The NSW Food Authority has launched a new social media video on food poisoning, which busts several myths including why there always seems to be ‘carrots’ in your vomit.
The new video is aimed at informing people about how to prepare food safely to prevent food poisoning and can be seen on the Authority’s Facebook page.
NSW Food Authority Chief Scientist Lisa Szabo said the launch of the video is especially timely as it is Food Safety Week and the theme is cross contamination.
“Cross contamination involves the transfer of harmful bacteria from the surface of foods such as raw meat, seafood and poultry to ready to eat foods like salads. Cross contamination usually happens when cutting boards, utensils, or hands are not properly washed after handling raw foods,” said Dr Szabo.
“The video is a fantastic educational resource. It is simple, engaging and encourages social sharing via social media and word of mouth.”
“There is a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about food poisoning, carrots in your vomit being one of them, so if you want to find out more, watch the video!”
Food poisoning is a serious health issue in Australia with an estimated 5.4 million foodborne illness cases reported a year, costing more than $1.25 billion. NSW alone accounts for a third of those cases, so educating the public, as well as industry, about safe food handling practices is absolutely crucial.
“Initiatives such as Australian Food Safety Week are very important for getting the message out there that you really do need to be aware of the dangers of food poisoning and educate yourself on how best to avoid it,” said Dr Szabo.
To view the Food Authority’s new food poisoning video, visit: www.facebook.com/nswfoodauthority
The video is supported by information on the Authority’s website at: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/foodpoisoning