Blog

This year’s Olympic Games are expected to attract somewhere in the region of ten million spectators to the forty venues in London and beyond. With so many people visiting the U.K. demand for food will be high.

Although this extra business represents a fantastic opportunity for U.K. businesses that prepare, sell or serve food, such high volumes of customers (and food) could also mean an increased risk of outbreaks of food poisoning.

A serious outbreak of food poisoning could be embarrassing for the U.K. and terribly damaging to the country’s reputation. Effectively managing an outbreak would be difficult, as it would increase the pressure placed on the health services.

Prevention is considered the best approach in this situation, with heightened vigilance regarding food premises in the vicinity of the Olympic venues. The Food Standards Agency has even provided extra funds to provide additional food safety training across the U.K.

As many cases of food poisoning could be prevented by complying with good food hygiene practices, it is essential that those providing food for visitors and tourists this summer are aware of the risks and of the procedures that will reduce those risks.