When Good Food Goes Bad

- Jennifer Bowden

Question:

How long should I let a whole roast chicken cool on the bench after cooking, before putting leftovers in the fridge? I’m a bit concerned about the risk of campylobacter.

Answer:

Chicken is an affordable, versatile and low-fat source of protein, but if it is not handled, cooked and stored correctly, it can make you sick. Campylobacteriosis – a gastrointestinal infection caused by bacteria called campylobacter (pronounced cam-pile-oh-bactor) – is the most common bacterial food-borne illness in New Zealand, and chicken is one of the prime sources.

In 2006, New Zealand had the highest rate of campylobacteriosis in the developed word, when 15,873 cases were notified (384 per 100,000 people). However, the number of cases dropped significantly over the next two years, after regulation – and self-regulation – of the poultry industry reduced contamination by the bacterium.