Shopping quiz answers

1. When you last did your grocery shopping – how long did you take between purchasing the food and putting perishable food in the fridge or freezer?

Correct answer: Under 30 minutes is best but don’t take more than an hour as food can warm quickly once out of the fridge or freezer.

2. When you last purchased refrigerated or frozen food did you transport it home in an insulated bag or cooler?

Correct answer: Yes always use a cooler bag as bacteria can grow quickly in the temperature danger zone between 5° C to 60º C

3. What does a ‘use by’ date mean on packaged food?

Correct answer: You must consume it by that date or it could be a food safety risk.

4. What does a ‘best before’ date mean on packaged food?

Correct answer: You can still consume it safely a short time after that date although the food may have lost some nutrition or quality.

5. Do you follow storage instructions on food labels, for example ‘refrigerate after opening’, ‘keep frozen’?

Correct answer: Yes – always follow the storage instructions as the use by and best before dates only apply if the food is stored correctly. Remember some products need to be refrigerated once opened, so check the label.

6. Do you follow cooking instructions on food labels’?

Correct answer: Yes – always follow the cooking instructions which are carefully worked out by the food manufacturer to ensure the food is cooked safely and correctly.

Read Shopping food safety and check out the national Newspoll survey on shopping food safety knowledge