Feeding hunger with danger

To read what the Consumer Commission found in terms of poor food hygiene in South Africa (August 13) does not surprise me.

I am a qualified food hygiene trainer from the UK, and in the last few weeks I have followed through on a number of instances after seeing very poor basic food hygiene standards in food stores. I now wonder where I can possibly shop.

Before those readers who would justify poor standards in South Africa comment "She is a Brit from the nanny state of UK", I would point out that that is the ostrich mentality.

You cannot smell, taste or see food poisoning bacteria, and it is not consumers' responsibility if the food retailer causes food poisoning that the public cannot see for themselves.

Vulnerable groups can die from food poisoning, as you state, never mind the working days lost through sickness.

No food handler with food poisoning symptoms should work with food until certified clear if one values the health of the community - food poisoning travels fast.

I hope the environmental health authorities take action against the shop manager who acted illegally by removing labels because he was "losing money".

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse to avoid prosecution.

If you deal in food you must know and implement the regulations. If you fail to implement them, then you must deal with the consequences.

There is plenty of legislation here but there is poor implementation, and perhaps reliance on customer ignorance.

South Africa has the problem of fast food and Western-style eating tied in with developing world living conditions in the informal settlements and poor areas full of vermin and flies.