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Food safety to be highlighted at Taste of Grampian 2011

The importance of domestic food safety will be reinforced at Taste of Grampian 2011 this weekend.

The annual event, which will be held at Thainstone Agricultural Centre, Inverurie on Saturday, June 4, showcases the very best in north-east food and drink to a large audience from across the country.

Amongst the hustle and bustle on the day, Aberdeenshire Council’s Food Safety Team will be on hand to dispel some commonly held food safety myths and offer expert advice on safe food storage, handling and preparation at their own stand.

In a recent survey conducted across the country, people were asked whether they thought a range of statements about food safety were true or false.

The results showed most people are aware of good hygiene in the kitchen, but can still fall foul of some common misconceptions.

Environmental Health Officer Specialist (Food) for Aberdeenshire Council, John Bell, said: “The food safety message is second nature within the catering profession, but this survey has shown that the emphasis needs to move towards domestic rather than commercial settings.

“That is why the food safety team is delighted to again exhibit at Taste of Grampian 2011 and use this opportunity to promote good practices in Aberdeenshire’s homes.”

Food safety experts on the stand will identify fact from fiction, show how much money is wasted by poor knowledge on food dates and highlight the impact of the Food Hygiene Information Scheme and Eat Safe Award in Aberdeenshire.

Across the country, findings show more than half (53 per cent) of those surveyed incorrectly believe that we can tell if food is safe to eat just by its appearance or smell. However, potentially dangerous food bugs like E.coli and salmonella don’t always make food smell ‘off’ and do not affect the appearance of food.

Around a third (31 per cent) of people questioned in Scotland thought ‘use by’ dates are put on food packaging to encourage shoppers to throw it out so they have to buy more.

In reality the ‘use by’ date is required by law and is an important indicator of how long a food will remain safe to eat. Other dates which also appear, such as ‘best before’ and ‘sell by’ dates, relate to the food’s quality rather than its safety.

One in ten people questioned believed that if you drop food on the floor it is safe to eat as long as you pick it up within five seconds. However, there is no truth in the so-called ‘five second rule’, or any of its variations. If there is one place your food is most likely to pick up bugs, it’s on the floor.

Other myths highlighted in the research include:

• ‘If you get food poisoning it was from the last thing you ate.’ In Scotland 17% of those questioned incorrectly thought this was true, but in fact for some bugs it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to develop.

• ‘You need to wash chicken and poultry before you cook it.’ This was one of the most common misconceptions with two thirds (66%) of people surveyed in Scotland thinking this is true. In fact washing chicken could splash germs around the kitchen. Cooking it thoroughly will be enough to kill any bacteria that may be present.

The Food Safety Team will be at stand 221 to answer your food and hygiene questions. Those who take part will also have the chance to win a prize.

For more information on Taste of Grampian 2011, visit www.tasteofgrampian.co.uk and for more details on Food Safety, visit

www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/foodsafety/index.asp

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