0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Sometimes there's just too many offers
0:00:10 > 0:00:12and when you really look at them,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14you're not really saving that much.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19you've told us that you can feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:19 > 0:00:23for what you eat and indeed what you pay for it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26If you buy six, it's cheaper.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28But I don't want to buy six.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29I want to buy one.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35From claims that don't stack up, to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:37 > 0:00:39so that you can be sure that you are getting
0:00:39 > 0:00:41what you expect at the right price.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Your food, your money.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Hello and thanks so much for joining us again here on Rip Off Britain,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57where in this special series, we're taking a much closer look
0:00:57 > 0:00:59into the world of food.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03And today we're concentrating on something that an awful lot of you
0:01:03 > 0:01:07contact us about with concerns, and that is food safety.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Yes, because it's not always easy figuring out at what point a food
0:01:10 > 0:01:13genuinely becomes unsafe to eat,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15apart from if it smells to high heaven
0:01:15 > 0:01:18or is actually starting to walk out of the kitchen by itself!
0:01:18 > 0:01:22But exactly how should we be storing our food to keep it safe?
0:01:22 > 0:01:23These are some of the issues
0:01:23 > 0:01:25we'll be tackling throughout the programme.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Along the way, of course, we'll have plenty of advice,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32and indeed some money-saving tips as we unpack, wipe down
0:01:32 > 0:01:34and tidy up the loose ends of food safety.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38But I must warn you, there are a few shocks along the way too.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41When we did some tests, what we found, I'm afraid,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43was not all good news.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Coming up - confusion over whether supermarkets should charge
0:01:48 > 0:01:50for the bags they put raw meat in.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53What's the risk from the big names getting this wrong?
0:01:54 > 0:01:57We're worried that there would be some cross-contamination
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and something bad could happen from this.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03And with the wording on the labels giving some of you the chills,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07we settle the debate on whether it is safe to refreeze your fish.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10On the back of the pack,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14there was the snowflake, which said suitable for freezing.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16On the front it said it had already been frozen.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19So I had a basic conflict.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20What do I do now?
0:02:24 > 0:02:26The plastic bag charge.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28If you remember, that was so shocking to some people
0:02:28 > 0:02:32when it first came in, but now it's well and truly here to stay.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36But that doesn't mean that confusion about which bags you should
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and should not be charged for has gone away.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Now, take, for example, plastic bags when you buy raw meat or fish.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Should you have to pay for those or not?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Well, one Rip Off Britain viewer contacted us to say
0:02:48 > 0:02:51that he thinks most definitely not.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53So is he correct?
0:02:53 > 0:02:56And if he is, does that mean that the supermarkets are always
0:02:56 > 0:02:59getting it right? As we started looking into this,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02it soon became very clear that it's not simply an issue
0:03:02 > 0:03:05about paying out a few extra pennies.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09There's also a real concern about the risk of food poisoning.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Before we started having to pay for carrier bags,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17UK shoppers used more than 8 billion of them every year.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20That's nearly 130 bags for every one of us
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and most of them ended up in landfill.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25So in terms of reducing numbers,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29the 5p charge has been a resounding success.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34Since its introduction in Wales in 2011, Northern Ireland in 2013,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Scotland the following year, and finally England in 2015,
0:03:38 > 0:03:43there's been a drop of between 66 and 85% in the number of bags being
0:03:43 > 0:03:46used, depending on where you are in the UK.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51But there are still some bags that you might expect to be given free.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Graham Sewell from Lincoln was left rather confused
0:03:55 > 0:03:58after a trip to his local Waitrose in May of 2016.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03I was buying my usual weekly shop of fillet steaks,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05salmon fillets,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07and when I got to the till, I asked,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10can I have my free carrier bag for the raw meat and raw fish?
0:04:10 > 0:04:12They said, "No, we have to charge you for that."
