Posted: September 17th, 2010 - 6:11pm by Doug Powell

The U.K. Food Standards Agency had a busy day reminding consumers they are the critical control point when it comes to food safety and everything would be fine as long as they cooked things.

Just cook it don’t cut it.

“The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today reminded people of the importance of good hygiene practice when handling and cooking raw bean sprouts.”

“The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today reminded consumers and caterers of the importance of good hygiene practice when cooking with and consuming duck eggs.”

There’s some innovation going on in crafting those food safety messages.

The real news is later.

An investigation into an outbreak of salmonella by the Health Protection Agency and Health Protection Scotland has identified possible links to raw bean sprouts. There have been 58 cases reported in England since the start of August and 15 cases in Scotland.

An investigation by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) into an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 indicates that from 1 January 2010 to date, 63 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 infection have been reported in the UK. Two cases are known to have resulted in people being hospitalised and one death has been reported (although at present it is uncertain whether the death is directly related to the Salmonella infection). Evidence from investigations carried out by the HPA and FSA supports a link between the consumption of duck eggs and this outbreak.

How do British taxpayers feel funding a government agency that seems to spend most of its communications efforts telling taxpayers to do more in a piping-hot-sorta manner?

Consumers have a role; so do the producers, processors and distributors not mentioned in these taxpayer-funded reminders.