Food Safety Week is coming - June 15 to 21

The aim of the UK-wide campaign, which is sponsored by the Food Standards Agency, is to raise awareness of good food hygiene practice.

Businesses and other organisations throughout the country will be encouraged to focus on the best ways to avoid food poisoning and to highlight the importance of food safety and hygiene.

Although clearly relevant to everyone, this year's campaign will focus on helping and advising one of the most vulnerable sectors of the community, the over-60s.

The reason for focusing on this audience is the recent sharp rise in cases of listeria specifically within this age group - cases have doubled since 2001 and it causes more deaths each year than salmonella and e.coli combined.

Considering food safety and the significance of the 'grey pound' to pubs, hotels, restaurants and the like, the hospitality industry should note the importance of providing well-cooked and well-sourced meals, which go a long way to reducing the risk of stomach upsets and food poisoning.

Also, it should never be assumed that everyone can identify exactly what food is being offered by the menu description.

Carefully identifying and explaining the foods that could potentially cause upset with this audience can also eradicate problems - for example, make sure you point out any dishes that are particularly spicy at the time of ordering.

I remember a case where an elderly lady phoned an establishment to complain about its food, saying she had been kept up all night with what she suspected was food poisoning.

Tests revealed that she was in fact the unsuspecting recipient of some good Cajun chicken, which she was not aware was spicy and the menu did not make very clear!