Safety tips for enjoying Easter buffets
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (April 4) appealed to people to heed food safety when enjoying buffets with family and friends during the Easter holidays.
A CFS spokesman said buffet patrons should be particularly careful with high-risk foods such as oysters and sashimi, which were eaten raw.
"If not sourced or handled properly, these foods could be contaminated with pathogens, such as Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which may in turn cause food poisoning."
To enjoy Easter buffet, please take note of the following safety tips:
Choosing food premises
* Patronise licensed restaurants with which you are familiar.
* Before choosing a particular restaurant, take a look at its hygiene conditions and check whether its staff observe good personal hygiene and proper food-handling practices.
* Pay attention to storage and display of food. Raw food should be separated from cooked food, with both covered properly.
Selecting food
* Pay attention to the freshness of foods. Do not consume food that looks or tastes abnormal.
* Cold dishes should be kept in a chiller or on ice (at 4 degrees Celsius or below), while hot dishes should be cooked thoroughly and kept over a heater (at 60 degrees Celsius or above).
* Mud oysters sold in wet markets should not be eaten raw. They should be cooked thoroughly before consumption.
* Select ready-to-eat seafood such as sashimi and raw oysters in shops specialising in them.
* Use separate utensils to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.
* Use a clean plate to take food each time. Don't use the same plate repeatedly;
* Do not use hands to take food, such as cut fruits, candies and nuts;
* Do not take too much food at one time to avoid prolonged exposure of food (over two hours) at room temperature;
* The elderly, children, pregnant women and people with lowered immunity should avoid consuming high-risk foods like raw foods or cold dishes.
* Wash hands thoroughly before choosing and consuming food;
Eating habits
* Beware of your own nutritional needs and choose the types and amounts of foods sensibly.
* Maintain a balanced diet to minimise risk.
Ends/Wednesday, April 4, 2007
