SYDNEYSIDE WITH JANET PARR Food tips go down well

Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 6

SYDNEYSIDE WITH JANET PARR Food tips go down well

I doubt if the C.5.1.R.0., the Australian Government’s research organisation, has consider itself in the role of popular publisher. Most of what it has had to communicate has a fairly limited appeal—good solid stuff, but hardly “book of the month.” And not, unless picked up by some scientificminded journalist, very much available to the .public anyway.

Now in a move to communicate directly with the public in a kind of S.O.S. (Save Our Stomachs) operation the C.5.1.R.0. has turned out a couple of little publications that might, in the trade, be considered runaway

bestsellers. (Actually they are free). , The titles are hardly titillating — “Handling Food in [the Home” and “Don’t Poison [Your Family.” But the 'demand, include some (requests from overseas, has 'far outstripped the supply, (through community organisajtions and Government bookI shops. I “in fact it’s been a bit of i an embarrassment,” said ai (C.5.1.R.0. spokesman. I There was an initial, very i modest, printing of 5000. [When that was snapped up (there was a second printing} | of 20.000. And when that (went, just as quickly, a third printing of 25,000 was j ordered. Indications are that 'supply is only just going to (keep up with demand for (some time to come a situation that, would make an j ordinary publisher very happy I indeed. HITS HOME At first glance the pamph-i ■ lets- appear modest. But the! [contents have a punch about! (them that hits home to Aus-i raiians, about 70,000 of whom I I are affected by food poison-• ■ ing each year. I “Don’t Poison Your Fam-i lily” says the incidence of]' [food poisoning is increasing.! (From November to March is 'the worst period. And it says: I: “The trouble is that even! ithough food may be quite]

■ dangerous to eat it could > smell, look and taste perfectly delicious.” It says beware the swollen ’ can, the cloudy bottle of I oysters; thaw meat and . poultry thoroughly before , cooking; don’t leave the joint ' sitting around on the kitchen 7 "

(bench or table while the dinI ner party goes merrily on. 'However inhospitable it might jlook, the meat should be away into the refrigerator. “Handling Food in the! Home” has some surprises about safe and unsafe! temperatures for storing ■ food, and advice on food'

storage in general. It warns to beware of the supermarket “special” which may not always be a bargain unless you mean to eat it quickly, because it could be nearing ithe end of its safe storage [life. There is advice to shopIpers on how to check dates >of manufacture and whether '.food they are offered in shops I is “off.” SHOP OFTEN i And, says the C.5.1.R.0., the weekly shopping trip is not really a good thing. Food shopping should be done a little at a time and often. The pamphlets are just part of a part of a Federal

’.drive aimed at keeping Aus-i itralian stomachs healthier.] (Already Federal Government] 1 agencies have had a fourI state investigation of mericury contamination of fish [and found it ten times the recommended level in some cases, and found dangerous levels of salmonella in meat from some butcher’s shops in Sydney and Canberra. The new Consumer Service of the C.5.1.R.0., of which the pamphlets are part, will work closely with another new unit, the Division of Food Nutrition, which was set up in January. The Federal Minister for Science (Mr Morrison) commissioned the Consumer Service to bring the organisation’s expert knowledge of food and its handling and the results of its research right into the home. People can now ring up and get information and answers to problems! ion the spot. There have been requests! !for information before. “But they were mostly! written. Now we are getting many, many more,” said the man from the C.5.1.R.0. Previous policy was to serve the food industry because it served the consumer. i To spread the information (even further there are plans Ito translate the first two [pamphlets into the main ' ethnic languages in use in

s Australia. And in the best' l ; publishing traditioh ' the l : C.5.1.R.0. is already hard at|' > work on the sequels, titles ' . such as “The Art- of Bulk 1 ; Buying,” “Storing Meat,”' 1 “Handling Milk and Milk! Products” and “How to Cash] in on a Glut of Oranges.”