Food, it's meant to be savoured, relished and enjoyed – not leaving you praying to the porcelain gods with tears streaming down your face and the bitter taste of regret on your tongue.

With this in mind and summer fast approaching, the Ministry for Primary Industries is offering Kiwis a few simple tips to help reduce your chances of getting sick from food prepared at home.

MPI Public Health medicine specialist Dr Donald Campbell says foodborne illness trends show more people get sick from food over summer than any other time of the year.

'Delicious, nutritious food is one of the great things in life. There's nothing better than a fantastic meal with family and friends. But there's also nothing worse than that same food causing days of misery thanks to it being contaminated by harmful bugs.”

Bacteria grow faster in the warm moist conditions of summer, so it can be present in higher numbers than we're used to in raw foods, explains Donald.

'Over summer we are more likely to be eating raw foods like salads and seasonal summer fruits. We recommend washing all fruit and vegetables before eating them raw.”

Just like jandals, stubbies, L&P and beach cricket, cooking or preparing of food outside at picnics, barbeques or on camping trips is almost a prerequisite for the ultimate Kiwi summer. But this also means foods might be out of the fridge for longer than usual.

DID YOU KNOW?

We all know the risks around food like chicken and seafood, but did you know fruit and vegetables also need to be handled carefully to avoid illness?

Due to the way some fruits and vegetables are grown, such as in a garden or outdoors on farms and orchards, over summer pathogens like bacteria, viruses and other organisms may be present.

If you're buying fresh fruit and vegetables from a store most food businesses would have done everything they can to reduce the risk.

But like life itself, there's always a risk. If produce is not handled, prepared or stored correctly over summer by businesses, the pathogens can grow to levels that cause illness.

And if you're growing your own produce it's especially important you wash it before eating it raw.

SIMPLE TIPS FOR TASTY AND SAFE COOKING:

Luckily for you my fine feathered friends, there are ways to reduce the risk for you, your family or friends of getting sick from a nasty foodborne illnesses:

• Begin with clean hands – wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap and dry your hands for 20 seconds before and after handling all food, including fresh produce.
• Remember the 4Cs (Clean, Cook, Cover, Chill) can help keep harmful bugs at bay.
• Barbeque safely by precooking chicken, sausages and minced meat, then barbecue until meat is steaming hot (over 75 degrees Celsius) all the way through.
• Washing fresh produce under running water is an important part of ensuring your favourite fruits and veges are safe to consume.
• Many precut, bagged fresh produce items like lettuce are pre-washed. If the package label indicates the contents have been pre-washed, you do not need to wash it again.
• Cooking destroys harmful bugs. Cooking some specific higher risk foods, like bean sprouts and frozen imported berries for instance, will help keep you safe. Some consumers wish to eat these products without cooking though, and need to understand there is a risk in doing so.

For more information on food safety in the home visit the Ministry for Primary Industries' website at: mpi.govt.nz/food-safety