Our investigations show that the most likely place to contract food poisoning is in the home.

Food poisoning bacteria (germs) are found in raw food and soil, especially raw meat, poultry and root vegetables. They are carried by animals including pets, birds and insects.

If food is not handled properly, is undercooked or is contaminated by insects or other raw foods after cooking, food poisoning can result.

Food poisoning bacteria are also carried by people; on the skin (especially around septic cuts and sores), in the nose, mouth and gut, so everyone must be careful not to contaminate food.

Unfortunately contaminated food usually looks, tastes and smells perfectly normal, so it is important to take precautions against food poisoning at all times.

The Food Standards Agency has 4 things to remember, entitled the "4Cs", for good food hygiene and avoiding food poisoning.

1 Cleanliness

• Before preparing food be sure work surfaces, equipment and your hands are clean.
• Ideally, keep pets out of the kitchen, especially during food preparation.
• Keep pet food and pet equipment away from your food and equipment.
• Always wash your hands with warm soapy water before cooking, after handling raw food, refuse or pets and after visiting the toilet.
• Don't handle food when you are ill with stomach problems, such as diarrhoea or vomiting.
• Cover all cuts and sores with waterproof plasters even when almost healed.

2 Cooking

• Do not eat uncooked foods containing eggs - e.g. a home-made mayonnaise or mousse
• Do not eat undercooked meat products e.g. beef burgers. Ensure that the meat is cooked all the way through (not pink) and the juices run clear.
• You can use a meat thermometer to check that the middle of large joints are cooked - the temperature should reach 70 degrees centigrade.
• Make sure that food is only ever reheated once and that it is then piping hot throughout.
• Bacteria will grow on food left at room temperature - therefore, keep food hot or cold until it is served or eaten.

3 Chilling

• Check and follow any storage instructions on labels.
• Don't buy frozen foods which are soft or defrosting.
• After shopping take your food straight home and put chilled and frozen food away quickly.
• Perishable foods should be kept in the fridge at a temperature between 0 and 5 degrees centigrade - use a fridge thermometer to check this.
• Frozen foods should be kept in a freezer at a temperature of -18 degrees centigrade - again you can use a thermometer to check.
• Once food is cooked it should be eaten quickly or cooled rapidly and refrigerated or frozen within one and a half hours of cooking. If refrigerated it should be eaten within 3 days.
• Once you have opened packed or chilled food use it within 3 days.
• Do not eat food after its 'use by' date.

4 Cross-contamination

• Always wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw food.
• Keep raw and ready to eat foods separate.
• Cover all food in the fridge and store raw foods on the bottom shelf away from cooked or ready to eat foods.
• Defrost meat and poultry thoroughly before cooking; use the bottom shelf of the fridge.
• Wash equipment such as knives and chopping boards in hot soapy water in between using them for raw and cooked foods.

The most effective thing that you can do prevent yourself from getting ill is to wash your hands thoroughly. According to the United States Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection." Recent studies and reports indicate that lack of, or improper hand washing, still contributes significantly to disease transmission. It has been estimated that proper handwashing can reduce the spread of infections by as much as 50%. By frequently washing your hands you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste.

You should wash your hands frequently; remember you cannot see germs with the naked eye or smell them so you cannot tell when you have germs on your hands and need to wash them.

• After going to the toilet
• Before, during, and after you prepare food especially after handling raw meat
• Before you eat
• If they look or feel dirty
• After handling animals or animal waste
• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose
• Before and after caring for the sick

• First wet your hands with warm water and apply liquid or clean bar soap.
• Rub the soap over both sides of your hands between your fingers and around the thumbs and nails; it is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
• Rinse off with clean warm water.
• Dry hands thoroughly; 1000 times as many germs spread from damp hands than dry hands.