07 April 2015
Jersey’s Environmental Health Team is reminding Islanders of the importance of food safety today on World Health Day to help avoid food poisoning.
Environmental Health team leader, Caroline Maffia, said “Over 150 islanders visit their doctor annually due to food poisoning, which means suffering symptoms such as severe stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea as well as lost days of work and leisure time.”
Islanders are being reminded of the importance of safe preparation of food and the Environmental Health team are focussing particularly on the safe preparation of chicken, which can lead to Campylobacter, the most common cause of reported food poisoning in Jersey.
Caroline said "Food hygiene is an important issue, and one we know Islanders are aware of, partly through the awareness raising we have done with the Eat Safe website, which is nearly six months old. The site provides an easy, quick way for people to view online where they might choose to eat, and provides a star rating regarding hygiene and food safety.
Today is an opportunity to continue to remind everyone of the importance of handling uncooked food correctly, and ensuring that food is prepared in a hygienic way."
Remembering the '4 Cs' of food hygiene can reduce the risk of campylobacter and other food poisoning bacteria:
cross contamination
cooking
cooling
cleaning
Minister for Health and Social Services, Senator Andrew Green said "ood poisoning is a serious issue. While it may be only an inconvenience for some people, it can leave others with life-long health problems and be a lot more serious. In the main, it is preventable through good hygiene measures and practices."
gov.je