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Surprised that Waitrose would refuse him a free bag to keep his raw meat
0:04:19 > 0:04:20separate from the rest of his shopping,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Graham asked to see the supervisor.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26She reiterated what the assistant had told me
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and suggested I wrote to Waitrose customer services, which I did,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and I got a reply back, effectively saying that their staff
0:04:33 > 0:04:35had been told to charge for all carrier bags
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and that there are no exceptions, because it's easier for the staff
0:04:38 > 0:04:40to have a simple rule to follow,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42rather than following the spirit of the law.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Well, Graham wasn't happy with that,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49although in fact the law around bagging raw meats
0:04:49 > 0:04:51isn't entirely clear.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Government guidelines state that supermarkets can supply
0:04:55 > 0:05:00free carrier bags for uncooked foods that could potentially be harmful.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Equally, however, they are able to charge for them if they want to.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07But for Graham, this isn't about the pennies involved.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09He is worried that if you put other foods
0:05:09 > 0:05:12in a bag with the uncooked ones,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15or re-use a bag that has previously had raw food in it,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17there could be a real danger.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21The biggest risk for me, and I think for all of the public,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25is that wherever you buy raw meat and raw fish, bacteria will escape.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29If you then put other food into those carrier bags,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34then you will be eating those bacteria, and you will be ill.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Well, when we asked some other shoppers whether they felt,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42like Graham, that they should be given a free carrier for raw meat,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44the results were a bit of a mixed bag.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It's important to keep meat separate from the other produce
0:05:47 > 0:05:49because of the bacteria it contains.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52I think if your meat is packaged,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53already packaged,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56I don't really think you need to have a separate bag.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00If somebody is buying more than just raw meat,
0:06:00 > 0:06:05they should be given a bag in which to put the raw meat
0:06:05 > 0:06:09to help him to separate from other foodstuffs.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Now, reassuringly, since the introduction of the 5p bag charge,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17there has been no reported rise in food poisoning incidents.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20But that doesn't mean that cross-contamination through bags
0:06:20 > 0:06:22isn't possible.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26And it's an issue that some have been cautious about for many years.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31I just feel a 5p bag charge shouldn't come before food safety
0:06:31 > 0:06:33and the safety of my customers.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37As a butcher, Beaton Lindsay says packing raw and cooked meats
0:06:37 > 0:06:40in the same carrier bag is asking for trouble.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43This is a high density bag.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46These bags, as everyone knows, if you have got some stew in there,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48if I left that in the fridge overnight,
0:06:48 > 0:06:49it would be a wee puddle of blood.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52That's because the bags are porous,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55which means if there is a cooked product in that one and an uncooked
0:06:55 > 0:06:58product in that one and they touch, there is contamination.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59That's what we have been told
0:06:59 > 0:07:03by the environmental health officers for years.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05But the bag charge came along and people had the stigma
0:07:05 > 0:07:07that you can't take a bag.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10They were bringing their own bags in which have never been washed,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13all going in the same bag, all touching.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We were worried that there would be some cross-contamination
0:07:15 > 0:07:17and something bad could happen from this.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22And of course, food poisoning from meat can be deadly serious.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27In 1996, the 0157 strain of E. coli killed 21 people
0:07:27 > 0:07:32after they ate meat at a church lunch from a butcher
0:07:32 > 0:07:34in Wishaw, Lanarkshire.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The butcher had failed to separate raw and cooked meats,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41leading to the worst single outbreak ever recorded.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43So it's easy to see why Anthony Hilton,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47professor of applied microbiology at Aston University,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51was so keen to investigate more closely the potential dangers
