Common misconceptions about food poisoning are to be targeted as Food Safety Week kicks off in Edinburgh this week.
A national survey carried out by the Food Standards Agency alarmingly suggests that the public are putting themselves at risk of food poisoning because of some commonly held food safety myths.
A range of questions about food safety were used to gauge public knowledge on food safety. They included the truth about ‘use by’ dates and the ‘five second rule’ for food dropped on the floor.
Across the country, findings show more than half (57 per cent) believe that we can tell if food is safe to eat just by its appearance or smell. While, a third (37 per cent) thought that ‘use by’ dates are put on food packaging to encourage shoppers to throw it out so they have to buy more.
In an effort to raise public awareness, the Council is hosting displays in city centre libraries where the public will have access to more information about food safety myths and a free fridge thermometer.
Libraries taking part in the information displays include; Central, McDonald Road, Leith, Newington, Stockbridge and Fountainbridge.
A newsletter is also going out to schools to remind young people of the importance of food safety.
Councillor Robert Aldridge, Environment Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We should never be complacent about food safety. As the weather gets warmer and more people think about venturing outside for barbecues, the number of food poisoning cases tends to increase. To help combat this problem there are a few simple things the public can do to keep themselves and their families safe. The Council are delighted to be taking part in these public information events which aim to highlight the simple common sense steps people can take to avoid getting ill.”
Bob Martin, a food safety expert at the Food Standards Agency, said: “‘Getting food poisoning is pretty miserable but for some people can be very dangerous. There are about a million cases every year and we’re working hard with food producers, processors and retailers to bring that number down. With Food Safety Week starting today we hope this research will help people think about what they do and better separate fact from fiction in their kitchens.”
Food Safety Week runs from Monday 6 June to Sunday 12 June.
There are 850,000 cases of food poisoning a year in the UK.
