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With Lunar New Year just around the corner, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 25) urged people to be mindful of food safety when preparing festive meals.
A department spokesman said that as dishes prepared for the Lunar New Year tended to be abundant, people should pay attention to food safety in the purchase, preparation, storage and consumption of foods.
Useful Tips on purchase and planning:
* Buy ingredients from reputable retailers;
* Plan the work schedule ahead of time, with consideration to ingredients involved. Don't start cooking too early; and
* Plan ahead the quantity of food to avoid excessive leftovers.
Useful Tips on preparation and storage:
* Since lots of ingredients and cooking utensils are involved in preparing the dishes, a well-organised work schedule can help prevent cross contamination;
* Dried seafood and vegetables should be soaked and cleaned thoroughly before cooking. The water used should also be discarded afterwards;
* Cook high risk foods such as poached chicken and seafood like fresh oysters thoroughly;
* Raw and cooked foods should be covered and stored separately to prevent cross contamination;
* If the ingredients need to be stored after cooking, they should either be kept chilled at 4 degrees Celsius or below, or kept warm at 60 degrees Celsius or over;
* Before preparing dishes, thoroughly clean and sterilize cutting boards, knives, containers and other cooking utensils; and
* Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash hands with liquid soap before handling food and after using the toilet.
Useful Tips on consumption:
* Cold dishes should be kept in the refrigerator and should only be taken out shortly before consumption;
* Food to be eaten hot should be cooked just before mealtime. Early preparation is not recommended;
* All leftovers should be refrigerated and reheated thoroughly before consumption.
The spokesman also reminded people to heed food safety in consuming some popular dishes and festive foods.
"Coral reef fish - especially those weighing over three catties - may contain ciguatoxin. Diners should eat a moderate amount of coral reef fish at any one meal and avoid
eating their head, skin, viscera and roe, which usually have higher concentration of the toxin.
"With the growing popularity of 'Poon Choi' and large-scale 'Poon Choi' feasts, people should be mindful of food safety when preparing, ordering or consuming this traditional local cuisine."
"Home-made puddings should be eaten as soon as possible, preferably not more than a week after they have been prepared.
"Puddings meant to be served hot should be reheated thoroughly before eating. Stop eating and discard those found mouldy or with an abnormal taste. Abnormal taste indicates that the puddings have perished due to improper or prolonged storage."
As many Lunar New Year foods were rich in sugar and fat, people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood cholesterol and those who were on weight management should limit their intake of such foods, the spokesman said.
Apart from food safety, people should maintain a balanced diet and take at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables every day, he added.
More food safety tips are available on the department's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/safefood/food-safety-express/safefood_tips/index.html).
Ends/Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:20
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