Don’t let
food poisoning
spoil your Christmas
What you eat can spoil your Christmas.
But for many people it is not over-
eating but food poisoning which
causes the problem.
At a time when most
families are stocking
up with large quantities
of food, much of which
can lead to food poisoning
if not handled correctly,
Crawley Council’s
Environmental Health
officers have issued a few
sensible guidelines to keep
us all healthy.
Turkey is traditional at Christmas, but unfortunately poultry Other foods which might cause food
is a potentially dangerous food. But problems can be avoided poisoning, if not handled properly,
if a few sensible precautions are taken: include cream products, shellfish,
• Follow the instructions on the packaging for thawing frozen
rice, gravy and stocks.
poultry. Thawing should be carried out in the bottom of the Try not to prepare too much food
fridge or in a cool place. Always thaw out poultry completely since leftovers in a warm room will
before cooking. For a large bird this will take many hours. quickly breed germs. And if food is
Make sure the cavity is free from ice crystals and the legs to be reheated make sure it is piping
are flexible hot throughout.
• Cook thoroughly. Use a skewer through the thigh – if the Other dangers to avoid at Christmas
juices are pink it is uncooked. Cook until the juices are clear include overloading the fridge and
• Never part-cook poultry the night before
never store raw meat and poultry
above cooked meats.
• Stuffing can stop the bird from cooking completely.
It is much better to cook stuffing separately
For more information call
01293 438559 or visit
• All leftover meat should be cooled quickly, refrigerated
www.crawley.gov.uk/foodsafety
and eaten within two days.
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