As we look forward to celebrating The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the Bank Holiday weekend, the Council is joining forces with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to ensure that any food you prepare to serve at a celebration event or street party is safe for your guests to eat.
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.
If you are planning an event in your local community, here are some simple tips for preparing food for large numbers of people in order for everyone to celebrate safely:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water before food preparation and consumption.
- Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart.
- Do not use any food past its use-by-date.
- Always read any cooking instructions and make sure food is properly cooked before you serve it.
- 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 are ready to eat. Any foods which you would usually keep in the fridge at home also need to be kept cool on the day.
- All food with a use-by-date, cooked dishes, salads and dairy products will need to be kept 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.
Louise Davies, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Director of Public Health, Protection and Community Services, said: “We want everyone to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee safely in our County Borough. It is so easy to forget food hygiene basics when preparing food for large numbers of people, but please follow our advice and enjoy the special occasion.
“Plan your celebrations carefully to make sure that your event is remembered for all the right reasons.”
Nathan Barnhouse, Director of Food Standards Agency in Wales, said: “The long Bank Holiday weekend gives communities across Wales a chance to enjoy coming together with friends and family. Celebrating safely means thinking about food safety ahead of time, so on the day you can concentrate on enjoying the party.”
Find out more about holding a street party safely
Posted on 30/05/2022