Food safety at Christmas

Christmas is a time to get together with your family but it can also be a danger time for possible food poisoning.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Trish Worth, today launched some useful tips prepared by the Food Safety Information Council on how to avoid food poisoning over the Christmas period.

“Christmas can be a time of higher risk for food poisoning because the weather is hot, the fridge is overloaded and we’re cooking for more people than we’re used to. It all makes for perfect conditions for food poisoning bugs to multiply in our food and to make us sick,” Ms Worth said.

“However, following a few simple rules and using your common sense will help to ensure you enjoy the festive feast this year.

“Plan to leave enough time to defrost the turkey safely. A whole turkey is very big so it can be defrosted either in the fridge or on the benchtop. The important thing is to make sure that it’s fully defrosted before it’s cooked.

“Better still, ask your butcher or poultry supplier to defrost it for you in their cool room then bring it home and refrigerate it immediately.

“Storing the turkey, chicken or other meat in the fridge correctly also needs thought as it is big and will be competing for space with the drinks, desserts and all the other Christmas goodies. If it is going into the fridge before it’s cooked, it needs to be placed near the bottom of the fridge so that its juices can’t drip on to the ready to eat food such as salads, or placed into a leak proof container.”

Ms Worth said a Christmas ham would keep several weeks with proper handling. Once opened, remove it from its plastic wrap, cover with a clean cloth so it doesn't dry out, and follow any instructions on the packaging.

“Only slice as much as you will eat at the one sitting as the meat will keep longer unsliced. It should be stored in the fridge above and well away from any raw meat.

“Seafood should always be purchased from a reputable source, transported home in a cooler and quickly placed in the fridge,” Ms Worth said.

“And of course, make sure your hands and kitchen utensils are really clean and dry before you start preparing the meal.

“Taking these simple precautions can go a long way towards ensuring that your family and friends enjoy safe food at your home this Christmas.”

Christmas Food Facts

• A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
• An old wives’ tale says that bread baked on Christmas Eve will never go mouldy.
• At Christmas, Ukrainians prepare a traditional twelve-course meal. A family’s youngest child watches through the window for the evening star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin.
• At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served “endored.” This meant the flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior to roasting.
• In Britain, eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to the 16th century. It is still believed that to eat a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 happy months in the year to follow.
• In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather. The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead, their feet were protected with a covering of tar.
• It is estimated that approximately 400,000 people become sick each year from eating tainted Christmas leftovers.
• It was the custom to eat goose at Christmas until Henry VIII decided to tuck into a turkey. 93% of the population in the UK will eat turkey on Christmas Day; this means 11million turkeys being cooked!
• Mince pies – You should eat mince pies in silence, and make a wish with each one.
• The Christmas turkey first appeared on English tables in the 16th century, but didn’t immediately replace the traditional fare of goose, beef or boar’s head in the rich households.

Christmas Food Fayre at Port Sunlight

Take a turn around the snow-dusted Village and make your way into Port Sunlight’s very own winter wonderland this December 3rd & 4th at Hulme Hall. The yuletide delights on offer at Port Sunlight Christmas Food Fayre would set even Rudolf’s tail wagging and you can stock up your Santa sack for those who have been naughty and nice all throughout the weekend.

Housed within historic Hulme Hall and its surrounding grounds, the Fayre will capture the Christmas cheer in even the most decided of Scrooges. Featuring everything from over 100 local producer and homeware stalls to fill those Christmas stockings to chef demonstrations that will see you roasting chestnuts to perfection and festive fairground rides for the little elves. The mulled wine bar will certainly help to get you into the festive spirit while you relax by our glowing tree and sing carols along with the brass bands and the variety of live acts we have on offer.

Whether it’s gift hunting you’re after, a chance to relax and enjoy good food and drink or a fun day out with the whole family, Port Sunlight Christmas Food Fayre has everything you need for the perfect Christmas day in 2011.