AVOID food poisoning during this heatwave by storing ingredients and meals safely and properly.

The Food Standards Agency has offered top tips on cleaning, cooking, chilling, and avoiding cross-contamination:

  • store any food with a 'use by' date, along with cooked dishes, salads and dairy products, in your fridge 
  • keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible during preparation
  • cool cooked food quickly at room temperature and then place in the fridge within one to two hours
  • please follow the storage instructions on packaging, including the best before and use-by dates
  • check that your fridge is cold enough (5C or below) using a fridge thermometer, because the dials on fridges don't always show the right temperature.
  • don't overfill your fridge
  • wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after food preparation and consumption
  • keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart
  • do not use food past its use-by date
  • always read any cooking instructions and make sure food is properly cooked before you serve it – it needs to be steaming hot
  • ensure that food preparation areas are cleaned and sanitised before and after use and  equipment is washed in hot soapy water

Visit food.gov.uk