The safety of the food we eat is a top priority of the Food Standards Agency. The Agency’s Strategy for 2010-15 states our aim to ensure that food produced and sold in the UK is safe to eat and that consumers understand about safe food. Preparing and serving food safely is important if we are to protect ourselves and our families from food poisoning.

As you will be aware, Food Safety Week provides us all with an annual focus where you can help to promote and communicate food hygiene messages through initiatives carried out at a local level.

Although many people may not recognise the name, campylobacter is the most common cause of foodborne disease. A survey we carried out in October 2009 showed that the bug was present in over 65% of chicken samples tested.

Our key message is that by following these good food hygiene practices in the home, people can reduce their risk of becoming ill. We’d appreciate your help to spread this message.

To help you in this, we have developed a new Campaign Toolkit. Feedback from last year’s Food Safety Week strongly indicated a demand for practical guidance on running activities. In response to this we have developed a new guidance toolkit which will contain lots of information to help our FSW partners to run successful events.

It includes useful facts and figures, ideas and guidance on running events, a list of resources, suggestions for events in your local area, and tips for success. A template press release and links to a PowerPoint presentation are also included.

We have also developed some other new resources including recipe cards incorporating food hygiene messages and a food hygiene quiz, which can either be handed out or used as part of a presentation. Alongside all this we have also produced a picture disk containing images for you to use in presentations, displays and other activities.

We hope this inspires you to promote the messages of Food Safety Week within your communities – your support is vital to making it a success.

In addition to the new Toolkit and these new resources, our existing Germwatch resources will continue to be available and are already available to order free of charge.

FSA/1544/0410 FSW Recipe Card Chicken Curry (English version)FSA/1545/0410 FSW Recipe Card Chicken Curry (Welsh)FSA/1546/0410 FSW Recipe Card Citrus Chicken (English)FSA/1547/0410 FSW Recipe Card Citrus Chicken (Welsh)FSA/1548/0410 FSW Quiz sheet (English)FSA/1549/0410 FSW Quiz sheet (Welsh)FSA/1550/0410 FSW Picture Disc (CD ROM)FSA/1551/0410 FSW Campaign Toolkit

Further information about available resources (including PDFs) can be found at: food.gov.uk/fsw2010 and on Food Safety Week generally at food.gov.uk/safereating/hyg/germwatch/. Further consumer information on the 4Cs can be found at: eatwell.gov.uk/germwatch We will announce further developments as they arise, but to be kept informed directly of future developments, please make sure that you have registered your details at foodsafetyweek@ecgroup.co.uk including ‘Register’ in the subject line.

For further information please contact: Catherine Clarke (tel: 020 7276 8842,

Foodborne Disease Bob Martin, Food Safety, Hygiene & Microbiology DivisionStrategy 020 7276 8945, robert.martin@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Food Hygiene Catherine Clarke, Communications Division Campaign 020 7276 8845, catherine.clarke@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Julian Blackburn,020 7276 8437, Mobile: 07887 631138,julian.blackburn@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Marcia Nightingale 0115 9714755, Mobile: 07768 776258, marcia.nightingale@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Toni Smith 0117 9001730, Mobile: 07990 795370, toni.smith@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Angela Towers.0161 952 4248, Mobile 07881 717180,angela.towers@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk