Australian Food Safety Week
NOV 10-17 2018
The theme for Australian Food Safety Week, 10 to 17 November 2018 is Food Poisoning.
Nationwide survey results show that one-third of Australian households may be at risk of getting Listeria infection – a potentially deadly form of food poisoning.
One in every three Australians is either at risk of getting the fatal foodborne bacterial illness, Listeria infection or are living in a household with someone who is at risk, according to new research from the Food Safety Information Council (FSIC).
Nationwide results from a survey of over 1200 adults, conducted by OmniPoll on behalf of FSIC, shows that Australians may be unaware that they are putting their own health at risk because they either don’t know about Listeria or aren’t taking the necessary precautions to prevent food poisoning.
We want to provide some useful information on Chicken Meat and how to prevent bacteria.
Safe Handling & Preparation of Chicken Meat
If meat is cooked properly and care is taken not to contaminate other cooked foods or foods that are to be eaten raw such as salad then any risk from bacteria is eliminated. See below a guide for Chicken and Food Safety from The Chook Facts Series.
Basic Rules & Their Reason
For meat that has yet to be cooked before consumption, the main thing is to:
- Keep the meat chilled at all times (below 5°C for fresh meat and below -20°C for frozen meat) while storing the meat – below 5°C bacteria slow-down or completely stop multiplying
- Cook chicken meat thoroughly right through, with all parts of the meat to reach at least 75°C during the cooking process – above 75°C, bacteria are destroyed
