Is the three second rule true? Busting food safety myths

Published on 06 November 2015

Rockhampton Region residents are urged not to become one of the estimated 4.1 million people who get food poisoning in Australia each year.

Chair of Health and Compliance Councillor Ellen Smith said that there are many myths about food poisoning, so this year the focus of Food Safety Week is to bust some of these myths.

“For example, did you know that if you get food poisoning it may not have been the last thing you ate, sometimes symptoms can take several days or weeks to appear,” Cr Smith said.

“Did you know that the often quoted ‘three second rule’, where you pick up food dropped on the floor and eat it within five seconds,  just isn’t true. Bacteria don’t keep a stopwatch and wait before contaminating the food.

“Also, food poisoning isn’t a mild illness. Each year an estimated 1 million Australians have to visit a doctor with food poisoning - 32,000 people end up in hospital and 86 people die.”

Find out the facts and reduce your risk by visiting Council information stands during Food Safety Week at the following locations:

10 November | Gracemere Shopping World | 10am – 2pm

11 November | Northside Plaza | 10am – 2pm

12 November | 69 Morgan Street, Mount Morgan | 10am – 2pm

Residents are encouraged to take Council’s Food Safety Quiz and test their knowledge about food safety myths. All entries go in the draw to win a prize pack from Hiller & Associates, Morrison CQ Agencies, and Clifford Food Services.

Children can also get involved by entering the ‘Colour me in and kill the germs’ Colouring-in Competition.

Entries for both competitions can be found at www.rrc.qld.gov.au or at a Council Customer Service Centre.