Food Safety

   Shopping Tips

   Use By vs Best Before

   Proper Storage

   Cross Contamination

   Safe Temperatures

   High Risk Foods

      Eggs

      Fruit & Vegetables

      Pasta & Rice

      Poultry

      Red Meat

      Seafood

      Unpasteurised Dairy

   The Vulnerable

   Packed Lunches

   Entertaining

   Eating Outdoors

Poultry

• Remember that poultry includes not only chickens, turkey and duck but also quail, squab (pigeons), geese, pheasants, and guinea fowl - chicken can also be sold as capons and spatchcock.

• Refrigerate raw poultry promptly - DO NOT leave it on the bench top at room temperature.

• Store raw poultry below 5°C until you are ready to cook it.

• Freeze raw poultry if it will not be used within 2 days

• Make sure frozen poultry is defrosted right through to the centre before cooking.

• Defrost poultry in the fridge or microwave in a container which prevents juices dripping onto other food - boneless chicken breasts will usually defrost overnight, whole birds might take 1-2 days or longer.

• Poultry defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because some areas might become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. 

• Poultry can also be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak proof bag:

- submerge whole bird or pieces in cold water

- change the water every 30 minutes to ensure it stays cold

- a whole (1.5 to 2 kg) bird or pieces should defrost in 2-3 hours

• Once defrosted, raw poultry can be kept in the fridge 1 extra day before cooking.

• DO NOT wash raw poultry before cooking as this will spread any bacteria throughout your kitchen - mop up any excess moisture with paper towel.

• Always wash and dry your hands and clean surfaces after contact with raw poultry.

• Always use clean plates and utensils and wash and dry thoroughly between use with raw and cooked poultry.

• Never place cooked poultry back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw poultry.

• Cook all types of poultry meat to 75°C using a meat thermometer in the thickest part or until the juices run clear and are no longer pink.

• Refrigerate cooked leftovers as soon as possible (within 2 hours) - when reheating leftovers, reheat until it is steaming hot.

• DO NOT store partially cooked poultry because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed.