The Food Safety Information Council is a group of organisations with a mission to reduce the number of Australians getting sick from food poisoning. Its members include representatives of government, the food industry, community groups and professional associations. A full list of members is below.
The Commonwealth Health Department estimates that every year over five million Australians get sick from eating food contaminated with bacteria or viruses. Based on this estimate, it costs the community over $3.75 billion dollars each year from lost earnings and medical expenses, and the sufferer has a pretty unpleasant experience.
Not only are the symptoms, ranging from diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps to fever, debilitating but in extreme cases, even death can occur. Long-term illnesses, such as Reiter's Syndrome, Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS) and Guillaine-Barrie Syndrome, can also develop.
The Council wants to prevent you and your family becoming ill by providing simple advice that you can follow. It wants to reduce the costs of food poisoning, and to protect people from a nasty experience or, for the weaker members of the community, protect their lives.
