There’s a lot of talk at the moment about the increased cost of living.
Many people are feeling the pinch when it comes to daily life and are making adjustments to compensate.
For some, that might mean changing what you’re eating to make ends meet.
But there’s an important message to note this week during Australian Food Safety Week (November 11 to 18): Don’t compromise your health by taking food safety short cuts.
There are more than 4 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year, and sometimes the consequences can be quite serious; even fatal.
The theme for this year’s Food Safety Week is ‘Food safety – dollars and sense’.
And there are some common sense things to think about when putting food on the table for your family.
Cheaper cuts of meat, such as mince, sausages and chicken, need to be cooked to at least 75 degrees Celsius.
Don’t be tempted to forage for wild food to save money as some plants can be toxic or contaminated, while dumpster diving could also be a source of contaminated food that threatens your family’s health.
If you need help, we have some wonderful charities and support organisations across the city that provide food hampers at low or no cost, including Lighthouse Care, Tribe of Judah and Twin Rivers Food Co-Op.
Other food pantries also operate out of local community centres and they are always happy to assist.
Council too plays a role in food safety through the licensing of relevant businesses.
Our Eat Safe Logan program helps food and hospitality operators comply with legislative requirements and food safety standards.
Food businesses are rated from zero to five stars, and those that have three stars and above are meeting the minimum standards for storage and preparation, cleanliness and personal hygiene.
This means you can be confident about a venue’s food safety management practices when you go out to eat at a restaurant or café in the City of Logan.
Council regularly inspects all food businesses that need a licence under the Food Act 2006 and can change the star rating at any time.
However, our officers don’t rate the quality of food served or customer service provided!
You can search Eat Safe Logan star ratings on our website (logan.qld.gov.au) and learn more about food safety in your home at foodsafety.asn.au
