Taking a packed lunch to the park? It may come with a side of food poisoning, experts warn
The Food Standards Agency has warned picnic hampers are a breeding ground for E. coli, listeria and salmonella
PEOPLE are putting themselves at risk of food poisoning by taking their lunch to the park in picnic baskets, health officials warn.
The Food Standards Agency says the hampers are a breeding ground for bugs, such as campylobacter, E. coli, listeria and salmonella.
Its new guide on summer food safety says day-trippers should use cool boxes, with ice or frozen gel packs, and limit the number of times they open them.
Keeping the temperature below 5C slows bacterial growth.
There are more than one million cases of food poisoning in the UK each year, with incidents rising in the summer as people head outside to eat.
Four in ten Brits – around 20million people – will have a picnic this summer.
A quarter admit they are concerned about picnic food hygiene, an FSA survey of 2,000 adults found.
One in ten will put themselves at risk of food poisoning by leaving food out for more than the recommended two hours.
A third (29 per cent) will carry food to picnics in containers, such as plastic bags or baskets, rather than cool boxes.
And a quarter (27 per cent) will put leftovers back in the fridge – regardless of how long they have been left out.
A similar number (23 per cent) will use their leftovers for a meal the next day.
Heather Hancock, from the FSA, said: “When you’re at a picnic this summer, remember that keeping food cool is an important defence against people getting food poisoning.
“Generally, the cooler the temperature the slower germs will grow.
“That’s why paying attention to how food is stored and transported is especially important in the warm summer months.”
The FSA guide says people should rinse vegetables and fruit – including those with a skin – before packing them in a cool box.
Ice packs should be distributed throughout the box, rather than all placed on top or at the bottom.
And drinks should be packed in one cool box, with perishable foods in another.
The guide adds: “Pack away your picnic once you’ve served it. Dishes should not sit out for longer than two hours, or one hour if it’s very hot outside.
“After this, the risk of bacteria increases and it becomes unsafe to eat, so best to throw it away when you get home.
“Pack away food so that your guests are not tempted to nibble later.
“To waste less, pre-plan portion sizes according to the size of your party and only pack what you need.”
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