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    Food Safety

    Whilst we all enjoy fresh food it's important to be mindful of food safety.

    Below we've listed some quick and easy tips on how to get the most from your fresh food experience. We tell you how to buy, store and prepare and cook your fresh food to ensure it stays safe, healthy and delicious for you to enjoy.

    Food Hygiene Hints and Tips

    Check the Label

    • Don't eat food past a 'use-by date'.
    • Note a 'best before' date.
    • Follow storage and cooking instructions.
    • A clean kitchen is a healthy kitchen. Get into the habit of proper food handling with these simple procedures, wash your hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
    • Just because it looks clean, doesn't mean it is. Nasty bacteria can grow in the hard-to-clean grooves and cracks of your cutting boards, so be vigilant.

    Meat

    • Thaw meat in the fridge.
    • Marinating meat should always be covered and kept in the fridge.
    • Marinating meat should always be covered and kept in the fridge.
    • Don't put cooked meat on an unwashed plate or platter that has held raw meat.

    Vegetable & Grain

    • Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables before eating or using them in cooking.
    • To avoid possible contamination, always ensure your fresh fruit and vegetables are stored separately to fresh meat or seafood.
    • To keep your nuts and legumes fresh, store them in cool, dry conditions, in airtight containers away from the light. Due to their fat content, nuts also benefit from storage in the fridge or freezer to prevent the onset of rancidity.
    • Keep grain and grain products in cool, dry storage containers to restrict moisture which can lead to bacteria and mould.

    Food Safety for Vulnerable Groups

    Due to weak or under-developed immune systems, pregnant women, elderly people and young children can be more vulnerable to infections caused by bacteria in certain foods. That's why if you're in one of these groups, it's important you take extra care to avoid the following:

    • Listeria: This is a type of bacteria found within some foods that can hinder a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant women should avoid foods such as sliced deli meats, raw oysters, smoked salmon and soft cheese such as ricotta and brie which are at risk of containing Listeria.
    • Salmonella and E. coli: These are types of bacteria that can cause serious infections. They can be found in raw foods and unpasteurised milk. This bacteria is destroyed by cooking, so it's important that raw and unpasteurised products are cooked thoroughly.

    For further information, visit:

    Food treated using x-ray or gamma ray

    To help protect fresh produce from damaging insects such as fruit fly, some fruits and vegetables have been treated using x-ray or gamma ray.

    For a list of products treated, click on the link for your relevant state:

    *Links to non-Woolworths websites have been provided for information purposes only. Woolworths is not responsible for the content on those websites.