A RISE in Salmonella cases has prompted a reminder for those planning an Australia Day barbecue to prepare their feast safely, in order to avoid food poisoning.
Director of Food and Controlled Drugs Dr Fay Jenkins said there had been an almost 70pc increase in cases over the past five years.
“Cooking a barbecue is a popular pastime on Australia Day, however bad food handling techniques can lead to serious illness,” Dr Jenkins said.
“Salmonella can be contracted by cross contamination from mixing raw and cooked meats and poultry, eating raw egg products like homemade mayonnaise or aioli, or consuming food that has been out of the fridge for too long.”
Simple reminders to reduce the risk of food poisoning include washing your hands in warm soapy water before preparing and cooking all food, especially after handling raw meat.
Using clean tongs and utensils to handle food and keeping separate utensils and plates for raw and cooked meat will prevent the transfer of bacteria.
Storing meat and poultry under 5°C until the barbecue is ready and keeping raw and cooked meats separate at all times can minimise any risk of contamination.
There were 1426 reported cases of salmonella infection in South Australia in 2017, compared to 842 cases in 2012.
Symptoms of salmonella food poisoning include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Visit the SA Health website for more information on food safety.
