Christmas cooking: Myths versus reality, and how to avoid a festive fail

As Kiwi families look forward to big festive feeds over the next few days, they’re being urged to consider the risk of foodborne illnesses.

But there are a few common beliefs about food preparation and storage that are just wrong, and could actually increase the risk of spreading bugs.

2022 has seen the country cooking frozen berries, being cautious collecting kaimoana and venturing beyond the best-before date in the quest for a bargain.

Families enjoying Christmas lunch or dinner will need to take care with myths like the ‘five-second rule’ or how they’re storing food to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle is urging New Zealanders to watch out for food contamination this Christmas.

He said a common myth around putting hot food into the fridge isn’t accurate.

“The important thing to understand is that bacteria grow really quickly, they can double in as quickly as four minutes.”

He explained bacteria grow faster in warmer temperatures, so we should not leave food on the bench longer than 30 minutes before putting it into the fridge. Keeping food in the fridge, rather than out on the bench, is the perfect way to suspend bacteria growth, Arbuckle said.

Another myth New Zealanders don’t need to worry about this Christmas is washing your chicken before preparing it. Arbuckle said this would already be done by food processors, and further washing would just spread bacteria around the kitchen.

Arbuckle recommended dabbing excess juices with a paper towel, and discarding those towels properly.

He also warned against defrosting food in the open air – put frozen goods into the fridge to defrost to prevent bacteria growth instead.

Washing your bagged salad with cold water, avoiding food that has gone mouldy (rather than just cutting the mould out) and not eating raw batter from cakes or gingerbread – all these tips Arbuckle hoped would help keep New Zealanders healthy over the summer holidays.