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With Christmas just round the corner, enjoying delicious buffets is the order of the day for many people.
The Centre for Food Safety today (December 22) appealed to the public to heed food safety when enjoying buffets in restaurants.
The spokesman said buffet patrons should be particularly careful with high-risk foods such as oysters and sashimi, which are eaten raw.
"These foods pose higher health risk as they could be contaminated with pathogens, such as Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which might cause food poisoning," he said.
To enjoy Christmas buffets safely, people are advised to take the following precautions:
Making wise choices
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* Patronise licensed restaurants with a good reputation.
* Before choosing a particular restaurant, take a look at its hygiene conditions. Check whether its staff observe good personal hygiene and have proper food-handling practices.
* Pay attention to the proper storage and display of foods. Raw foods should be separated from cooked foods.
Proper handling
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* Pay attention to the freshness of foods. Do not consume food that looks or tastes abnormal.
* Cold dishes should be kept cold in a chiller or on ice (at 4 degrees Celsius or below), while hot dishes should be kept in a heater (at 60 degrees Celsius or above).
* Use separate utensils such as tongs and plates provided by the restaurant 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 the food at room temperature (over two hours).
Eating healthily
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* The elderly, children, pregnant women and people with lower immunity should avoid consuming high-risk foods like raw foods or cold dishes.
* Maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
Ends/Friday, December 22, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:33
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