Food Standards Agency
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Listen to this siteThursday 7 June 2001
Salmonella, food hygiene, bubbles and slime will soon be on offer at a number of Cardiff primary schools - but only to promote understanding of food safety. Wacky Kitchen pantomime characters 'Sal' and 'Giene' will be helping children grasp the basic principles of food hygiene during a series of events to coincide with Food Safety Week (11-17 June.)
The fun is being brought to the city by the Food Standards Agency Wales, working in partnership with the City and County of Cardiff. The two organisations are aiming to raise the issue of food safety with a wide audience by introducing the food safety message directly to youngsters, to teachers via a new CD-Rom and the general public by encouraging and advising them from a special stand on the Hayes Shopping Centre, Cardiff.
The week begins a series of ten half-day school workshops where the children will be introduced to "Sal" and "Giene" in the Wacky Kitchen panto, as well as a giant "bubbles and slime" game based on snakes and ladders. The game is big enough for the children to act as board markers, and progression depends on understanding and adhering to basic good food preparation and hygiene practices. Workshops of small groups will continue the theme, offering up an opportunity for further discussion of key issues.
Teachers at each school are also set to benefit from a new CD-Rom by the British Nutrition Foundation. The Teaching Food Safety in Schools CD covers a wide range of important topics including food hygiene, food labelling, allergies and health and it is hoped that practising primary school teachers will use it as part of their continuing professional development. FSA Wales is helping the BNF to distribute the CD-Rom to every school in Wales.
Those who have long since left school but get to grips with food preparation on a daily basis will be well catered for at the FSA Wales and City and County of Cardiff food safety stand on the Hayes. Environmental Health Officers will be on hand throughout the week to advise people about good food hygiene and the FSA's top ten tips for food safety.
Ann Hemingway, the Agency's Board Member for Wales is looking forward to the opportunities offered by Food Safety Week. Ann said:
"One of the FSA's key priorities is to reduce food-borne illness by 20 per cent within five years, by improving food safety right through the food chain. Educating our young people so that they develop a good understanding of food safety and hygiene is an important step in helping to prevent food poisoning incidents, to which they are particularly susceptible.
"It is equally important to remember that we all need to reassess and readjust our own food preparation habits from time to time. As a result, I am very pleased that we will be spreading our message to a wide audience in the centre of Cardiff this year. Our top ten tips for food safety demonstrate simple but good hygiene practices, and go a long way towards avoiding the unpleasant symptoms of food-related illness."
Malcolm Evans, Chief Regulatory Services Officer for Cardiff County Council, said: "I am delighted that Cardiff County Council and the Food Standards Agency are working in partnership to get vital food safety information to the public. During Food Safety Week, environmental health officers will be running a stand in the city's main shopping centre, chatting to the public about food safety concerns and passing on good practice."
FSA Wales news contact: Kathryn Corcoran (029) 20 678915
City and County of Cardiff news contact: Elaine Cripps (029) 20 872082
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Food Standards Agency was set up in April last year and its Welsh Executive is accountable both to Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales.
2. The FSA will protect the interest of consumers by protecting three core values. It will:
-Put the consumer first;
-Be open and accessible;
-Be an independent voice.
Its functions are to:
-Provide advice to the public and the Government on food safety, nutrition and diet;
-Protect consumers through effective enforcement and monitoring;
-Support consumer choice through accurate and meaningful labelling.
3. Wacky kitchen pantomime, Bubbles and Slime game and school workshops will be held as follows:
Monday, 11 June
Radyr Primary School (am) and Heol Llanishen Fach Primary School (pm)
Tuesday, 12 June
Grangetown Junior School (am) and St John Lloyd Primary School, Rumney (pm)
Wednesday, 13 June
Severn Road Junior School, Canton (am) and Peter Lea Primary School, Fairwater (pm)
Thursday, 14 June
Llanedeyrn Primary School (am) and St Alban RC Primary School, Tremorfa (pm).
Friday, 15 June
Ysgol Pencae, Llandaff (am) and Creigiau Primary School (pm)
4. A photo and filming opportunity is available with FSA Wales Board Member Ann Hemingway and Councillor Brian Pinnell, Chair of the Licensing and Public Protection Committeee, City and County of Cardiff at St Alban RC Primary School, Tremorfa at 1.30pm on Thursday, 14 June. A representative from the British Nutrition Foundation will also attend.
5. The FSA Wales and City and County of Cardiff food safety week stand will be on the Hayes Shopping Centre, Cardiff between 09.00 and 17.00 from 11 June to 17 June. Photo and filming opportunities are available.
6. Copies of Teaching Food Safety in Schools are currently being distributed to all primary schools by FSA Wales. A Welsh language version of the CD-Rom is currently in production and will follow shortly. For further information, please contact Helen George on (029) 20678907.
ENDS
1st Floor, Southgate House,
Wood Street,
Cardiff CF10 1EW
Telephone: 029 20 678915
Fax: 029 20 678918/9
Email:
kathryn.corcoran@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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