National Food Safety Week - Monday 9 -13 June 2008

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s environmental health team is encouraging residents this week to think more about food safety.

For National Food Safety Week (9-13 June), they want to hear your good food safety tips that are worth sharing. Ten fridge thermometers are available to give away for the top ten tips received. The winning entries will then get published on the council’s website and shared at food safety training courses.

If you have a tip to share get in touch - email env.health @welhat.gov.uk or write to Environmental Health at the Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City.

Also as part of Food Safety Week, the council has joined forces with other councils in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, to warn people planning their summer holidays of the risks they take if they bring back certain foods from abroad.

With increased global travel this issue is growing in importance. Illegal imports of food products can introduce certain diseases which affect our public health, livestock, agriculture and horticultural industries. What you can bring into the UK depends on where you have travelled from, with different rules existing for travel inside and outside the EU.

Councillor Mandy Perkins, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s Executive Member for Planning and Environmental Health says: “Just because something is on sale in another country does not mean it can be freely brought back to the UK. Many people are simply unaware of the rules and do not know whether a particular food is banned or is above the limit set to bring back to the UK. Getting it wrong has serious consequents with food being seized or destroyed and the individual liable to prosecution. There are also strict penalties of imprisonment in extreme cases.”

Detailed advice on what travellers can bring into the UK is now available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. Information on imported foods has also been published on the council’s website – www.welhat.gov.uk. And leaflets on food safety is available at all council receptions or by calling 01707 357242 .

ENDS/PR/08/64

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Background Information

Food Safety Week – Food Safety Week will take place during the week 9 -13 June 2008. It is an annual promotional event to highlight the importance of food safety and the principles of good hygiene. The Food Standards Agency is the lead partner in the week and works with predominantly Local Authority Environmental Health Depts., health promotion and infection control teams in hospitals, schools and companies to deliver local events during the week

The Herts and Beds Environmental Health Food Group - The group consists of representatives of the 14 local authorities in Herts and Beds together with Herts County Council and the Health Protection Agency. The group co-ordinates joint work between local authorities in the field of food safety, hygiene and control.

Imported Foods – Approximately half of the food on retail sale in the UK has been imported. In order to maintain food safety and standards the UK has imported food controls which exist at points of entry via Port Health Authorities and Local Authorities. Despite border controls some illegal imports may still arrive due to smuggling, failure to declare or lack of knowledge.