Chicken is a beloved and convenient meal, capturing the hearts and taste buds of over 8 out of 10 cooks in Australia. However, the popularity of poultry, which includes not only chicken but also turkey, duck, quail, squab, geese, pheasants, and guinea fowl, comes with the responsibility of handling and cooking it safely. Poultry is prone to contamination by food poisoning bacteria, making it imperative to follow stringent food safety measures. Handling Poultry Correctly: To minimize the risk of cross-contamination and ensure a safe cooking environment, here are essential tips for handling poultry: Research Findings: A national survey conducted by […]

Food poisoning is usually happening as result of poor hygiene and wrong food handling practice – the people preparing the food have not washed their hands well enough or have an infection they pass on. It can also occur when the food has not been prepared properly – it is not cooked enough or not stored at the right temperature. Some food poisoning caused by contamination caused by manufacturing process of food products or contamination from ingredients they received for processing food products. However, most food industries and food regulators implemented robust food safety management system for this process However, consumer negligence, lack […]

Storing perishable foods and food ingredients in the fridge or freezer is primarily to prevent food poisoning or to slow down spoilage and loss of food quality. At 5°C or colder and at freezing temperatures many bacteria that cause food poisoning and food spoilage either don’t grow or their growth may be slowed down. Remember though that there is a limit to how long food can be refrigerated as it will eventually spoil and the quality deteriorate and some food poisoning bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes can grow and cause infection (see Advice on Listeria [external link]). Frozen food can be kept safely for longer […]

When freezing food, avoid freezing large amounts at a time. It’s better to split it into smaller quantities in separate containers. This also means you can defrost only the quantity you need. When freezing food you’ve just bought, place it in freezer bags to maintain quality. You don’t need to unwrap pre-packaged raw meat on trays, just put it in a freezer bag. This will help minimise cross contamination in your kitchen. Tie the bag after squeezing out as much air as possible, label and date. If you are freezing cooked food or leftovers, the most important thing is to […]

There are some clues when your fridge is having trouble coping. If the motor stays on most of the time, or if your milk, cottage cheese, meat (particularly mincemeat) or other perishables are going off quicker than they should, then this is a sign that your fridge is struggling and needs maintenance and/or adjustment If you lose power while you stored food in Fridge and Freezer When there is a power outage you need to take extra measures to reduce the risk of food-related illness. It is important to record the time the power went off. When a power cut is […]

Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. Food allergy affects an estimated 8% of children under age 5 and up to 4% of adults. While there’s no cure, some children outgrow their food allergies as they get older. It’s easy to confuse a food allergy with a much more common reaction known as […]

What is a food intolerance?   Food intolerance is used to describe many different conditions, where food causes unpleasant symptoms. It can happen each time that food is eaten, but are not a food allergy. A food intolerance is different from food allergy. Intolerances are not caused by the immune system and do not have the risk of a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).   How common is food intolerance? There are many different types of food intolerances which more commonly affect people than a food allergy. It is important to understand that not all reactions to food are because of a food allergy.   […]

There are some things you can do that may help prevent your child developing a food allergy. These include:  if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, include foods (the ones that can cause allergic reactions) in what you regularly eat  breastfeed if you can   introduce solid food at around 6 months of age  give your child to a variety of foods to eat see your doctor if your child has a reaction to a food.   1. Include allergenic foods in your diet Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should eat a healthy, balanced diet, including allergenic foods. Cutting allergenic foods out will not prevent food allergy in your infant. […]

What causes lactose intolerance?   Lactose intolerance is often a temporary condition that can occur after a bout of gastroenteritis (stomach bug) or alongside undiagnosed coeliac disease. It can also occur in the first few months of life until the levels of lactase have become fully established (developmental lactase deficiency).   Who is affected by lactose intolerance?   Certain populations, particularly Asian and African people, suffer from a genetic form of lactose intolerance where there is a gradual loss of ability to produce lactase over time (primary lactose intolerance). Primary lactose intolerance tends to be a condition seen in older children and adults – […]

Consumer uncertainty about the meaning of the dates that appear on the labels of packaged foods is believed to contribute to about 20 percent of food waste in the home . That’s not surprising when you consider the variety of terms used with date labels, such as “use before,” “sell by,” “expires on,” and many more. Manufacturers generally apply date labels at their own discretion and for a variety of reasons. The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of the date up to which they can expect the food to retain its desired quality and flavour. The key […]

Food businesses must ensure that all food received and stored in the food business is checked for best before and expiry dates. It is essential that food is not only handled and stored properly, but also used within the proper time frame. Food should be stored using the First In, First Out (FIFO) method. The practices under this method include: ensuring items that are received first are used first moving items nearing their expiration date to the front of the shelves clearly labelling and dating containers if food items are not stored in their original packaging checking best before and […]