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Safety tips for enjoying Christmas buffets
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    With Christmas just round the corner, enjoying delicious buffets is the order of the day for many people.
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     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 10) appealed to the public to heed food safety when enjoying buffets in restaurants.
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     A department spokesman said buffet patrons should be particularly careful with high-risk foods such as oysters and sashimi, which are eaten raw.
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     "If not handled properly, these foods could be contaminated with pathogens, such as Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which might in turn cause food poisoning," he said.
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     To enjoy Christmas buffets safely, people are advised to take the following precautions:
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Making wise choices
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* Patronise licensed restaurants with a good reputation.

* Before choosing a particular restaurant, take a look at its hygiene conditions. Check whether its staff observe good personal hygiene and have proper food-handling practices.

* Pay attention to the proper storage and display of foods. Raw foods should be separated from cooked foods.

Proper handling
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* Pay attention to the freshness of the food. Do not consume food that tastes abnormal.

* Cold dishes should be kept cold in a chiller or on ice (at 4 degrees Celsius or below), while hot dishes should be kept in a heater (at 60 degrees Celsius or above).

* Use separate utensils such as the tongs and plates provided by the restaurant to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

* Use a clean plate to take food each time. Don't use the same plate repeatedly.

* Do not take too much food at one time to avoid prolonged exposure of the food at room temperature (over two hours).

* Wash hands thoroughly before choosing and consuming food.

Eating healthily
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* The elderly, children, pregnant women and people with lower immunity should avoid consuming high-risk food like raw foods or cold dishes.

* Maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

Ends/Saturday, December 10, 2005
Issued at HKT 11:05

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