Special treats

BBQs

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a barbie or three.

The biggest BBQ food safety boo-boos can be to:

pour a marinade with raw meat juices over cooked meat. Marinades need to be thoroughly cooked before serving.
splash or drip raw meat juices onto other foods such as salads as well as onto plates and cutlery
not cook meats such as sausages and hamburger mince thoroughly. No pink should be seen when the meat is cut, and as with chicken and pork, juices should be clear.
it's best to leave things that should be in the fridge or esky - salads, cut fruit, meats, fresh juices – in the fridge or esky until just before cooking or serving and then make sure any leftovers are back in cold storage within 2 hours

For more please see the Food Authority's BBQ guide.

Chicken

Chicken is now very much a part of many people's diets.

Tips for safe storage and preparation include:

always allow chicken to thaw in the refrigerator, a microwave defrost program or even under running water; never on the kitchen bench
keep the juices of a raw or thawing chicken away from all other foods as well as kitchenware
wash hands and everything else that comes into contact with raw chicken thoroughly
keep cooked and uncooked chicken in a fridge set at 5^oC or below. Don't eat it if it’s been left out of the fridge for 2 hours or longer.
cook the chicken all the way through. There should be no red meat, including around the bone, and juices need to be clear, not pink.
reheat all chicken, including takeaway, until it's steaming hot

More poultry as well as red meat safety suggestions are available as is a special guide to turkey.

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Dairy

Hot custard over plum pudding, a rich cheesecake, a swirl of cream in coffee; dairy can be delightful.

Quick food safety tips are:

it’s best to keep everything that features fresh cream in the fridge until just before serving and make sure any leftovers are back in the fridge within 2 hours
custard needs to be reheated until steaming hot and also put back in the fridge within 2 hours
other goodies using dairy such as cheesecake and pavlova are best kept in the fridge until serving and then returned to keep cold

Sales of raw milk products in New South Wales have hit the headlines. Discover why.

Eggs

Raw eggs can be found in holiday treats ranging from eggnog to rich mayonnaise, mousse to power smoothies.

It's recommended:

when purchased eggs are clean, not cracked, and have not been stored in sunlight
all raw egg foods are made fresh daily and stored at 5^oC or below in the fridge
eggs are eaten by their use by date
raw eggs are not given to people with lowered immune systems

Also on this site is the egg guide and information for catering for people with low immunity.

Ham

Christmas hams will keep for several weeks with proper handling.

Handy ham hints include:

store in the fridge in a ham bag or cotton pillowcase
slice off just what’s needed when it’s needed
store leftovers that have been out of the fridge for 2 hours or less under the skin flap back in the fridge in the ham bag or pillowcase, or wrap in plastic or foil

Check out the comprehensive guide to Christmas hams.

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Prawns

Prawns are still an Aussie summer favourite.

If storing or serving:

avoid any prawn that has blackened around the head or legs
don't eat very strong smelling prawns
if purchasing whole, heads should be firmly attached and the shell tight and shiny
store prawns away from other foods in an airtight container. Leave in the shell for as long as possible.
eat within 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

Also see shellfish.

Rockmelons

Rockmelons are linked to a type of Salmonella that can cause food poisoning.

To help minimise the risk:

if a rockmelon is bruised or damaged, don’t buy it
if it's already cut, ensure it’s wrapped and refrigerated or surrounded by ice
clean with cool tap water and a produce brush before eating
use separate cutting boards and knives for preparing rockmelons
avoid eating cut rockmelon that's been left out of the fridge for 2 hours or more

For more please see the rockmelon guide as well as general information on buying and storing fresh fruit and vegetables.

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Shellfish

The same food safety protection offered to consumers buying commercially harvested shellfish does not extend to people gathering their own.

People collecting their own shellfish need to know:

pipis should only be purchased from reputable seafood retailers, never collected
oysters and mussels must be cooked. Cooking in rapidly boiling water for at least 90 seconds should kill bacteria but will not destroy or remove biotoxins that can lead to serious illness, even death.
not to collect shellfish after rain, from water affected by algae blooms or areas closed by NSW Fisheries

Recreational harvest of shellfish.

Sushi

Vinegar added to rice in traditional sushi recipes helps stop the growth of microorganisms that can cause food poisoning.

It's important though:

sushi rice is kept in the fridge until use
if raw fish is used in the sushi, it needs to be very fresh and of the highest quality, such as sashimi grade tuna. It also needs to be kept in the fridge.
a very high standard of personal and kitchen hygiene is maintained; especially as preparing sushi involves a lot of handling of the food
sushi not eaten within 2 hours of being taken out of the fridge should not be returned to the refrigerator for storage

Check out the good news about buying ready-made sushi in New South Wales.

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Turkey

Planning ahead is essential for a top-notch turkey feast.

Some safe turkey tips are:

while an almost-thawed turkey can be finished off under running water or in a microwave, it must be defrosted in the fridge and not on a kitchen bench
it can take up to 3 days to defrost a large frozen turkey in the fridge
to test if a turkey is cooked, pierce the meat in the thickest parts such as the thigh or breast. Juices should be clear and all the meat white.

Find out more in the Summer Eating guide's turkey tips.

Plus here are guides to:

catering for special needs such food allergies, lowered immunity and pregnancy
family feasts
lunch boxes and picnic packs
dioxins in seafood
mercury in fish
power failures and food safety

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Please remember...

Keep it cold
Keep it clean
Keep it hot
...and check the label

Ensuring food is safe and correctly labelled is the role of the NSW Food Authority.

For more information please call the Food Authority on 1300 552 406 or email contact@foodauthority.nsw.gov.au.

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