Each year about 200,000 New Zealanders get sick from food-borne bugs, and estimates are that almost half of those cases are due to mishandling food in the home. With more people buying smarter, including making bulk purchases, the potential for food safety problems can also be multiplied. The theme for this year’s Foodsafe Week (November 9-15) is preparing food safely for family and friends. “As summer approaches our thoughts turn to entertaining friends, picnics and barbecues. The last thing we want is to send our guests home with an upset stomach,” says Roger Cook, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s principal adviser of microbiology. “Make your party memorable for all the right reasons by remembering the 4Cs: clean, cook, cover, chill – and wash and dry your hands thoroughly to keep your food safe.” Also see related topic: Diarrhoea