Media release

From: Food Safety Information Council

The Food Safety Information Council today released their tips for how to enjoy the festive season and summer entertaining safely. Julian Cox, the Council’s Scientific Director (also known as Food Safety Santa) said that this Summer we are all looking forward to getting together with generations of family and friends who likely include some of those most at risk of food poisoning: the very young, elderly, pregnant, and people with poor immune systems.

‘With an estimated 4.67 million cases of food poisoning a year in Australia we all want to keep our family and friends safe, which we can do by following these key festive season and Summer entertaining food safety tips:

1. Plan well. We love to be generous, but aim to buy just what you need to avoid food waste and keep food safer. When shopping, leave the most perishable foods until last, and get those groceries home as quickly as possible with highly perishable food on ice. And take care with those bargains with short use-by dates. Also, don’t forget to check if your guests have any food allergies.
2. Your poultry doesn’t need a bath. Our recent research shows that one in two adults (51%) who cook whole raw chicken usually wash it before cooking. Despite what you’ve been told (or seen on social media) never wash any raw poultry, including turkey, before cooking, as this will likely spread bacteria throughout your kitchen, increasing the risk of foodborne illness. Poultry already undergoes washing during processing so further washing in your kitchen is not necessary, and problematic. Also think, instead of a whole turkey, about getting a turkey breast  as that is simpler to cook. If you do need a whole turkey, ask your supermarket or butcher if they sell them fresh rather than frozen and don’t forget you will still need cold storage space before cooking. Always follow storage and cooking instructions on any packaging, or ask your retailer for storage and cooking advice if buying unpackaged. Cook your poultry to 75°C, checking with a meat thermometer in the thickest part.
3. Separate for safety. Ensure that you keep raw and risky foods (like that turkey) away from ready-to-eat foods like salads. Consider using separate cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination.
4. Drinks are just as happy on ice. Make room in your fridge for perishable foods and drinks by placing shelf-stable drinks on ice in a container, esky, or laundry sink. This reduces the frequency of opening the fridge, helping to maintain the temperature at 5°C or below. Use a fridge thermometer to check that the fridge temperature stays at 5°C or below (the colder the better!).
5. Ham is for Christmas not for life. Check the storage instructions and best before or use by dates before removing the ham from its plastic wrap. Cover it with a clean cloth (or ‘ham bag’) soaked in water and vinegar (1 litre of water with at least two tablespoons (50-60ml) of vinegar, keep the cloth moist so it doesn’t dry out, change the cloth every three days, and store the covered ham in the fridge at or below 5°C. Reduced salt hams are now becoming popular but will not last as long as conventional hams. Also, consider how much ham you are going to use in the next 2-3 days, and then consider cutting up and freezing the rest for later.
6. Phased roll-out. Don’t leave perishable chilled foods out, unrefrigerated, in the heat of Summer for more than 2 hours. These foods include cold meats, soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie, cold poultry, cooked seafood like prawns and smoked salmon, dips, pâtés, sushi and salads. Beat the heat by putting out small amounts initially and then replace them (do not top them up) from the fridge. Also, ensure foods are covered, as those pesky flies are not only annoying around your face, but may carry contamination to your foods.
7. Love those leftovers. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers as soon as possible. If perishable foods and leftovers have been left out of the fridge for less than two hours, they should be okay to eat, refrigerate or freeze. Consider their use: if you’re likely to consume them within 2-3 days, keeping them in the fridge is okay, but any longer, and it’s then best to package into small, airtight containers, and freeze.

‘Finally, there are some strange food safety myths out there online so do check for credible food safety advice on reputable websites including our own, at the Food Safety Information Council www.foodsafety.asn.au , FSANZ www.foodstandards.gov.au, or the relevant food authority site in your State or Territory,’ Associate Professor Cox concluded.

The Food Safety Information Council would like to thank Neogen our member and Gold Sponsor for Australian Food Safety Week 2025 and our summer campaign as well as our partner the Australian Chicken Meat Association for funding the poultry research and Tonic Media Network who will be showing our food safety community service announcements in GP, Pharmacy and hospital waiting rooms around Australia this Summer.