Issuing Temperature Guidance to Consumers on the Cooking and Storage of Food
Date: 2004
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Background
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance information for agencies, such as
health boards, district councils, consumer bodies and others, who produce consumer advice
on cooking and storage of food. There is currently much advice and guidance to consumers
on the storage and cooking of foods in order to prevent food poisoning. On reviewing this
advice it becomes apparent that there are inconsistencies, particularly in relation to the
temperature recommendations used for cooking. These inconsistencies may lead to
confusion and should be avoided in order that clear messages aimed at modifying consumer
behaviour in the home can be communicated. To address this issue, safefood, the Food
Safety Promotion Board, convened a cross-agency working group to consider the most
appropriate general guidance that would be acceptable to agencies and professionals
providing food safety advice. This report presents the advice agreed by the working group.
Terms of reference
To produce guidance for agencies, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, who are
providing advice to consumers on temperature control in relation to cooking and storage of
food.
Scope
The document focuses on qualitative consumer recommendations supported by a scientific
rationale. A qualitative approach was adopted given that, at the present time, very few
consumers on the island actually use a temperature probe, thus making temperature
recommendations of limited use. The document outlines the key safety issues related to
each of the processes where temperature control is important for consumers. On the basis of
these safety issues, a range of suitable consumer messages have been included which may
be used in issuing advice to consumers. The messages produced in this document are simply
examples of what can be used and the list is by no means exhaustive.