0:07:51 > 0:07:53of E. coli lurking in our shopping bags.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57The issue is when you have a ready-to-eat food like a cream cake,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01for example, which has touched a bag where raw meat has been.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04it's the potential for those harmful bacteria to transfer across.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06The professor's team carried out a study
0:08:06 > 0:08:09which involved exposing carrier bags to E. coli
0:08:09 > 0:08:12to see what happened to them over several days.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17We decided to look at whether there could be a potential risk of reusing
0:08:17 > 0:08:20a bag for multiple purposes that might result in it becoming
0:08:20 > 0:08:23contaminated with bacteria that could then be transferred
0:08:23 > 0:08:25from one item to another.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29As it's those same concerns that inspired Graham to write to us.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32We took him to meet Professor Hilton to see if the results
0:08:32 > 0:08:34of the experiment can put his mind at rest.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Hello, Graham. Welcome to the lab.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- Hello, Anthony.- I believe you've got some questions about the potential
0:08:39 > 0:08:42risk of cross contamination when reusing plastic bags.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Yes. My main concern is with raw meat and raw fish,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47where if the packaging leaks,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50what happens inside the bag and what the risks are.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52We've done some experiments looking at plastic bags.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56We've deliberately inoculated small coupons of this plastic
0:08:56 > 0:08:59with bacteria that you might find on raw meat.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02We used E. coli, which is a common model
0:09:02 > 0:09:04for salmonella and Campylobacter.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Then what we did is we tried to recover it
0:09:06 > 0:09:10from the plastic bag every day, and in the case of E. coli,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13it only survived probably about 12 to 24 hours.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16So in that context,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19the actual risk for that 24 hours is quite high, really,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23but after that, it doesn't sustain for very long at all really.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25What about if the bags are stored, say, in the boot of a car
0:09:25 > 0:09:28in the winter, when it is near refrigerator temperature?
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Would bacteria survive longer then?
0:09:30 > 0:09:33They would. We did these experiments at room temperature.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37At the time, that would have been about 21, 22 degrees.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40What we know about bacteria is that they survive longer
0:09:40 > 0:09:41at cooler temperatures.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45So in the cool boot of a car, 8 degrees or something like that,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48they'd probably last longer than they would at 21 degrees, yes.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49So would present a higher risk?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52It would present a higher risk in terms of the duration
0:09:52 > 0:09:56that the bag was potentially going to cause cross-contamination, yeah.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58So with the bacteria that do stay alive in the carrier bag,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01what is the risk of transfer to the next set of shopping?
0:10:01 > 0:10:04The actual transfer efficiency is very, very low.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Probably somewhere between 10% and 20% of what are there
0:10:07 > 0:10:09will be transferred across, really.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12You really need to have in the thousands
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and up to tens of thousands of bacteria surviving in the bag
0:10:15 > 0:10:19for you to get a recognisable amount coming over onto your hands
0:10:19 > 0:10:23or onto other foods, sufficient to then to cause illness afterwards.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29In other words, while the risk of cross-contamination is relatively low,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34if you're in that 24-hour danger zone, it's not out of the question.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36So bolstered by that knowledge,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40we've asked Graham to visit three of the UK's leading supermarkets
0:10:40 > 0:10:42to see which would offer him a free bag
0:10:42 > 0:10:44if he bought some uncooked products.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Remember, they're not legally obliged to give you a bag for free,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but the government guidelines are clear
0:10:51 > 0:10:55that nor do they have to charge if you're buying raw meat or fish.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57First stop, Tesco,
0:10:57 > 0:11:02which has posted on social media that if you buy loose fruit or veg,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06in-store bakery items, or raw meat or fish from counters,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09you're able to have a free, clear bag.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11But that's not what Graham was offered.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12That was Tesco's.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I bought two meat products and went to the till.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I was asked if I needed a bag, to which I said, "Yes, I did."
