Food Poisoning Prevention in At-Risk Population Group.

The beginning of the academic year marks a new-found independence for many young adults as they move out of home for the first time. Many young adults and university students have little knowledge of food preparation and safe food handling, making them  one of the highest at-risk population groups for food poisoning.

‘Students tend to live in shared accommodation where the hygiene of the communal kitchen and fridge tends to get neglected,’ says Rachelle Williams, Food Safety Information Chair. ‘There are an estimated 4.1 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year and a case of gastro can seriously ruin the fun of those first few months away from home.’

Cater Care has collaborated with the Food Safety Information Council to produce a poster which highlights the five main preventative ways to reduce food poisoning. By following these five simple tips, students can ensure that they and the people they cook for are safe from food poisoning:

1. CLEAN – Wash hands with soap and running water before handling food, wash the dishes regularly and keep the kitchen clean.
2. CHILL – Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, refrigerate any leftovers as soon as they’ve stopped steaming and use or freeze them within three days.
3. COOK – Cook poultry or minced products to 75°C in the centre, be aware of the risk of raw or minimally cooked egg dishes.
4. SEPARATE – Prevent cross contamination especially between raw meat or poultry and other foods that won’t be cooked like salads.
5. DON’T COOK FOR OTHERS IF YOU HAVE GASTRO – You could make them sick – ask someone else to cook or get a takeaway.

To request your free downloadable poster, and encourage good food safety practice at your campus, please click here.