Sir, – While I understand the views of Carmel Wallace (Letters, July 28th), I think that the Safe Food Ireland advertisment I have seen on television is well-intentioned.
Most people who are experienced cooks understand the need for good hygiene when preparing food for all ages, but those who are not used to preparing food may not.
It might, however, be more useful if Safe Food Ireland could educate most TV cooks and chefs who have poor food hygiene. It is quite common to see a cook on TV picking up a pepper mill just after he (sorry, not being sexist, but it is often a man!) has been handling raw meat and sometimes pushing it around a frying pan with his fingers. It is also not unusual to see a TV cook taking vegetables or herbs out of packaging without washing them.
I think it would be extremely useful if every cookery programme, whether amateur or professional, should be preceded and followed by a strong lesson in the need for food hygiene from Safe Food Ireland.
– Yours, etc,
JUNE HOAD
Kenmare,
Co Kerry.
Sir – Carmel Wallace (Letters, July 28th) takes Safe Food Ireland to task for running an ageist ad campaign aimed at older people, on the grounds that age is irrelevant to the question of food safety knowledge.
However, there are objective reasons for a focus on food safety for the elderly. Older people are more likely to have compromised immune systems and the health consequences of food poisoning are likely to be greater for them. The incidence of food-related illness is highest for both older people and young children.
A more relevant issue is whether media campaigns are an effective approach.
This depends on whether older people lack an awareness of good food safety behaviour or the motivation to adopt good practices. International research indicates that the over 65s generally have better food safety practices than younger people.
However, older men and, more surprisingly, third-level educated and high income individuals are exceptions. These groups are found to benefit from food safety education initiatives.
Perhaps Safe Food Ireland should have run the risk of appearing to be both ageist and sexist by focusing its media campaign on older men.
– Yours, etc,
BERNARD FEENEY
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.