0:11:18 > 0:11:21I was then offered either the 5p disposable bag
0:11:21 > 0:11:23or a 10p bag for life.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24No option of a free bag.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Asda is next up for Graham,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30and although we couldn't find any officially published policy on this,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33they did offer a refund via social media
0:11:33 > 0:11:38to a customer unhappy about being charged to bag raw meat products.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Here we are. It's now been two supermarkets
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and both have had the same result,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45where I've been charged 5p for a disposable bag.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50So far, not so good, but last on Graham's hit list is Morrisons.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54Again, social media posts suggest it does give bags away for free,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58provided they are being used solely for raw products.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Add any other produce to the bag and you will be charged,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and this store did stick to that policy.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Well, that was Morrisons,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and they say it's the exception that proves the rule.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12The girl on the till scanned the carrier bag in.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but the till automatically deducted the 5p,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19so they do provide free carrier bags for meat and fish.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Fantastic news.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24So of the three supermarket branches he visited,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28only Morrisons was prepared to give Graham a free bag
0:12:28 > 0:12:30for his raw meat products.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Asda and Tesco both insisted he pay the 5p charge,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36going against what they have previously said on the matter.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41When we contacted the two stores,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45neither Asda nor Tesco chose to comment on Graham's experience,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49though Asda did tell us that its policy is to offer
0:12:49 > 0:12:53free small bags or carrier bags for raw meat, fish and poultry.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55We also contacted Waitrose,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58the store that had prompted Graham's initial complaint.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01It said that food safety is its top priority
0:13:01 > 0:13:05and it's ensuring that bags for raw meat and fish
0:13:05 > 0:13:08are more widely available in its branches.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11It says they should now be available on all its checkouts.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17But if the supermarket's policy on this can be a bit hit and miss,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Professor Hilton says there is a piece of kit
0:13:20 > 0:13:22you can rely on to carry uncooked foods
0:13:22 > 0:13:26without worrying that there might be a contamination risk,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29and that's an antimicrobial bag.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34They have been demonstrated to reduce any contamination that might
0:13:34 > 0:13:37contaminate the bag. It could be that the bags are a good investment
0:13:37 > 0:13:40because they tend to be reusable bags of a good quality,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43and as a result of that, it means you can have
0:13:43 > 0:13:45a little bit of confidence in between multiple uses
0:13:45 > 0:13:48that you're not accumulating bacteria in there.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52We first highlighted one such bag produced by a company
0:13:52 > 0:13:55called Biomaster on this programme a couple of years ago.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58What we're looking to do is lower the risk.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00So if there is bacteria there,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04our product will permanently get rid of the bacteria on the surface.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08The bag has a small layer of silver designed to prevent any bacteria
0:14:08 > 0:14:11from growing on it, and its inventor Paul Morris has no doubt
0:14:11 > 0:14:14that we should be just as cautious handling raw meat
0:14:14 > 0:14:18while we're doing the shopping as we are in the kitchen.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22You wouldn't let your children play with a raw chicken breast,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25but if it's in a trolley, people just assume it's safe.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27You either disinfectant the bag after every use,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30which people don't tend to do, people like to be lazy,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33or why not have an antibacterial bag for life,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35which costs a few pence more than a normal bag
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and actually gives you that protection then that you're not
0:14:38 > 0:14:41going to spread bacteria from one shopping trip to another?
0:14:41 > 0:14:46M&S is the first supermarket to sell these antimicrobial bags
0:14:46 > 0:14:50at their checkouts, and they cost around £1.10.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53But other stores are doing their bit to try and help
0:14:53 > 0:14:55customers prevent cross-contamination.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Tesco, for example, is putting labels in its bags for life
0:14:59 > 0:15:02so that shoppers can be sure to only re-use them
0:15:02 > 0:15:04for specific produce,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08rather than going from raw meat one day to vegetables the next.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12But Graham still maintains that the best solution for the problem
0:15:12 > 0:15:15would be for all supermarkets to consistently supply bags
0:15:15 > 0:15:19for raw meats or other risky foods free.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22And it's clear that he won't ever be happy paying a charge,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26however small, for something that he considers to be so essential.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29I understand that the money doesn't go to the supermarkets
0:15:29 > 0:15:33because it goes to the charities, but for the sake of...what?
