Q&A

Can colds and flu be passed through food?

Colds and flu are major illnesses for the public each year. However, they are mainly airborne spread and not passed through food.

• Always cough and sneeze away from food by covering your mouth and then wash hands
• Do not touch food after sneezing and wash hands frequently to reduce the risk of disease spread
• If you have sneezed or coughed on food, it must be discarded

Why is it important to wash hands after chicken preparation?

Proper hand washing procedures should be followed when preparing raw chicken. Otherwise, disease-causing bacteria such as salmonella can be transferred to other foods through cross-contamination.

• Always wash hands with hot water and liquid soap before handling chicken
• Use clean knives and cutting boards
• Wash hands after chicken preparation and before handling other foods

Why can partially cooked hamburger meat make me sick?

If you eat partially cooked or raw hamburger, you run the risk of developing food poisoning. Hamburger meat contains various types of bacteria including E. Coli, which is NOT destroyed until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

By eating raw, or partially cooked hamburger, you may develop hamburger disease, to which the elderly and small children are especially vulnerable. Symptoms include bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure.

How do you select the best quality seafood?

• When checking the quality of fresh fish, look for clear eyes, bright gills, intact scales, firm flesh
and no odor.
• When checking the quality of fresh shellfish, check for odor, broken shells and shells which are closed firmly when stored.
• Most importantly, since fresh fish and shellfish spoil rapidly, serve them as soon as possible after purchase for best quality and store at 4 C or 40 F.

What is the shelf life of eggs?

Many consumers think eggs last indefinitely in the refrigerator. Not true.
The shelf-life of eggs from the date of purchase is two weeks.
• Purchase uncracked, clean eggs which have been kept refrigerated.
• Store refrigerated for two weeks or follow the best before date and then discard.