FOOD Standards Scotland (FSS) has shared some of its top tips and advice to help the Scottish public avoid food poisoning over the festive period.
The advice comes after the FSS Food in Scotland Consumer Tracking Survey revealed just 11% of consumers use a thermometer to check their food is cooked to a safe temperature, 21% will eat chicken or turkey which is pink or has pink/red juices, and 60% think they’re unlikely to get food poisoning from food prepared at home.
FSS has produced a Christmas food safety checklist highlighting the best ways of reducing the risks of food poisoning. This recommends that everyone cooks their Christmas turkey to 75C in the thickest part of the bird, while making sure juices run clear and no pink meat is visible.
Leftovers should be stored in containers in the fridge within two hours and then eaten within two days or frozen.
Checking and following use-by dates is critical, FSS says. Shops will be selling turkey, duck, capon and goose products that may have been previously frozen and defrosted before being placed on sale as chilled and FSS is re-inforcing its advice to always check the label for correct storage and cooking advice.
Jane Horne, head of food protection science and surveillance branch at FSS said: “Food poisoning can be terrible for anyone but it can be more severe for those at higher risk, such as the elderly, young children and those with weakened immune systems.
“We would urge everyone in Scotland to check out our Christmas food safety checklist.”
See the FSS website for more.
