I don’t know about you but when I go to a football match I have to get a cuppa and a pie at halftime.

A study at thirty of the major sports venues in the United States has shown that more than half the food stands and restaurants committed at least one “critical” or “major” health violation.

The study showed that at busy stadiums food is mass produced and corners are cut, which can mean that prepared snacks are not properly cooked or held at safe temperatures, allowing for the growth of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus. In extreme cases, there was also evidence of rodent infestations.

As the football season kicked off this weekend in the UK, I’m sure there were plenty of fans flocking to the pie and pasty stands. This season, if you get the urge for a quick snack at half time, please make sure it’s thoroughly cooked and hot all the way through when served. If you don’t, the sweet taste of your team’s victory could easily be soured with a week of being ill.

(Source: flavorsandmore.com)

Everyone loves a good picnic, especially as the summer approaches. And it seems that the Lansborough Hotel in Knightsbridge is embracing this quintessential British tradition by offering a “picnic butler” to hotel guests.

The butler will prepare the picnic in Hyde Park, with crystal glasses, china, rugs and napkins. The food served up includes Cornish poached lobster, truffled foie gras and Stilton trifle with pear marmalade. And for the right royal sum of £250 per head, picnickers needn’t lift a finger.

I don’t want to sound like a killjoy, but for me having a butler takes a lot of the fun out of having a picnic. There’s nothing like preparing some sandwiches, crisps and cake and heading down to your favourite park or beach to find the perfect spot.

Also, I am not entirely convinced by the food which will be served. While they are all very extravagant, these food types in particular can be a breeding ground for bacteria especially in the hot weather. The only thing I want to worry about is the the inevitable swarm of wasps and ants.

While enjoying a cup of coffee before work this morning, I caught a feature on GMTV about the recent surge in people looking for last minute holidays abroad because of the poor weather we’ve had so far this summer.

The piece included an interview with Sean Tipton from ABTA who offered consumers some good advice on how to get more bang for their buck when holidaying in a recession. He mentioned opting for an all inclusive package as a great way to save some money when you arrive at the resort. While this is true, buffet-style dining, which is commonly offered at all inclusive resorts, can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.

Before booking your bargain holiday, check with your travel agent that the hotel you are travelling to hasn’t experienced any reported health and safety incidents and that it is taking proactive steps to protect their guests wellbeing.

GMTV video

During our entire careers, we, at Check Safety First, have never seen anything so shocking as the images released of Britain’s worst pub kitchen. We know what you’re thinking, how bad can it really be? Well, click here to see what we are talking about.

We always recommend that consumers’ use their common sense when it comes to food hygiene: make sure the food is piping hot before consuming, ask to inspect the kitchens if you are concerned, if in doubt complain. But, these images to beg the question, where were the chef’s common senses when he thought it was acceptable to store and cook foods in these conditions?

Anyone that has had “traditional” food poisoning, sickness, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, will know how deeply distressing in can be. But, the type of bacteria breeding in this kitchen could be potential fatal to anyone that ate there.

The owner of the pub, the Rose and Crown in Thaxted, Essex, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 towards the council’s costs. In our opinion, £2,000 doesn’t even begin to scratch the service with regards to the risks that he was exposing consumers to.

Disgusting – rant over!