Territorians are being urged to make food safety a priority during the Christmas break.

With an estimated one in every five cases of food poisoning in the NT due to poor hygiene and below-standard food handling and storage in the home, it is vital to apply the rules of food safety to avoid getting sick from spoiled food.

Department of Health and Families (DHF) Director Environmental Health, Xavier Schobben, said it was important to be mindful of food safety and proper hygiene and sanitation during the festive season.

"Be sure to handle food with care, store it appropriately, make sure it is cooked thoroughly, and use clean cooking equipment and utensils," Mr Schobben said.

"Follow common sense hygiene rules and wash your hands before and after preparing and handling food, blowing your nose, or using the toilet.

"You're more likely to get food poisoning when cooking up big batches of food, as it's easy to overfill the fridge. This may result in food not being stored at proper temperatures.

"Before preparing food for Christmas, make sure there is enough room in the fridge to keep cold food at or less than 5 °C. If there is not enough room, remember that soft drinks and alcohol, pickles, and other acidic condiments don't need refrigeration to remain safe.

"It's also common during the festive season to travel with fresh or leftover food in the car. Bacteria can multiply very quickly when the temperature of foods is in the danger zone between 5 °C and 60 °C,'' Mr Schobben added.

Food poisoning can range in severity from minor stomach upsets to serious illness. Common symptoms of food poisoning can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Keep in mind the following food safety tips and enjoy a safe Christmas.

Food safety tips when travelling:

Keep your vehicle clean and protect food from contamination by covering it in a sealed container

If you don't have a fridge, use containers with insulation-such as Eskys with ice bricks-for potentially hazardous foods including meat, seafood and dairy products

Store raw meat, poultry and seafood at the bottom of the fridge or Esky and ensure juices don't drip on to other foods

Containers of cool food should be placed in the coolest part of the vehicle

Water in wilderness areas may not be safe, as it may be contaminated by animal faeces and parasites such as Giardia. Use bottled water, a portable water filter, or boil all drinking water

Food safety tips for leftovers:

Refrigerate leftovers immediately after meals and never store leftovers on the kitchen bench

Use refrigerated leftovers within two or three days

When reheating food, ensure it is steaming hot all the way through-it should reach at least 75 °C

Ham will keep for several weeks if you remove it from its plastic wrap and cover with clean cloth soaked in water and vinegar so it doesn't dry out. Follow any instructions on the packaging and store it in the fridge at below 5 °C

Reduced-salt hams will not last as long as conventional hams, so follow any instructions and use-by dates on the packaging

Food poisoning can still come from foods which look, smell and taste okay

Food safety tips for picnics and barbecues:

Never return cooked meat to trays that have held raw meat

Wherever possible, use disposable utensils, plates and cups

Cook chicken, sausages and hamburgers until the juices run clear. Steaks may be cooked to preference

any leftover food unless refrigeration is available

Additional information: www.foodsafety.asn.com

If you have food safety concerns contact the DHF Environmental Health Hotline on 1800 095 646.

Release date: 18 December 2009