http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.

nsf/pages/Food_safety_when_e
ating_out
Restaurants, cafes and takeaway food outlets have a responsibility to serve food
that is safe to eat. However, there are soe basic easures you can take that will
iniise the risk of food poisoning when eating out.
The types of food that can make you sick
!any di"erent types of food can ake you sick. Food that contains dangerous
bacteria or viruses ay not look, sell or taste any di"erent fro food that is safe.
Food#poisoning bacteria are either in the food to begin with or are transferred to the
food during storage, preparation, cooking or serving.
High-risk foods
Food#poisoning bacteria can grow and ultiply on soe types of food ore easily
than others. $hese high#risk foods include:
Raw and cooked eat, including poultry such as chicken and turkey, and foods
containing these, such as casseroles, curries and lasagne
%airy products, such as custard and dairy#based desserts like custard tarts and
cheesecake
&ggs and egg products, such as 'uiche
(allgoods such as has and salais
(eafood, such as seafood salad, patties, )sh balls, stews containing seafood and
)sh stock
*ooked rice and pasta
+repared salads like coleslaws, pasta salads and rice salads
+repared fruit salads
Ready to eat foods, including sandwiches, rolls, and pi,,a that contain any of the
food above.
-hen eating out, pay special attention to how these high#risk foods are prepared,
cooked, stored and served.
Choosing where to eat
-hen you decide to eat in a restaurant or buy takeaway food, think about whether:
(ta" ebers are using separate utensils and e'uipent for handling raw and
cooked foods
(ta" ebers are using clean cloths to wipe surfaces
Raw and cooked foods are well separated
$he toilets are clean
$he shop or restaurant is generally clean.
%irty conditions in the public areas of a shop or restaurant can be a clue that things
ay be worse in the kitchen or behind the scenes where custoers don.t go.
Hints for buying food
-hen buying food, reeber:
Hot food should be served steaing hot /01 2* and above3. 4void eating lukewar
food.
*old food should be displayed on ice or in a refrigerated cabinet and should feel
cold when you eat it /5 2* or less3.
+re#ade sandwiches and rolls that contain perishable ingredients, such as eat,
)sh, chicken, egg and cheese, should be stored in a refrigerated cabinet or kept at
roo teperature for less than four hours.
%on.t buy 6tired#looking. food that looks like it has been sitting at roo teperature
for a long tie.
!inced eat, haburgers, rolled or stu"ed roasts and chicken ust be cooked right
through 7 there should be no pink eat. %o not eat undercooked eats. Return
the for further cooking.
(teak, chops and whole cuts of red eat can be cooked to your preference.
$akeaway food should be served in appropriate takeaway containers and at the
appropriate teperature.
-hat to look for at bu"ets or self#service restaurants
*heck that:
Food to be eaten hot is stored in hot food display cabinets or over burners at 01 2*
and above.
*old food is displayed on ice or in refrigerated cabinets at 5 2* or less.
&ach food dish has its own serving utensils.
Fresh food is replenished regularly.
Foods are covered by soe type of guard or cover.
+lates and cutlery are clean and dry.
$aking food hoe
-hen you have takeaway food, either eat it within a few hours or take it hoe and
put it in the fridge iediately. !ake sure that it is eaten within a couple of days.
$hrow out any high#risk food that has been left in the teperature danger ,one of
between 5 2* and 01 2* for ore than four hours.
Doggy bags
%oggy bags are not the sae as noral takeaway foods. $akeaway food is intended
to be eaten away fro the preises, and is served by the food business at the
appropriate teperature and in suitable takeaway containers.
$he ter 6doggy bag. developed when food left uneaten at a restaurant was taken
hoe for the faily pet. However, any custoers take doggy bags hoe and
consue that food theselves later.
$here are no laws that prevent restaurants and cafes fro giving custoers doggy
bags. However, uneaten food taken fro a restaurant or cafe in a doggy bag ay
becoe unsafe for huan consuption.
Foods taken hoe in doggy bags can be e8posed to a nuber of ha,ards including:
High#risk food left in the teperature danger ,one /between 5 2* and 01 2*3, which
can have increased levels of food#poisoning bacteria
9ncorrect handling by the consuer, which can containate the food with food#
poisoning bacteria
:ot reheating the food ade'uately.
-here to get help
;our local council health departent
$he %epartent of Health Food (afety Hotline $el. <=11 =0> =52
$hings to reeber
9f the sta" don.t look after theselves and their preises, they.re unlikely to look
after your food very well.
Hot food should be served hot at 01 2* and above, and cold food should be served
cold at 5 2* or less.
9f you are in any doubt about the safety of food, don.t eat it.
9f you have serious concerns with the way food is handled, stored, prepared or
cooked by a restaurant, cafe or takeaway shop, contact your local council.s health
departent.