Food safety and hygiene – top tips for students

Moving away for uni can be a learning curve, so the Food Standards Agency have put together some top tips for staying safe and healthy.

1. Be storage savvy. Fridge space can be limited in shared kitchens and you might only have access to a single shelf, so you'll need to take a few extra measures to avoid cross-contamination. Once opened, put raw meat and fish in separate sealed containers before putting back in the fridge, to avoid leakages. Check foods in your fridge regularly and dispose of any past their use-by dates.
2. Make the most of your leftovers to reduce food waste and save time and money. Cool and cover leftovers and put them in your fridge or freezer within 1 - 2 hours. Leftovers in the fridge should be eaten within 48 hours. Those in the freezer can last longer - but remember to label them to avoid UFOs (unidentified frozen objects)!
3. Take care when using your phone! Regularly touching your phone while cooking can spread harmful bacteria and make you ill. Reduce the risk by regularly disinfecting your phone and washing your hands before and after cooking. When following a recipe using your phone, adjust the screen time in your settings so it doesn't time out and you don't have to constantly touch the screen while cooking.
4. Keep your kitchen clean. If you're living in a shared house it's a good idea to create rotas for things like cleaning and taking out bins. This helps keep bacteria and viruses at bay, ensuring they don't spread onto your food.
5. Cook your food properly. It might sound obvious, but different foods have different cooking times and requirements so always follow the advice on the packaging.

For more tips, read the Food Standards Agency's student guide here.

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