BE SAFE, STAY  COOL! Refrigerator Thermometer With the festive season coming up, we want you to be aware of the problems of overloading your refrigerators.  Overloaded refrigerator are an invitation to food poisoning!

The latest research shows that 88 per cent of cases of domestic food poisoning result when people are catering for larger numbers than usual. Cramming food into the refrigerator and constantly opening the door can cause the internal temperature to rise.

Refrigerator Sense:

• Check the temperature of your refrigerator from time to time using a refrigerator thermometer. If it's between 32°F (0°C) and 41°F (5°C), the germs that can cause illness can't multiply. 
  
  
• Hot foods should be cooled quickly before placing in the refrigerator or the refrigerator temperature will rise.
  
  
• All food in the refrigerator should be covered.
  
  
• Store raw and ready to eat food separately with raw foods on the bottom shelves and ready to eat above.
  
  
• Food should be eaten before its 'Use by' or 'Best before' dates.
  
  
• Defrost your refrigerator regularly to help it operate efficiently.
  
  
  

Freezer Sense:

• Check the temperature of your freezer from time to time using a freezer thermometer. The best temperature to hold food is 5°F (-15°C) or less.
  
  
• NEVER refreeze foods that have been thawed.
  
  
• If you're freezing cooked food, smaller containers will freeze and thaw faster, which can help protect against food poisoning.
  
  
• Marking the date on cooked food you're freezing will help you keep track of what's in your freezer.
  
  
• Don't freeze food unless it's completely fresh, because germs that are in it can start multiplying while it's thawing.
  
  
• Plan to defrost your freezer. The best time to defrost is when freezer stocks are low.
  

Kitchen Sense:

• Always wash you hands before preparing food.
  
  
• Don't use the same utensils for raw and ready to eat food unless they have been thoroughly washed in hot soapy water first.
  
  
• Don't prepare food if you feeling sick.
  
  
• Keep pets out of the kitchen.
  
  
• Thaw frozen food on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
  
  
• Cook meats, especially minced meats, until the juices run clear, and there are no pink areas.
  
  
• Don't reheat food more than once and when reheating make sure food is piping hot.
  
  
• If using the microwave to thaw food, cook thoroughly straight away.

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