World Health Day 2015 was all about food safety.

The   following is the media release from the Food Safety Information Council to   recognise the theme of this year’s World Health Day – Food Safety.

                Australian consumers’ food safety   report card released – World Health Day 7 April 2015: Food Safety

To   celebrate World Health Day 2015, which has the theme of food safety, the Food   Safety Information Council has released a report card assessing Australian   consumers’ knowledge of food safety.

Council   Chair, Professor Michael Eyles, said that, while it is good news that a   recent Australian National University study found food poisoning cases in   Australia have decreased from an estimated 4.3 million cases in 2000 to 4.1   million in 2010, this is still an alarmingly high number.

‘Food   poisoning can be serious and results in 31,920 hospitalisations, 86 deaths   and 1 million visits to doctors on average each year.

‘Australian   consumers get an A plus for knowledge of how to wash their hands correctly   with our latest survey showing 98% of those surveyed know how to wash hands   correctly using soap and running water and drying thoroughly. 85% also know   to thoroughly wash a chopping board after using it for raw meat or poultry   and before using it to prepare a raw food like salad. 89% correctly recognised   that sausages should be cooked all the way through.

‘But there   are a number of other food safety practices where there can be ‘room for   improvement”:

•          Only 79% recognised that hamburgers   should be cooked all the way through.

•          22% of Australians think it is ok to   leave cooked rice out of the refrigerator for up to 6 hours or overnight – or   even that it doesn’t need refrigerating at all.

•          25% of parents, that pack a lunchbox   for school, fail to include a frozen drink or freezer block.

•          55% always read and comply with ‘use   by’ dates and only 45% always read and comply with ‘best before’ dates.

•          33% of people always read and comply   with storage instructions on packaged food labels and only14% always read and   comply with cooking instructions

•          60% of home cooks are washing whole   poultry before it is cooked which spreads bacteria around the kitchen. A   further 16% of those surveyed incorrectly tasted chicken to see if it is   cooked properly rather than use a safe and accurate meat thermometer.

‘Also of   concern is the lower level of food safety knowledge of 18 to 34 year olds   compared with the older age group over 50. For example only 73% of the   younger group know to cook hamburgers all the way through compared with 84%   of over 50s; only 87% of the younger group know to cook sausages all the way   through compared with 93% of over 50s; and only 59% of the younger group know   to refrigerate chicken dishes straight away compared with 72% of over 50s,   This is a particular worry as some of these younger people may become parents   and be responsible for preparing food for vulnerable young children,’   Professor Eyles concluded.

The Food   Safety Information Council has some basic tips to follow to reduce your risk   of food poisoning:

Clean –   wash hands with running water and soap then dry hands thoroughly before   starting to cook and after handling raw meat.

Chill –   transport your chilled or frozen food home from the shops in a cooler bag or   esky. Use a fridge thermometer to make sure your fridge is running at or   below 5ºC. Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Cooked food should be stored in   covered containers and either put in the fridge to cool, or frozen   immediately. Frozen foods should be defrosted in the fridge or microwave not   on the kitchen bench

Cook –   cook chicken, minced or boned meats, hamburger, stuffed meats and sausages   right through until they reach 75°C using a meat thermometer. Serve hot food   steaming hot above 60ºC. Always follow cooking instructions on packaged   foods.

Separate –   food should be stored in covered containers in the fridge and put raw meats   and poultry in the bottom of the fridge so the juices don’t contaminate food   on lower shelves. Don’t put cooked meat back on the plate the raw meat was   on.

For more   information see www.foodsafety.asn.au