Food Standards Scotland: Wash hands, not poultry – Don’t risk festive food poisoning

• 45% of Scots claim to have washed raw poultry, including the Christmas turkey 
• 58% of Scots are unaware of Campylobacter as a cause of food poisoning 
• Poor hand washing still one of biggest risks of foodborne illnesses

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has recently launched a new food safety campaign to highlight the risks of food poisoning over the festive season from washing raw poultry and not washing hands properly.

A FSS survey revealed that 45% of adults in Scotland admit to washing raw poultry. With Christmas just around the corner, FSS is calling on those preparing the festive feast to be extra careful. Washing poultry can splash harmful bacteria like Campylobacter, one of the most common causes of food poisoning in Scotland, over work surfaces and cooking utensils unseen.

This research also shows that 58% of Scots are unaware of what Campylobacter is. This year’s Festive Food Safety Campaign runs until 31 December and will promote good hygiene practices in the kitchen with hand washing and food preparation at its core.

Christmas cooks are being encouraged to ensure work surfaces are kept clean, with top tips including using separate or colour-coded chopping boards for raw meat and vegetables.

FSS’s festive campaign encourages people to adopt healthy kitchen practices this Christmas with an accompanying social media campaign featuring useful hints and top tips on keeping the kitchen clean this festive season.

Further ideas and advice are available on the FSS website www.foodstandards.gov.scot/festive and social media pages