Don't give the family food poisoning for Christmas

Lesley Marshall District Public Health nutritionist for the Central Coast Local Health District said there were spikes in food-borne illnesses at this time of the year

“Salmonella typically doubles in the summer, compared with the winter months,” she said.

“Christmas can be a time of higher risk for food poisoning because the weather is hot, the fridge is overloaded and we’re cooking for more people than we usually do.”

“Correct food temperatures are very important in the warmer months, especially for seafood which is a popular Christmas lunch choice,” she said.

“It is very important to keep seafood at below 5°C to reduce the risk of food poisoning.”

Ms Marshall advised avoiding eating food that has been left out of the fridge for two hours or more and to defrost your turkey in the fridge – not on the bench-top.

“Try to shop with a cooler bag and picnic with an esky and be sure to refrigerate leftovers immediately after the meal then consume within two to three days,” she said.

“On the other hand with hot foods, if you are reheating anything, make sure it is steaming hot and if you are cooking white meats such as chicken and turkey, they need to be cooked through so look for clear juices.

“Also make sure there is no pink left in cooked meats such as mince or sausage.”

Keeping benches, kitchen equipment and tableware clean is also extremely important.

“Separate all raw and cooked foods so you are not using the same utensils or cutting boards for different foods and don't let raw meat juices drip onto other foods – defrost your meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge in a container deep enough to collect liquids,” she said.

“Wash and dry hands thoroughly before preparing or eating any food and don’t prepare food for others if you are sick.”

More food handling tips can be found at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au