Useful tips is given to consumers by the Unified Food Control Agency as Easter approaches and preparations for the holidays begin across the country, accompanied by traditions, customs and festivities mealswhich in turn are associated with increased consumption of meat, cheese, eggs and sweets.

It is important that consumers give priority to security of food to minimize the risk of foodborne illness diseases and food waste.

Shopping planning, the conscious choice of food and the correct handling and storage of raw materials help in this direction and also benefit the consumer financially.

EFET’s advice

– To procure food only from official, therefore controlled points of sale.

– Look at the indications on the packaging of pre-packaged foods. Our label provides useful information such as the product’s best before date, proper storage conditions, nutritional information. If we have an allergy, we pay particular attention to the indication of allergenic ingredients, which are mandatory.

– To pay attention to the cleanliness of the equipment and the area of ​​the store we choose to buy food.

– When we buy meat, we can ascertain by simple observation that it is placed in refrigerators or refrigerated display cases that are working. When choosing frozen meats, we must look at the date of freezing and the date of consumption of the product (eg indication: “USE BY”, “USE BY”).

-To place in different bags the foods we buy raw and need cooking (eg meat, meat preparations) from those that are ready to eat (eg salads), to avoid possible cross-microbial contamination. Buy the products that need cooling or freezing last, so that we can place them in the refrigerator at home as soon as possible.

– Take care of the proper storage of food in the cupboards, refrigerator or freezer, so that it is kept in the best possible condition until we use it.

– Let’s watch the temperatures! We make sure to refrigerate perishable foods (eg milk, meat) as soon as possible after purchase. We check that our refrigerator is working properly. Keep cooked food warm (over 60°C) before serving. Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

– Prepare meat for cooking following good food hygiene practices to avoid contamination of cooked meat with raw food and ensure surface cleanliness.

Practical tips for Easter

For lambs: If we choose to buy a whole carcass or a half of a carcass, we make sure that there is stamp egg-shaped, which indicates that the required creoscopic control has been performed.

Specifically, there are three categories of mandatory stamps:

– The carcasses that have been slaughtered in our country and that have been reared in Greece or in an EU Member State have a “bright blue” i.e. turquoise seal of suitability, in the center of which is written the code number of the slaughterhouse’s veterinary approval and peripherally the initials GR and the insignia of the EU

– The carcasses that have been slaughtered in other EU Member States and transported to our country have a seal of suitability with a color chosen by each EU Member State. and the characteristics (slaughterhouse approval code number, country and EU insignia) applicable to their country of slaughter.

– The carcasses that have been slaughtered in third countries and imported into our country have a seal of suitability in brown color and the details of the country of origin.

For the offal and meat:

– We make sure they are refrigerated in protected areas (e.g. refrigerated display cases). When choosing frozen viscera, we must consider the date of freezing and the date of consumption of the product (eg indication: “USE BY”, “USE BY”).

For the eggs:

Eggs are at the center of Easter celebrations, either painted for “tangling”, or incorporated into dishes or sweets. Their proper handling protects us from salmonella infection, a bacterium that causes foodborne illnesses.

-To make our choice, we look at the prescribed indications on the packaging, such as the quality category, weight and the date of minimum preservation.

– We do not wash the eggs before storing them in the refrigerator.

– For their good preservation, we keep fresh eggs in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

– Place the boiled eggs, in a separate area, from the fresh ones, in the refrigerator within 2 hours of their preparation and consume them within a week.

– To dye the eggs, we buy only approved dyes and carefully follow the instructions written on the packages. Dye only the eggs that have not broken during boiling.

If we find substandard, unsuitable, spoiled food on the market, or experience fraud or deception, there is always the five-digit telephone number 11717 for complaints.