Your guide to food safety, plus food poisoning prevention tips for you and your family.
Storage
Regularly check that your refrigerator temperature doesn't go above 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) and that the freezer doesn't rise above -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit).
Refrigerate all meat, fish and poultry within an hour of leaving the supermarket. Cook or freeze within two days; if frozen, they're safe for up to three months.
Store raw meat, poultry and seafood in your refrigerator or freezer in sealed containers or plastic bags away from other foods.
Thaw frozen fish, meat and poultry in the refrigerator. If you're in a hurry, put food in a watertight container then place in cold water in the sink, changing the water every 30 minutes, or defrost in the microwave. Cook immediately.
Don't overstuff your refrigerator – air needs to circulate to keep food cold.
Refrigerate leftovers (in airtight containers) within two hours of preparation, and consume in the next couple of days.
Allow hot leftovers to cool at room temperature first before refrigeration. (Using small, shallow containers will shorten cooling time.)
Throw out any food that has been contaminated by leaking packages and spills.
