12 November 2003

The Food Safety Information Council today released research as part of Food Safety Week that shows people are putting their families at risk because they don’t know that they need to cook sausages or other minced meat products all the way through.

Mr Barry Shay, Chair of the Food Safety Information Council, said that national research by Newspoll showed that 10% of men and 5% of women surveyed did not know that sausages had to be cooked all the way through and that 19% of men and 10% of women did not know hamburgers had to be cooked all the way through.

‘The Food Safety Information Council advises consumers that minced meat products should be cooked so that they are no longer pink on the inside and that juices run clear. Whole pieces of red meat can be cooked rare but when a meat product is minced any bacteria on the outside can move to the inside, so it must be cooked all the way through to kill any bacteria.

‘We are moving into the outdoor BBQ season so we need to remember this important food safety advice:

• When packing your cooler put the raw meat in its container at the bottom and ready to eat foods, protected by packaging, above it.
  
  
• Cut your meat into serving size pieces at home, it’s easier to do it safely at home.   There is too great a risk of cross contamination when you’re out.
  
  
• Have all other foods ready to eat, do as much handling at home as you can.
  
  
• Pack only foods that have been cooled to 5 ° C or below.   Chill them overnight if possible.
  
  
• Pack plenty of frozen bricks or gel packs around the food.   Frozen drinks thaw quickly in warm weather and act as extra cool bricks.
  
  
• Keep the wicker picnic basket for non-perishable items like bread, crackers, nuts, cutlery and napkins.
  
  
• If you want to take home left overs, make sure they haven’t been at room temperature for more than two hours. If you’re at someone’s home, ask your hosts to put your ice-bricks or gel packs into the freezer during the party so that you can transport the left-overs home safely. Put leftovers into the fridge as soon as you get home.
  
  
• If town water is not available, always boil it before drinking.
  
  
• Carry disposable wipes in case there’s no water for handwashing, but don’t leave them as lying around as litter.

‘Food poisoning is not always just a minor inconvenience. It can have long-term effects and be extremely serious for the very young and the frail elderly as well as people with suppressed immune systems. Following these simple tips will help you and your family and friends not become one of the 5.4 million cases of food poisoning in Australia very year,’ Mr Shay concluded.

The Food Safety Information Council is a not-for-profit group of State and Australian government agencies, the food industry, consumer groups and professional associations. The Council’s job is to educate consumers in safe food handling.

For more information on Food Safety Week see www.foodsafety.asn.au .

TV Chiefs of Staff: Note there is footage of a safe BBQ on a video news release which was sent out by Satellite from Sky on Monday 10 November 2003.

Media contacts:  Tania Bradley, Project Co-ordinator Food Safety Information Council
                           (02) 6254 4896 or 0407 626 688