Safer catering at Christmas

• Do purchase meat and poultry from reputable butchers/food retailers and take it home as soon as possible. If the meat is to be frozen do this on the day of purchase
• Do store meat and poultry in the fridge, 5°c, or freezer, -18°C, and always follow the instructions on the packaging and plan the delivery/purchase/storage and preparation of food to ensure that temperature control and correct storage of food is maintained
• Do prevent cross contamination between raw and cooked foods by storing them separately. Store raw meat so that it does not touch or drip blood onto ready-to-eat foods such as prepared salads, cakes, bread, cooked and chilled meats
• Do defrost all food thoroughly before use. This is especially important for large joints of meat and poultry. Always follow the recommended times and defrost in the fridge, not at room temperature
• Do wash hands thoroughly before the preparation of food and wash all utensils, chopping boards, work surfaces etc, between handling/use of raw and cooked foods. Always clean kitchens/food preparation areas using hot water and washing up liquid and disinfect using a food grade antibacterial spray. It is important to prevent the cross-contamination of foods. Colour coded utensils and chopping boards and/or separate work surfaces/areas for raw and cooked foods are good food safety and hygiene practice to prevent cross contamination
• Do cook food at a high enough temperature and for long enough. Meats should be piping hot throughout - a temperature of over 75°C should be obtained in the centre of the meat - and will be cooked when the juices run clear from all parts
• Do serve cooked food immediately or keep it hot above 63°C until it is serve. If this is not possible cover and chill the food quickly and store below 8°C. These are considered safe temperatures for controlling the growth of pathogenic food poisoning bacteria. Food can be cooled quickly by dividing it into smaller portions or transferring it to shallow dishes. It is recommended for food to be cooled quickly and placed in the fridge within 1 1/2 hours.
• Do ensure that left over foods such as fish, cooked meat/gravy, dairy products etc are eaten within 2 days of cooking or opening. If they are to be reheated ensure that this is thorough and a temperature of over 75°C is obtained and only reheat foods once

• Don't over load your fridge with alcohol. This often leaves very little space for food. Over-loading can cause your fridge to operate at incorrect temperatures. The recommended correct temperatures are between 1-5°C for both businesses and domestic. However, it is a legal requirement for food businesses to store high risk, ready-to-eat foods at 8°C or below
• Don't use leftovers or reheat food that has not been kept above or below the safe temperatures. If food is incorrectly stored not only will the quality of the food be impaired, it will be potentially dangerous since bacterial growth occurs due to the nutrients and moisture in food when stored at room temperature