COUNCIL BACK FOOD SAFETY WEEK 2014

Dumfries and Galloway Council is supporting this year’s Food Safety Week (16-22 June).

Do you remember the London 2012 opening ceremony and the Olympic stadium filled to bursting point with spectators? Now, try to envisage that huge crowd multiplied by three. You can do the same with Murrayfield in Edinburgh and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

That’s about a quarter of a million people. That’s how many people in the UK could be struck down by campylobacter this year.

The fight against Campylobacter is the centre of this year’s Food Safety Week.

Campylobacter is the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK. You can’t see it, smell it or even taste it on food, but if it affects you, you won’t forget it. At its worst, it can kill you.

The Food Standards Agency is spearheading a campaign to bring together the whole food chain to tackle the problem. Farmers and producers will be asked to work harder to reduce the amount of bacteria on their raw poultry. Consumers will be able see the latest data and be the judges of any progress, or lack of progress, that they make.

Bob Martin, Head of Foodborne Disease Strategy at the Food Standards Agency said: ‘This is a serious problem and we are calling on the whole industry to act together to tackle Campylobacter. People in Dumfries and Galloway can do their part by handling and preparing chicken with extra care – don’t wash raw chicken, cook it properly and enjoy it safely.’

Councillor Colin Smyth, Chairman of the Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure said: ‘It’s important that we do our part to make sure that people know to handle and cook food safely for themselves and for their families. We are proud to be keeping people in Dumfries and Galloway safe and well by being part of this campaign to spread the word – and not the germs.’

Local authorities, all the major supermarkets and key partners will be working together to make sure people know how to stay safe. Advice is available at www.food.gov.uk/chicken