Community

Food safety – it’s in your hands: Australian Food Safety Week

Published: 17 Nov 2020 3:57pm

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.”

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.

Three people stand around a table covered with documents — **KEEPING YOUR FOOD SAFE:** As part of Australian Food Safety Week 2020 Environmental Health Officers Uvindu Warnakulasooriya and Geoff Lang, with Environmental Health Coordinator Sharomi Dayanand, are answering community questions about safe food handling methods.

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.

For more information contact Council’s Environmental Health officers on 1300 292 442.