Food safety
Food safety is about how food should be grown, handled, prepared and stored to prevent food borne illness – food poisoning.
Nowadays we take food safety for granted and to some extent, we can. Legislation ensures food should be produced in a clean, safe environment. But food poisoning can and does occur; much of it in our own homes. Approximately 40% of the 200,000 recorded cases of foodborne illness which occur in New Zealand each year, are due to poor food handling at home.
Food poisoning is unpleasant, often causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. In severe cases, it may require hospital treatment. The risk of food poisoning can be minimised, however, by storing, handling and cooking foods correctly. It is always important to take care with food and this starts even when you are buying and transporting food home from the supermarket.
For information and tips on food safety:
1. New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) www.nzfsa.govt.nz
As well as information on-line, NZFSA produces a range of brochures on food safety, including:
- Food safety when you have low immunity
- Good food/ safe food for Older people
- Tips for safe and healthy eating during pregnancy
- Meet the bugs
2. Foodsafe Partnership www.foodsafe.org.nz
This is a group of food-industry, Government, public-health and consumer organisations working to raise awareness of food-safety issues.