you can combat this by cooking meat correctly to kill any bacteria that may be present, using hot water and soap when washing hands, and wiping surfaces to eliminate harmful bacteria and reduce the risk of infection.”

When travelling abroad, tourists are being advised to look up the local health risks before they go, including recommended vaccinations. Details can be found on the TravelHealthPro website at www.travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries, and from the foreign travel advice on www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Dr Neill added: “No matter where we are going on holidays, it’s good to be mindful of what we eat and drink to help avoid potentially serious foodborne illnesses, spread by eating and drinking contaminated food or water. Take steps such as ensuring that recently-prepared thoroughly-cooked food is served piping hot, that any fruit you eat can be peeled by you, such as bananas and oranges, and stick to pasteurised dairy produce, whether that's yoghurts, milk or cheese. Use bottled water where appropriate.

“The basic advice that applies at home also applies abroad around washing hands thoroughly, especially after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food.”

For further information see www.pha.site/uktravel