New research indicates that people in °¬˛ćAƬ could be putting themselves and their families at risk of food poisoning through lack of knowledge of the 4Cs of food hygiene: Chilling, Cooking, Cleaning and avoiding Cross-contamination.
The Food Standards Agency’s Food and You Survey, which collects information on food safety through 3,118 interviews across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, found that in Wales:
- Fewer than half of people in Wales defrosted meat and fish in the fridge or microwave in line with guidelines (43%). Although most people in Wales did not defrost meat or fish appropriately, a higher proportion of people in Wales defrosted food in line with guidelines than the rest of the country.
- A third (35%) of people in Wales washed raw chicken. Washing chicken risks spreading bacteria and should be avoided.
- One in ten people (9%) at least sometimes eat chicken or turkey even when the meat is pink or has pink or red juices.
- Only half (50%) of people checked their fridge temperature, and even fewer (42%) knew that their fridge should be kept between 0°C and 5°C.
- A quarter (25%) did not use different chopping boards for different foods, which risks spreading bacteria.
A spokesperson from °¬˛ćAƬ Council said:
“These figures show that there's more that people in Wales could do to keep themselves and their loved ones safe this summer. That's why °¬˛ćAƬ is working with the Food Standards Agency promote good hygiene practices during Food Safety Week (19 – 25 June). This year the week aims to encourage better hygiene practices for summer, when the risk of getting food poisoning goes up”