Wagga Wagga City Council is kicking off Australian Food Safety Week 2020 by urging residents to practice good handwashing when handling food.
Council’s Environmental Health Coordinator Sharomi Dayanand said she hoped this year’s increased emphasis on handwashing, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, would remind people of the importance of having clean hands when handling food.
“Knowing how to handle food safely is an essential life skill, especially when you consider the estimated 4.1 million cases of food poisoning annually in Australia,” Ms Dayanand said.
“Handwashing is one of the most important activities we can do in the kitchen to prevent food poisoning when preparing meals for ourselves and our loved ones.”
- Before, during and after preparing any food.
- After handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
- Before eating.
- After touching garbage.
- After wiping counters or cleaning other surfaces with chemicals.
- After touching pets, pet food or pet treats.
- After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
To prevent germs from spreading between raw meat, seafood, fish or poultry and ready-to-eat foods like cooked meats, desserts and salads, Ms Dayanand said it is important to wash hands and thoroughly clean utensils and food contact surfaces in between food preparation.
“It’s an easy habit to adopt and will help prevent germs from spreading in the kitchen,” Ms Dayanand said.
Council’s Environmental Health Officers have set up an information stall inside the Civic Centre arcade during Australian Food Safety Week 2020, which runs from 14 to 21 November, and are ready to answer all your questions about food safety.
