Sefton Council is encouraging residents to learn more about keeping harmful bacteria out of the kitchen. 

The Council is backing the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) ‘Bacteria love it here’ campaign, which aims to tackle potentially unsafe kitchen habits that can allow illness-causing bacteria to grow and spread.

Top hygiene tips 

The campaign offers tips on small acts in the home that can reduce or entirely prevent harmful bacteria from spreading. They include: 

• Keeping the fridge at between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius. 

• Washing board and utensils between tasks to avoid cross-contamination. 

• Not rinsing raw chicken under a tap to ensure bacteria does not splash onto surfaces. 

The FSA is a government organisation which provides food safety and hygiene guidance to households and businesses. Its mission is to help people protect themselves and others from preventable illness with simple changes to everyday hygiene habits. 

Councillor Mhairi Doyle, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “The Food Standards Agency regularly shares important tips to help us handle food in a safe and hygienic way, and this campaign gives some really useful guidance. 

“We’re entering a time of the year where more people are vulnerable to illness, and we can help everyone by keeping our kitchens and appliances clean. 

“We all have certain habits in the kitchen and may not realise that some aren’t the safest. By following this guidance, we can minimise the risk of nasty and preventable diseases, which will benefit everyone.” 

Those wishing to learn more about food safety and hygiene in the home can visit the Food Standards Agency website.