04/12/2025
With holiday meals, braais, picnics and travelling ahead, taking a few simple food-safety precautions can help prevent foodborne illnesses — especially in warm, humid conditions where bacteria grow quickly.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
🧼Keep everything clean
Wash hands thoroughly before handling food, after touching raw meat, and after using the bathroom.
Clean cutting boards, utensils and surfaces often.
Keep food covered to protect it from insects and contamination.
🥩Separate raw and cooked food
Store raw meat, chicken and seafood away from cooked food.
Use separate knives and boards.
Never place cooked food on a plate that held raw food.
🔥Cook thoroughly
Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood
Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure that they have reached 70°C.
For meat and poultry, make sure that juices are clear, not pink. Ideally, use a thermometer.
Reheat cooked food thoroughly.
Avoid half-cooked foods, especially chicken, mince, pork and eggs.
❄️ Keep food at safe temperatures
Serve hot food hot, and cold food cold.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
When travelling, use cooler bags with ice packs.
💧Drink and eat safely when travelling
Choose bottled, boiled or treated water.
Avoid foods that have been sitting out, especially salads, pre-cut fruit and buffet items.
Opt for freshly cooked meals served hot.
Holiday meals should bring joy — not illness.
A little care goes a long way in keeping your festive season happy and healthy. 🍽️🌿
