Perils of potato-topped pies highlighted

The humble potato-topped pie, a favourite winter comfort food, can cause sickness unless properly heated.

The Food Safety Authority's latest newsletter says the potato flakes used to make the mashed potato toppings often contained the harmful bacillus cereus spores.

The bacteria were not considered life threatening but could cause diarrhoea, vomiting and cramp-like abdominal pains. Low levels of the bacteria were not a food safety hazard, but pies had to be kept out of the "danger zone" of 5C-60C.

- NZPA