Don't make your mealtime a horror story
Monday 9 June 2008
Cases of salmonella and campylobacter food poisoning are set to soar to more than 120,000 in just three months this summer. The Agency's latest food hygiene campaign, 'GermWatch' aims to combat the rise in food poisoning cases, which double during the summer months and cost the economy, in England and Wales, upwards of £1.5 billion a year.
A recent FSA survey also showed that three-quarters of the public had never heard of the most common form of food poisoning – campylobacter. The survey also found:
- 89% of people don’t store raw meat properly
- 63% of people don’t wash their hands after handling raw meat or fish
‘...admitting the germs might have come from your own kitchen or barbecue remains a taboo subject. That's why we've had to beef up our campaign to really bring the message home.’
Dr Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency said: 'With enough cases of salmonella and campylobacter to fill Wembley stadium in just three months, this summer might be pretty unpleasant for some people. Even worse, it could prove fatal for vulnerable groups such as the elderly. Despite the picture painted by these statistics, admitting the germs might have come from your own kitchen or barbecue remains a taboo subject.
'That's why we've had to beef up our campaign to really bring the message home. We're introducing a new character, "Grubeye", which will be used in advertising and nationwide activities with schools and local authorities.'
GermWatch has been launched during Food Safety Week, an annual event that promotes the importance of good food hygiene in the home through a range of local events taking place across the UK in schools, community groups and local councils. Resources for GermWatch events are available, to order or download, at the link below.
Grubeye is the star character in the new GermWatch campaign. He revels in poor food hygiene and delights in the misfortune of those at risk of food poisoning. 'Killer Facts' are another important element of the GermWatch campaign. They warn people about the dangers of poor food hygiene and provide helpful advice to enable them to fight back against the germs.
The grotesque GermWatch star has been brought to life in ads being screened on GMTV during Food Safety Week. You can preview the ads and find out more about the simplest ways to avoid food poisoning by visiting the Agency’s consumer website at the link below.