The number of cases of food poisoning across the country always rise around Christmas time with the UK set to devour more than 10 million turkeys, 25 million Christmas puddings and 300 tonnes of Stilton, washed down with 35 million bottles of wine.

In a bid to try and reduce cases of food poisoning, the Council’s Food Safety Team has produced a leaflet with essential Christmas food safety advice, food storage advice, guidelines to cooking turkey and festive recipes.

Janet Young, Environmental Health Officer at Ashfield District Council said: “We have found that many people make common mistakes when cooking Christmas dinner, with washing the turkey being the most frequent error. Germs are not killed through washing with cold water, only killed by heat when cooking. Therefore, by washing the raw turkey, people are actually more likely to spread the germs throughout their kitchen and surfaces.”

Janet Young, Ashfield District Council handing
over the leaflets of Malcolm Keeling of
Colledges Butchers, Sutton-in-Ashfield.