Urgent warning over six ‘food hygiene fails’ people commit at Christmas that leave their guests with food poisoning

FOOD is an integral part of Christmas festivities, from cheese platters to pigs in blankets and the quintessential turkey.

A case of food poisoning will no doubt put a damper on festivities – and you might unwittingly leave your guests feeling ill if you commit key “food hygiene fails” while cooking.

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In the frenzy of getting your home ready for visitors, forgetting to wash your hands between prepping different meals might seem like no biggie.

But you might end up serving your guests a side of germs if you don’t give your hands a good scrub between handling sausages and popping mince pies on a plate.

This is just one of the festive food no-no the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning Brits about ahead of what’s sure to be a week a many Christmas parties.

Robin May, chief scientific Advisor at the FSA said: “Don’t be a turkey – our new data shows us that people are taking some unnecessary and avoidable risks in the way they cook, prepare and store food.

“Whether your Christmas meal is a chicken for two or a goose for twenty-two, make sure it is cooked until steaming hot all the way through.”

Robin noted that some family members face higher risks from food poisoning than others.

“Although we are talking about this in a light-hearted way, there’s a serious message underlying the data.

“No one likes being ill over the holidays, especially at a time when friends and family come together, including people who are more vulnerable to food poisoning, such as older relatives or those who are pregnant.

“If you’re cooking for a crowd, there’s lots to think about and maybe not much room in the fridge,” he added, urging people to check out the FSA website for tips on cooking turkeys, storing food, chilling and reheating leftovers.

From playing “buffet roulette” to not checking use-by dates, here six food faux-pas traps you might be falling in this Christmas – plus tips to share the joy, not food poisoning, over the festive period.

1. You’re not checking use-by dates

It’s not uncommon to stock up on provisions in the days before Christmas, knowing you’ll be too busy to pop to the shop on the day.

But make sure you check the use-by date on packs before serving up food.

The FSA found that a 46 per cent of consumers don’t always check use-by dates before cooking or preparing food at home.

You should never eat food past its use-by date, even if it looks and smells inoffensive, as lots of products deteriorate over time in a way that makes them unsafe to consume.

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2. You’re playing buffet roulette

Many of us find ourselves picking at a Christmas spread over a number of hours.

But food left idling at room temp for many hours can start to accumulate bacteria – putting you and your guests at risk of illness.

According to the FSA, 45 per cent of Brits are playing buffet roulette as they to leave food out after it’s served and eat it a few hours later.

3. You’re cooking out of date food

In the frenzy of Christmas prep, you might realise that one of your meal’s elements is out of date.

If you toss it in the pan anyway – assuming that cooking it will kill off any germs – you’re comitting a festive food hygiene fail, according to the FSA.

The food safety watchdog found that two in five people – 39 per cent – occasionally cook raw meat, such as turkey or sausages, past its use-by date.

Don’t make the mistake of serving dodgy pigs-in-blankets to your guests.

4. You’re not washing your hands

It’s important you wash your hand before cooking and preparing food at home – especially if you went out for a last minute dog walk or popped to the loo.

Thirty-three per cent of people the FSA surveyed said they don’t always wash their hands before handling food.

If this is you, you might be serving guests pathogens with their mince pies.

5. You’re not chilling your food

If you’re cooking a feast of epic proportions, you might find yourself juggling fridge space and having to decide what to leave out.

But choose drinks over food if you want to stow something in a place other than the fridge, the FSA warned.

Over a quarter – 27 per cent – of consumers said they would be likely to store food that should be refrigerated in another cool place, such as a garage, porch, or cool box, due to a lack of space in the fridge.

6. You’re not asking about allergies

It’s important to ask your guests if there are any ingredients they can’t eat to avoid mishaps.

The FSA found that almost a fourth of hosts – 23 per cent – would be unlikely to ask if their guests have any food allergies or intolerances.

But “safety first” is always best – even if that means you have to be a bit more creative with your offering.

Festive food poisoning survival guide

If you’re receive the unwanted Christmas gift of food poisoning, here’s what to do.

Dr Gauri Godbole, deputy director at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “If you do get diarrhoea and vomiting this Christmas, there are steps you can take to avoid passing it on to your family.

“Clean surfaces regularly with bleach and wash your bedding at temperatures of 60C or higher.

“Avoid preparing food for others if you have symptoms and don’t visit vulnerable people for 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.

“Keep washing your hands – alcohol gels don’t work on all bugs.”