Food tips to help keep Jubilee celebrations safe

The four-day Platinum Jubilee bank holiday is almost here and communities across the borough are planning street parties and celebrations to bring everyone together over some fabulous food.

Make sure your event is memorable for all the right reasons and keep food safety in mind.

If you’re planning a celebration and you’re not sure where to start regarding food safety, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are here to help.

To ensure a risk-free celebration, remember warm weather and outdoor cooking are the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow, and risks remain when preparing and serving chilled food in these conditions.

Councillor Karen Shore, the Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport said: “Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will see many people celebrating with family, friends and neighbours at street parties and get togethers.

“We know there’s a lot to organise, but don’t forget hygiene is also important, so plan out carefully how you will prepare, make and store food. None of us want unsafe food to affect the fun we all hope to have on the day.”

Narriman Looch, Head of Foodborne Disease Control at the FSA said: “We are delighted that the Platinum Jubilee gives communities a chance to enjoy gathering together over the long weekend to celebrate this historic milestone. Celebrating safely means thinking about food safety ahead of time, so on the day you can concentrate on enjoying the party.”

Here are some simple tips if you're making food for large numbers of people:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water before preparing and eating food.
• Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart.
• Do not use food past its use-by date.
• Always read any cooking instructions and make sure food is properly cooked before you serve it – it needs to be piping hot.
• Ensure that food preparation areas are cleaned and sanitised before and after use and ensure equipment is washed in hot soapy water.
• Plan ahead to keep your food cool until you're ready to eat. Any foods which you would usually keep in the fridge at home also need to be kept cool on your picnic. This includes any food with a use-by-date, cooked dishes, salads and dairy products.
• Place these foods in a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs. Distribute these throughout the box or bag, not all at the bottom. You can also use frozen drinks to help keep your cool box cold. Store cold food below five degrees to prevent bacteria from growing.

You do not need a food hygiene training certificate to make and sell food for charity events, however, you need to make sure that you handle food safely. Following FSA guidance on the 4Cs: cleaning, chilling, cooking, avoiding cross-contamination will help you prepare a safe feast for your community.

If you are putting on a one-off event for friends and neighbours, you do not need to register, however if any food businesses are present they must be registered with the Council.