London, ON – The Holiday Season is here and many people across the Middlesex-London region will be celebrating with friends and family over festive meals and treats. While this time of year is something many people look forward to, it is also the time when illnesses can grab hold and take the energy out of the festivities. With influenza currently circulating in the community, and the Public Health Agency of Canada investigating 40 cases across the country of E. coli illness linked to romaine lettuce, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is calling on the community to use extra care to prevent spreading germs.

The importance of safe food handling should not be overlooked. The Health Unit’s safe food handling messages come down to four basic messages: clean, separate, cook and chill. From frequent hand washing, to properly washing food items; from preventing cross contamination of food items to cooking foods to the proper internal temperatures and keeping food cooled at the proper temperatures until needed, taking care when preparing meals can go a long way to preventing the spread of food-borne illnesses in the home. In addition, the Health Unit recommends that anyone who is feeling ill or unwell should not prepare food for others until they have been symptom free for at least 48 hours.

"Spending time together is part of the Holidays, so it’s an ideal time for us to remind them that they need to be careful when they are preparing meals, because viruses and bacteria can spread easily if proper food handling measures and precautions aren’t in place,” says David Pavletic, Manager of Food Safety and Healthy Environments at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Looking after the details goes a long way to preventing people from getting sick.”

To have a healthy and happy Holiday season, the Health Unit recommends:

• Cleaning hands using soap and warm water before preparing food. Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.
• Washing food items, especially lettuce, thoroughly.
• Keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from other food items.
• Using a food thermometer to ensure food is cooked to the proper internal temperature.
• Chilling leftovers within two hours of serving.
• Not preparing food for others if you are feeling sick or unwell.
• Getting vaccinated against influenza.

For more information about safe food handling, visit www.healthunit.com/food-safety-at-home.

Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit
519-663-5317 extension 2469, or 519-617-0570.

Spokesperson:
David Pavletic, Manager, Food Safety/Healthy Environments, Middlesex-London Health Unit