Food Safety Information

You can help stop germs spreading around your kitchen by following some basic cleanliness steps. These steps will not only help reduce germs on surfaces; they will also help protect you and your family from tummy upsets, and help prevent the growth of mould and mildew too.

About Food-Borne Germs

Tummy upsets are caused by consuming germs in contaminated food or water. Germs that cause tummy upset can easily spread from foods, such as raw meat and poultry, to hands or kitchen work surfaces, and in turn can spread to other foods.

Depending on the type of germ involved, the symptoms may begin from one to 36 hours after eating contaminated food, and may range from a mild stomach upset to more severe symptoms

Common Tummy Upset Germs

• E. coli O157: Cattle are the main carriers of E.coli 0157. People often become infected through consuming beef, hamburgers, and unpasteurised milk.
• Salmonella: Food derived from animals and poultry, is the main source of this germ
• Campylobacter: It's primary sources include raw or undercooked meat (especially poultry), unpasteurised milk and untreated water.