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| image credit: summerlovin |
Thinking of treating your colleagues to some homemade mince pies this Christmas, it’s not just as simple as that. There was an estimated 371,000 cases of food poisoning in England and Wales in 2009 resulting in 17,500 hospitalizations and 88 deaths (UK Gov).
The festive season is known as the time for food sharing and consumption so it’s important to keep food hygiene and safety at the front of your thoughts so that you can fully enjoy the turkey and all the trimmings. Here are some tips for making sure your Christmas lunch goes without any glitches this year.
The Turkey
The biggest thing to bear in mind when planning the Christmas meal is giving yourself enough time to defrost your turkey! Depending on the amount of mouths you are planning to feed it could take up to 3 days to fully defrost a turkey meaning that forward planning is necessary. Any attempt to cook a turkey without fully defrosting it beforehand can lead to uneven cooking and possible food poisoning as harmful bacteria can stay alive In the cavity.
Leftovers
There is often a running joke at Christmas that you panic buy so much food that you end up eating turkey until the New Year. Whilst a turkey curry can seem very appetizing it is important to keep track of how long you keep leftovers in the fridge for. After the turkey has been cooled wrap it so that it is airtight and pop it straight in the bottom of your fridge. It will be completely safe to eat for 48 hours but after that it is best to dispose of anything that is left.
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| image credit: chelsea sabrina |
Food gifts
Whist it is lovely to give homemade hampers and food gifts as thoughtful Christmas presents it is imperative that you make a note of when the produce was made and when (ideally) it should be consumed by. Dry foods such as nuts and granola will keep for longer than highly perishable goods such as biscuits or anything with dairy or meat on the ingredients list. A simple sticker on the base of a product will help reduce the risk of food poisoning this Christmas.
Food safety for businesses
Whether you are a producer, manufacturer or a supplier the ISO 2200 standard is highly recommended for ensuring food safety this Christmas. The standard will provide you and your employees with worthwhile food safety training while also giving you a competitive advantage over your competitors.
About the Author:
Alice is a keen cook and food blogger writing on behalf of QMS International plc, a business certification company who run the ISO 2200 course.
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