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Less than a fraction of a penny per carrier bag,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40they would do a great service to their customers
0:15:40 > 0:15:42in terms of health and safety by offering it.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Still to come on Rip Off Britain:
0:15:48 > 0:15:51How clean are the highchairs in restaurants?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54We reach for the swabs with some hygiene tests we sent straight
0:15:54 > 0:15:57to a lab, and just wait till you hear the results.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02I found really high numbers of faecal bacteria
0:16:02 > 0:16:03in the areas we sampled.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07These bacteria are the most likely to make you sick.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Now, a number of you have contacted us about a food safety issue
0:16:15 > 0:16:17that's very close to home.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18As we've reported before,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21although freezing food is a very effective and efficient way
0:16:21 > 0:16:24of preserving what we eat, there's often a deal of confusion
0:16:24 > 0:16:26about what's safe to put in the freezer
0:16:26 > 0:16:29and what could potentially be dangerous.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32And some of you say that the labelling on certain products
0:16:32 > 0:16:36gives a very muddled message on what you should and shouldn't be doing.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39So, to freeze or not to freeze?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Once again, that is the question.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47In the last series of Rip Off Britain: Food,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51we explored how home freezing can affect meat after some of you
0:16:51 > 0:16:54raised concerns about how long it's safe to keep.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58In the back of my freezer, I found these sausages
0:16:58 > 0:17:02which are about six months old and I don't think we will eat them now.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05They'll either go in the bin or they go in the dog.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Well, we had some bad news for Wilma's dog,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09but good news for Wilma herself.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Our experts revealed that meat is perfectly safe to keep
0:17:12 > 0:17:14in the freezer for a long time
0:17:14 > 0:17:17and certainly much longer than the three months
0:17:17 > 0:17:19often advised on the labels.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23The taste and texture might be affected the longer it stays there,
0:17:23 > 0:17:24but it certainly shouldn't be dangerous.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28But it seems the packaging guidelines
0:17:28 > 0:17:31on how or even whether to freeze some other everyday foods
0:17:31 > 0:17:34are still leaving some of you cold.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Sometimes the information on freezing products is confusing,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42and in a lot of cases,
0:17:42 > 0:17:47products don't have information on them about freezing.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50I do find freezing instructions...
0:17:50 > 0:17:52a bit confusing.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55I don't think it's safe to put food in the freezer
0:17:55 > 0:17:58that's already been defrosted,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02because it might have become contaminated.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Well, there's plenty of apparently conflicting information
0:18:08 > 0:18:11knocking about on what can and can't be kept
0:18:11 > 0:18:13in these sub-zero storage chambers.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17In fact, when the Food Standards Agency conducted a survey last year,
0:18:17 > 0:18:2236% of those asked believed food could become unsafe to eat
0:18:22 > 0:18:25if left in the freezer, and 43% thought products
0:18:25 > 0:18:28could only be frozen on the day they were bought.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33But for retired engineer John Storey,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36it's the question of whether you can refreeze particular foods
0:18:36 > 0:18:39that's left him well and truly baffled.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44We've always had a rule that we've worked to and we've passed down
0:18:44 > 0:18:47from our parents and grandparents,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51that you should only freeze food that has never been frozen before.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58So being keen to make sure no food goes to waste,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00John always checks the packaging
0:19:00 > 0:19:04to make sure which foods are recommended to go in his freezer.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10The labels we specifically check for is the little snowflake on the back
0:19:10 > 0:19:12of the pack. We read the instructions carefully
0:19:12 > 0:19:15to make sure that what we are getting
0:19:15 > 0:19:17is food that is suitable for freezing.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Well, in May 2016,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22John bought some smoked haddock fillets from his local Co-op,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24with the full intention of freezing them.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29When he got home and looked at the label in more detail,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31he was left all at sea about what to do.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38What it said was that the fish had previously been defrosted,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41and that straightaway was a question,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44because on the back of the pack there was the snowflake
