Mixed messages in food safety: killing us softly?

Abstract

Food poisoning affects many thousands of people every year, both in the United Kingdom and around the world. Infections such as Campylobacter are often brought into the home with purchased food and can cause very unpleasant illnesses and, in extreme cases, even be fatal - if cross-contamination occurs. Dr Lisa Ackerley, Visiting Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Salford and Managing Director of Hygiene Audit Systems Ltd, explains the need for a more joined-up approach to science in the food industry and application in the home.Depending on what you read, there are different estimates of the number of peo- ple who suffer from food poisoning every year. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the United Kingdom has more than 850,000 cases of people experiencing food poisoning per year.1 However, in 2001, the FSA Attitudes Survey calculated that there may have been 5.5 million people who had suffered from food poisoning, of which 4.2 million believed their illness was caused outside the home.2 The Second Infectious Intestinal Diseases Study, completed in 2012, put forward a figure of 17 million - around 25% of the UK population - for those who suffered some form of infec- tious Intestinal disease in a year, estimat- ing that for every one case of reported Ill- ness, there were a further 147 unre- ported in the community.2.Food poisoning is almost totally preventable; however, if most people assume that food poisoning comes from restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets, then they may not feel it is necessary to take preventive action in the home. Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the FSA stated, 'People don't like to admit that the germs might have come from their own home but it's a common myth to think that food poi- soning only comes from a dodgy takeaway'.4We know that infections such as Campylobacter occur at a rate of over 64,000 confirmed cases per year,5 many of which are sporadic In nature. It is highly likely that some of these cases are caused by people poisoning themselves in their own homes through poor hygiene practices, possibly while handling chicken. The most recent FSA survey identified Campylobacter In 65% of retail chickens, and It Is estimated that 60%- 80% of cases of Campylobacter can be attributed to chicken.1The FSA's strategy to reduce food poi- soning aims to reduce Campylobacter con- tamination of foods during production and processing, but also includes the intention to Improve public awareness and the use of messages about good food hygiene practices at home.5 The FSA's vision In relation to consumers In their revised strategy to reduce disease from Campylobacter was 'That more consum- ers adopt as standard domestic behav- iours that reduce the risk of infection from the storage, handling and cooking of foods, including raw poultry'. In the revised strategy, there is consideration of promoting prevention of Campylobacter In Food Safety Week, and working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Which? to help spread mes- sages which will include good hygiene practices In the home, and the purchas- ing of less risky products - for example, frozen chicken and skinned chicken portions.7CHANGING BEHAVIOUROf course, changing behaviour Is much more complex than purely educating con- sumers; consideration needs to be given as to what the barriers are to change (e.g. consumers thinking that they are only at risk when they eat outside the home), or thinking that there Is truth In the legend of the 'five second rule'.We need to show that the benefits of changing behaviour will outweigh the costs - for example, in terms of time spent cleaning or behaving In a more hygienic way versus the cost of having food poisoning, or poisoning a family member. Although we are given figures of how much food poisoning costs the country In a year, perhaps the message needs to be applied to individual cases to focus the mind. In the United States, where civil action for food poisoning is more prevalent than in the United Kingdom, fol- lowing the 'Jack in the Box' outbreak, one severely damaged victim of Escherichia coli 0157 : H7 poisoning settled for US$15. …