Cinderella brings her Wacky Kitchen antics to the Urdd Eisteddfod

Friday 23 May 2003

Poor food hygiene the target on Food Standards Agency stand

Ref: WA21/03KC

Cinderella, her Ugly Sister and a group of unsightly bacteria will be bringing their own brand of fun and education to the Urdd Eisteddfod next week (26 – 31 May).

The Food Standards Agency Wales exhibition resource will be at Margam, Port Talbot throughout the week, highlighting the importance of food hygiene to children through drama.

Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother will be battling against 'Mr E' (E-Coli), 'Liz' (Listeria) 'Sal' (Salmonella) in their Wacky Kitchen. There will be several performances every day.

There were 238 reported instances of food poisoning in the Neath Port Talbot area in 2001, and 4,487 in the whole of Wales. However, thousands of cases go unreported: in a recent Food Standards Agency survey, 11% of people surveyed in Wales said that they had experienced a bout of diarrhoea or vomiting in 2002.

Helen George, a Higher Executive Officer for the Food Standards Agency Wales, said: 'Food poisoning affects thousands of people every year in Wales, with children particularly vulnerable.

'Our Wacky Kitchen pantomime is a popular and entertaining way of learning basic food hygiene messages. I hope that those visiting the Urdd in 2003 will call in to see Cinderella, and hop on board afterwards to play our interactive food safety and nutrition games.'

Notes for editors

Food poisoning costs the Welsh economy, including employers and the NHS, about £17.5 million a year.

The Agency's top ten tips for food safety are:

Take chilled and frozen food home quickly, then put it in your fridge or freezer at once;
Prepare and store raw and cooked food separately. Keep raw meat and fish at the bottom of your fridge;
Keep the coldest part of your fridge at 0 – 5°C. Get a fridge thermometer;
Check use-by dates and use food within the recommended period;
Keep pets away from food, dishes and worktops;
Wash hands thoroughly before preparing food, after going to the toilet or after handling pets;
Keep your kitchen clear by washing worktops and utensils between handling food to be cooked and food that is not;
Do not eat food containing uncooked eggs, and keep your eggs in the fridge;
Cook food properly by following the instructions on the pack. Reheat food only once, and make sure it is piping hot; and
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

11th Floor, Southgate House,
Wood Street,
Cardiff CF10 1EW
Telephone: 02920 678916
Fax: 02920 678918/9
Email: caroline.kitson@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

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Cinderella brings her Wacky Kitchen antics to the Urdd Eisteddfod

Poor food hygiene the target on Food Standards Agency stand

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