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Listen to this siteMonday 7 June 2010
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Food Safety Week starts today, and with many people likely to have barbecues or be eating outdoors for World Cup matches, the Food Standards Agency is reminding everyone that food bugs can cause more misery than a penalty shoot-out.
Good food hygiene is even more important than usual over the next few months, say the Agency's food safety experts. Every year the levels of food poisoning soar during summer. Germs can grow faster if food is left out in the warmer temperatures, while eating food at barbecues and picnics can present additional risks such as cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods. Together, these lead to about 120,000 extra cases of illness across the UK from June to August, affecting enough people to fill some World Cup stadiums twice over.
The food bug campylobacter, often present on raw chicken, is being highlighted as a particular concern. A recent Food Standards Agency survey showed that two thirds of raw chicken bought in shops had traces of campylobacter. It is the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK, making more than 320,000 people ill a year.
Bob Martin from the Food Standards Agency said: 'We all want to enjoy the summer and the World Cup but, regardless of how well your team is doing on the pitch, food poisoning could really spoil the fun.
'During summer we are all at greater risk from food bugs. The warm weather means we have to take greater care not to leave food out of the fridge for too long and allow it to get warm; in warmer temperatures these bugs can grow at a faster rate, putting you and your family at risk. Eating at barbecues and picnics can also sometimes mean we are at risk from undercooked food or from bugs getting spread from raw onto cooked food.
'We have identified cross-contamination as one of the biggest risks in preparing and serving food safely. If bugs like campylobacter are on food they can easily be spread around the kitchen or on to utensils or other foods.
'However, people can minimise the risk by ensuring they wash their hands immediately before handling ready to eat food and especially after touching raw meat. Also, clean surfaces and utensils straightaway. Keep raw meat and fish away from ready to eat food, because these foods won’t be cooked before eating, so any bacteria that get on them won’t be killed.'
The Food Standards Agency also has some top food safety tips for people planning barbecues this summer:
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