0:19:44 > 0:19:47which said suitable for freezing.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50On the front, it said it had already been frozen.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52So I had a basic conflict.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53What do I do now?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Based on John's understanding that refreezing food
0:20:00 > 0:20:02would make it unsafe to eat,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04he and his wife decided they'd better not risk it.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08So to avoid wasting what they'd bought, they ate it that night.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12But when the issue continued to play on his mind,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16John decided to contact the supermarket, which, after checking,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20assured him that the previously defrosted fish was safe to refreeze.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24That still left me confused.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26The ground rules have now shifted.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31So I'm now no longer able to make a general judgment
0:20:31 > 0:20:35of what is safe and what is not safe.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38John has since found similar wording saying his fish had been
0:20:38 > 0:20:42previously frozen on a package of smoked haddock he bought in Tesco,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45only on this occasion it was in very small print
0:20:45 > 0:20:47on the back of the packaging.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52Having since found other products where the labelling on the back
0:20:52 > 0:20:55is in small print telling me all of this
0:20:55 > 0:20:58is even more disturbing than it was by finding it
0:20:58 > 0:21:01on the major label on the front.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07John remains baffled as to whether those words on the label
0:21:07 > 0:21:09mean he shouldn't refreeze his fish.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12But why is working out this kind of thing so difficult
0:21:12 > 0:21:17for a nation that's had freezers in our kitchens for the last 40 years?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Well, food writer and historian Angela Clutton
0:21:19 > 0:21:23says since ads like these appeared on screen back in the 1950s...
0:21:23 > 0:21:27No defrosting in the freezer and no defrosting in the refrigerator.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30..the freezing process has come a long way.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32We have food, meat and fish particularly,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34being imported from elsewhere.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38It may be defrosted on its way to our shops, having been frozen
0:21:38 > 0:21:40at source to keep it in as good a state as possible
0:21:40 > 0:21:44for as long a time as possible. What can be confusing for the consumer,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48particularly somebody who maybe grew up in the 1970s,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51much more familiar with the kind of freezing processes then,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54is how to use that meat and fish which has already been frozen,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56already been defrosted.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59So, for the first time, those people are having to really look
0:21:59 > 0:22:02at the packaging to get some guidance about how they should
0:22:02 > 0:22:04really be using their freezer.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Refreezing food across the board
0:22:06 > 0:22:09is not something the Food Standards Agency recommends.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11That's because, just as John had feared,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15in some cases it can lead to a higher risk of food poisoning
0:22:15 > 0:22:18due to the fact that when frozen food is thawed,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20bacteria can multiply rapidly.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Freezing it again doesn't kill those germs.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28They just become inactive until the food is defrosted,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32when they can multiply once more to potentially harmful levels.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36But is that the case with refreezing fish?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Despite Tesco's reassurances,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42John still feels unclear on the right thing to do.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45So to help him and the rest of us know what really is the best way
0:22:45 > 0:22:48to store our fish, we're going to get to the bottom
0:22:48 > 0:22:51of that seemingly conflicting advice.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The story starts thousands of miles away from the UK mainland,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00far out to sea.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02More than half of the UK's seafood,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05just over 700,000 tonnes,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09is imported from abroad or landed in the UK by foreign ships.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14To keep the fish that's caught so far from our shores
0:23:14 > 0:23:16in tiptop condition,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19many vessels freeze their catch at sea.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23It's stored in large holds on board at temperatures of minus 30 degrees,
