The first advertising campaign by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland begins today in an effort to alert the public about the risk of E.coli 0157 food-poisoning. The radio ads are a response to sharply increasing cases of the potentially fatal microbe.
Irish cases rose from eight in 1996 to 76 last year, so it would be naive to think a major outbreak could not happen here, according to the FSAI head of communications, Ms Eilis O'Brien. "Our campaign communicates the measures that need to be taken to help avert illness related to E.coli. Consumers are the last line of defence and they can take simple, basic steps to prevent infection."