What is food safety and why is it important?

Food safety refers to the storing, handling, and preparing food in a way that reduces the spread of bacteria, viruses and parasites. It minimises your risk of getting food poisoning and becoming sick from the food you eat.

Food poisoning is usually mild and most people get better within a few days. Sometimes it can be more severe, even life threatening. It is important you take the risks seriously.

If you’re healthy, properly handled and stored food should be safe to eat. Take extra care when preparing food for people who are:

• pregnant
• less than 5 years or more than 65 years of age
• ill or recovering from illness

There are recommendations that can help you shop, store, cook and handle food to minimise your risk of getting sick from it.

How can I cook and cool food safely?

If you prepare and cook food at the right temperatures, you can kill almost all harmful microorganisms (‘bugs’). This lowers your risk of food poisoning.

Here are some general recommendations when cooking or barbecuing meat and poultry:

• All poultry and meats that have been minced or rolled should be cooked to at least 75°C. Using a meat thermometer can be helpful.
• Minced meats, sausages and chicken are safe to eat when they are above 60°C, there is no pink meat and their juices are clear.
• You can eat whole pieces of steaks, beef or lamb, rare, medium-rare and well done as long as the outside of the meat is properly cooked. This will make sure any bacteria on the outside of the meat has been killed.
• Never let juices from raw chicken, meat or fish drip onto cooked foods or raw fruits and vegetables.

When barbecuing meat, turn it regularly and move it around the barbecue to make sure it cooks evenly.

You can leave cooked meat to stay warm on the corner of your barbecue or covered on a plate.

Cool your food quickly. This prevents any bacteria that survived while your food was being cooked from multiplying as your food cools down.

When you reheat leftover foods, make sure all parts are hot and are at least 75°C in the centre.

How can I store food safely?

The ‘temperature danger zone’ for food safety is between 5°C and 60°C. At these temperatures bacteria that cause food poisoning can grow to unsafe levels that can make you sick. Bacteria cannot grow easily at temperatures outside of this zone.

Here are some tips on how to safely store perishable foods at home:

• In your fridge — store fresh perishable foods at or below 5°C as soon as possible after buying them. Use them within 2 to 3 days.
• In your freezer — store frozen food at -18°C or colder.
• Defrost frozen food in the fridge or use a microwave, not at room temperature.
• Keep hot food hot — if you are keeping food warm, put it in the oven at 60°C or 100°C.
• If your food has been at room temperature for less than 2 hours — you can put it back in the fridge.
• If your food has been at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours — you should eat straightaway.
• If your food has been at room temperature for more than 4 hours — you should throw it away.

If you are unsure if a perishable food is safe to keep, throw it out.

If you are at a picnic or barbecue, remember to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Here are some tips:

• Put all perishable foods in a cooler when they are already cold.
• Do not pack food for a picnic if it has just been cooked and is still warm. Coolers cannot cool the food down quickly enough to stop bacteria from growing.
• Make sure your eskies are packed with enough ice blocks to keep the food chilled.
• Do not leave cooked foods and salad outside for more than 2 hours.

Here is a list of some perishables foods you should keep cool:

• meat and poultry
• vegetables
• eggs
• milk and milk products
• cooked foods, soups, stews, curries

How can I avoid cross-contamination?

You can avoid cross-contamination by making sure you keep raw foods away from other foods, surfaces or utensils. Cross-contamination happens when bacteria and viruses are transferred from one place to another. For example, bacteria on raw chicken can be transferred to another surface such as cooked foods or cooking utensils. This can lead to food poisoning. Barbecues can also be a cause of cross-contamination.

Here are some tips to avoid cross-contamination:

• Store raw and cooked foods separately in your fridge. They should be in covered containers.
• You should thoroughly clean and dry all surfaces, equipment and utensils after you prepare raw meat and poultry.
• Sponges, brushes and dish cloths can be full of bacteria, especially if they are kept damp. Dry them after using them and keep them clean.
• Use a separate cutting board and knife when working with raw meat and chicken.
• Do not put cooked chicken or meat on the same plate that has liquids from raw meat or poultry.

How and when should I wash my hands?

It is important to wash and dry your hands and equipment between preparing different foods.

You should wash and dry your hands:

• before starting to prepare food
• after touching raw meat, fish, eggs or vegetables with soil on them
• after using the toilet, attending to a child’s toileting or changing a nappy
• after blowing your nose
• after touching an animal
• after touching any sores or cuts

Drying your hands is very important. Bacteria can be transferred in the moisture of damp hands.

Do not touch sores, wounds and cuts when handling and preparing food.

Do not handle food if you are sick with an infection, diarrhoea or vomiting or for 48 hours after your symptoms disappear.

Wash your hands effectively and safely:

1. Wet your hands with water.
2. Apply soap or hand wash.
3. Lather and wash for 20 seconds or more.
4. Rinse both sides of your hands with water.
5. Dry your hands for 20 seconds or more.

You can time 20 seconds by singing the song ‘happy birthday to you’.

If you are going on a picnic, or barbecuing food outside, carry disposable wipes or alcohol hand gel to clean your hands if there is no water available to wash your hands.

Resources and Support

Visit the Food Safety Information Council for an informative resource titled ‘Food storage: pantry, fridge or freezer’.

Watch a Food Stands Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) video about food safety at home and how to keep things clean.

Read on the Food Safety Information Council website how to enjoy a picnic and BBQ whilst keeping your food safe.

Other languages

The Food Safety Information Council have translated videos about food safety into many community languages.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

The Food Safety Information Council has information on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and food safety.