0:23:23 > 0:23:28a coldness so extreme that it stops bacterial spoilage in its tracks.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35Alaska supplies 32,000 tonnes of the UK's fish.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39And Rebecca Wilson from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
0:23:39 > 0:23:41says that fast freezing at sea
0:23:41 > 0:23:44is the industry's way of keeping food at its best.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Because it's put on ice before any bacteria can develop,
0:23:49 > 0:23:50when the fish thaws,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53it's essentially like a regular chilled product.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56It's normally actually frozen between within four and six hours
0:23:56 > 0:24:00of it being caught, and the actual freezing process itself
0:24:00 > 0:24:02takes between an hour and three hours.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05That is actually the fastest way that you could possibly
0:24:05 > 0:24:06catch and freeze a fish.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08What that does is it protects the fish
0:24:08 > 0:24:13and it keeps it fresh throughout the time that it travels over to the UK.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18And if you think that's efficient,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22some vessels do much more than simply freezing the fish whole.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The big daddies of the fishing world, known as the factory ships,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29have complete processing facilities on board, too,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31so that after catching the fish, they fillet it before freezing it.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38On fishing vessels, they all have temperature probes,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41and they will maintain and check those temperatures
0:24:41 > 0:24:42on a very regular basis.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45When fish that's been frozen at sea is landed,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49it's taken into cold storage or thawed, processed and packed
0:24:49 > 0:24:52in temperature-controlled conditions.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54It's then ready to be sent out to wholesale suppliers,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57supermarkets and restaurants.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02The industry uses the term refreshed to describe fish frozen at sea,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04then thawed and sold chilled.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Fish that has been refreshed then appears on our supermarket shelves
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and you'll see that as chilled fish,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14but it might previously have been frozen
0:25:14 > 0:25:17at very cold industrial temperatures.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Here at Billingsgate Market in East London,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22much of the fish is refreshed or brought in frozen
0:25:22 > 0:25:24from a range of suppliers.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30CJ Jackson from the market's seafood school teaches people
0:25:30 > 0:25:34how to prepare and cook a variety of fish, day in, day out.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38And while she has no doubt that refreshed fish is perfectly safe
0:25:38 > 0:25:41to refreeze, she'd be more inclined to buy it frozen
0:25:41 > 0:25:45and chuck it straight into the freezer, because in her opinion,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49taking any fish from chilled to frozen in a domestic freezer
0:25:49 > 0:25:52will affect the taste and texture.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55If I was to buy a piece of fish that had been previously frozen
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and you could refreeze, I would be hesitant about putting it back
0:25:58 > 0:26:02into the freezer, because frozen at minus 18,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06which is what a domestic freezer is set at, is a slow process.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09People put it in the freezer, forget about it,
0:26:09 > 0:26:10and then think six months later,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12"Oh, I've got that nice bit of fish."
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Chances are, after six months, the flavour is gone,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17the texture is not so good.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20So I'd buy it frozen and store it frozen
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and then defrost it myself at home.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26200 miles away in Cheshire,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30cookery school owner Brian Mellor agrees that the only issue with
0:26:30 > 0:26:35refreezing fish is how it might end up altering the texture.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36But if you're looking to save money,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39he says that compromise can be a small price to pay.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45I think when you look at the price of things like fish and meat,
0:26:45 > 0:26:46and you're paying good money for it,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49if you've got some left over or you're not eating it,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52then you want to freeze it, because you want to save yourself some money.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55OK, the quality might change just a little bit,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57but I think it's perfectly fine to do.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02But while it may be fine to refreeze fish,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05are the supermarkets making this clear enough on the packaging?
