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Poor food handling in the home under attack

New Zealand’s rate of gastroenteritis caused by eating unsafe food is unacceptably high with the most recent New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) study putting the economic cost through lost work days alone at $86 million. Around 40% of the problem is estimated to be due to poor food handling in the home.

To address this pressing problem NZFSA has produced a handy guide, Food Safety in the Home, that is available free.

The new booklet contains food safety tips with practical steps you can take at home as well as eating outdoors or munching a packed lunch to avoid a foodborne illness.

“Foodborne illness strikes about 200,000 New Zealanders every year, and almost half of these cases are attributed to food handling, preparation or storage in the home,” says NZFSA’s Principal Adviser (Public Health) Donald Campbell.

“During tough economic times, more people choose to entertain at home. No one wants their dinner party to be memorable for the wrong reasons. By following the food handling advice in the Food Safety in the Home booklet you can reduce the risk of you, your family or friends getting sick from the food you make.”

The booklet explains the golden rule of food safety – the 4Cs (Clean, Cook, Cover and Chill) – and outlines good hand washing techniques. It provides tips on how to store and cook your meat, and keep your food safe when hosting a barbecue or picnic or packing your children’s school lunch.

The booklet also contains information for people who have low immunity, such as the very young, frail elderly, pregnant women, or those who have compromised immune systems and are therefore at a higher risk of getting infections, including those carried by food.

“NZFSA wants to achieve a 50% reduction in the number of reported cases of campylobacteriosis and a 30% reduction in the number of reported cases of foodborne salmonellosis after five years. We are working closely with all sectors of the food industry to ensure systems are in place to provide all New Zealanders with food that is as safe as it can be. But everyone has a role to play, and cross-contamination in the kitchen or a fridge that’s too warm can make all the difference,” says Donald.

“With this booklet everyone can be more confident in their knowledge of hygiene and food safety in the home.”

To order a free copy of Food Safety in the Home, call the consumer helpline on 0800 693 721 (0800 NZFSA1) or download the publication from our website.

Food safety in the home

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For further comment contact: Donald Campbell, Principal Advisor (Public Health), 04 894 2649 or 029 894 2469

For further information contact: Mandy Smith, Advisor (Communications), 04 894 2528 or 029 894 2528

Last updated 08 May