Don't give your guests food poisoning for Christmas

Published: 21 Dec 2022

Every year in Queensland thousands of people suffer from food poisoning after eating contaminated food.

The risk is even higher during the festive season, as fridges are overloaded with food and Christmas feasts are left out on the table for longer periods than usual.

Council is reminding residents to be vigilant with their food hygiene to avoid giving their guests a nasty Christmas surprise.

Food poisoning can be caused by poor food handling or storage and it can lead to severe sickness.

Some simple ideas to avoid food poisoning over the festive season are:

  1. Prepare food as close as possible to the eating time and make sure there is enough space in the refrigerator to keep cold food at 5°C or lower
  2. Refrigerate leftovers immediately after the meal and use within two to three days
  3. Ensure you maintain good food hygiene at all times when handling food to minimise the risk of cross-contamination
  4. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water, particularly after handling raw meat or other potentially hazardous foods
  5. Use different cutting boards for each food type, such as meat, seafood and vegetables and salads
  6. Make sure food is thoroughly warmed through when eating leftovers.

For more information and some great food safety tips, visit foodsafety.asn.au.