Hon Kate Wilkinson
Minister for Food Safety

6 November 2009
Media Statement

Minister launches Foodsafe Week

Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson took the opportunity to display a clean pair of hands at Belfast School today.

The Minister joined pupils at the Christchurch school for the launch of Foodsafe Week and a hand-washing demonstration.

“It might surprise people to learn that foodborne illness is estimated to cost the country about $86 million a year,” Ms Wilkinson says.

“A lot of cases happen in the home and the simplest things like washing your hands and keeping clean surfaces can save you three days spent crook.”

Foodsafe Week officially runs from this Monday and aims to alert New Zealanders to the best ways of avoiding foodborne illnesses such as salmonella and campylobacter.

Ms Wilkinson says the New Zealand Food Safety Authority were working to get the 4Cs – clean, cook, cover, chill – lodged in people’s minds as a blueprint for producing safe food with barbeque season around the corner.

“No one wants to be responsible for serving up campylobacter at a dinner party and knowing the basics will help avoid that.”

ENDS

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