Kitchen risks: Shoppers are risking food poisoning by ignoring kitchen hygiene, food suppliers have warned.

A study by the British Food and Drink Federation (FDF) found a third of those surveyed ate products past their use-by dates. And 50 per cent admitted never removing germ-carrying rings from their hands before preparing food.

The survey showed only 54 per cent knew burgers and sausages needed to be cooked until no pink meat was left. Some 12 per cent admitted only changing or disinfecting their kitchen sponge once a month.

Blink and miss it: The biggest radio company in the world is to launch one-second radio ads that will have ended before you realise they've started. Clear Channel owns 1,200 American radio stations and has created several demo versions of the ads, called "blinks".

Several brand-related sounds have suggested themselves as contenders for the virtually subliminal blinks such as the four-note chime used to market computers with Intel chips.