Food safety at Christmas in Slough
The Slough Christmas season and festivities will soon be in full swing and in the rush up to the Christmas shopping, meal planning is among the top priorities of the ‘to do’ list.
Slough Borough Council would like to give residents some tips on how to store and prepare food over the merry season in a healthy and safe way.
Managing food safety must be a priority during the Christmas season as large quantities of food is purchased, stored, prepared and eaten.
To make sure all goes well:
* Plan ahead and be realistic. Only cook the amount of food needed
* Ensure that the turkey is not bigger than needed - the bigger the bird, the longer the defrosting and cooking time
* Traditional turkeys - the best and safest methods to defrost is in the fridge, allowing ten to 12 hours per kilo, or at room temperature (allowing two hours per kilo). Ensure that the turkey is thoroughly defrosted before cooking
* Cut into a thick part of the turkey and check that the meat is not pink and the juices are clear
* Wash hands before preparing food, after using the toilet, after smoking, after handling raw foods and after handling pets
* Keep cold food cold - refrigerators should be set so that the food is kept at or below 8°C. Keep food out of the refrigerator for the shortest time possible
* Don’t overstock refrigerators. Temptation to overstock refrigerators means that they can’t work as efficiently to keep the food cool. Remember the shops are only closed for 24 hours. If you are short on space put the wine and beer on ice or in a cool place
* Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge in a covered container where it can’t drip onto other foods and away from ready to eat foods
* Cook all food thoroughly - ensure it is piping hot throughout
* Only reheat once if using meat in curries or pies, and ensure that the dish is piping hot all the way through
* Use leftovers within two days or freeze them
Sheilagh Costello, environmental health officer for Slough Borough Council, said: “If you are eating out over Christmas, why not look out for restaurants in Slough with the Safe Food Award, as they have been assessed as having a good standard of hygiene.
Slough Borough Council