0:27:05 > 0:27:07John certainly didn't think so,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10so we got in touch with Tesco and the Co-op,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14the supermarkets where he bought the fish that left him confused,
0:27:14 > 0:27:15to ask about their labelling.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Both stores were clear that their fish is frozen and defrosted in line
0:27:20 > 0:27:24with industry standards and kept in controlled conditions,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28and as a result it poses no health risk to customers.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Additionally, the Co-op explained that it's legally obliged
0:27:32 > 0:27:36to declare if the fish has been previously frozen
0:27:36 > 0:27:38by stating "defrosted" on the pack.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42The supermarket said that it also advises on the packet
0:27:42 > 0:27:43if a product can be refrozen,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47to let customers know that it is absolutely safe to freeze.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51And Tesco also stressed that following the on-pack guidelines
0:27:51 > 0:27:54ensures the safety and quality of the food.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59So if, like John, you've ever wondered
0:27:59 > 0:28:02about the right thing to do when considering freezing fish
0:28:02 > 0:28:06that the label says has previously been frozen,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08it's good to know that while freezing at home
0:28:08 > 0:28:09might affect the texture,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12it really shouldn't do you any harm.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14And as far as Brian Mellor's concerned,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18that makes it a great way to prevent waste and save money.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Don't be afraid to use your freezers.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23They've always been a fantastic method of preservation.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26We've already seen the price of food is starting to rise,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29so I think freezing is a great way of not wasting food
0:28:29 > 0:28:32and managing a household budget.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Now, over the years, we've several times reported on the cleanliness
0:28:38 > 0:28:39of places where we eat,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42sometimes doing our own tests as well.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44This series, we've done it again
0:28:44 > 0:28:47after hearing concerns from parents and grandparents
0:28:47 > 0:28:50about the state of some of the highchairs in establishments
0:28:50 > 0:28:54that otherwise have the highest marks for hygiene standards.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Well, we took several samples, hoping that they would come back
0:28:56 > 0:28:59squeaky-clean, but sadly, not all of them did.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03And what we found may well mean that you'll take a closer look
0:29:03 > 0:29:06at any highchair that you might be offered.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Shall we make a cup of tea?
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Kate Paul from Southampton loves taking her two-year-old son Harrison
0:29:13 > 0:29:15out for a bite to eat.
0:29:15 > 0:29:16Like most mums, she's keen to ensure
0:29:16 > 0:29:21that everything is clean and hygienic for her little one.
0:29:21 > 0:29:22Do I get the jug?
0:29:22 > 0:29:26But she doesn't always consider the highchairs come up to scratch.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30I think most parents nowadays carry around a pack of wipes
0:29:30 > 0:29:34and we would use the wipes that we use on our baby's skin
0:29:34 > 0:29:37just to wipe down the highchair.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40But on a recent trip to a cafe that is part of a chain,
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Kate says she was given a highchair that needed far more than a quick
0:29:44 > 0:29:46freshen up with her trusty wipes.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48In fact, she was pretty horrified by the state it was in.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53The straps were absolutely caked in old food
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and you could see that they hadn't been washed for months.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58I mean, you see some filthy highchair,
0:29:58 > 0:30:02you just think it is just awful that you've got to put your child in here
0:30:02 > 0:30:07because as a parent, you are conditioned to protect your child
0:30:07 > 0:30:09as best you can.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12And here you are, putting your child
0:30:12 > 0:30:15in something that looks really filthy.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18After making a complaint about the cleanliness of the highchair
0:30:18 > 0:30:21to the staff, and contacting the company's head office,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Kate accepted a £10 goodwill voucher,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26but she was surprised to discover later that the branch
0:30:26 > 0:30:29had been awarded a hygiene rating of 4, or good,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31from the local authority,
0:30:31 > 0:30:36whose job it is to ensure that food outlets meet the regulations
0:30:36 > 0:30:39set out by the Food Standards Agency, or FSA for short.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42As we reported before,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45the FSA's rating scheme checks if places serving food
0:30:45 > 0:30:50meet the necessary standards both in the kitchen and front of house.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54But Kate reckons however clean a top scoring establishment
0:30:54 > 0:30:57might be overall, its highchairs should be looked at
0:30:57 > 0:30:59a little more closely as well,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02and she's got serious concerns about what germs might be present.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Now, like Kate, I also like to eat out, and fortunately,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10so too do my children and grandchildren.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13And although within our family, we don't actually need highchairs
0:31:13 > 0:31:16at the moment, but the very thought that they could not be
0:31:16 > 0:31:18cleaned properly and full of bacteria
0:31:18 > 0:31:20fills me with absolute terror.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Particularly when you think that young children
0:31:23 > 0:31:25can pick up infections so easily.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29So I've come to a playgroup where parents and grandparents
0:31:29 > 0:31:32meet up at the start of every week, and I'm keen to know
0:31:32 > 0:31:35what the people here think of the cleanliness of the highchairs
0:31:35 > 0:31:37they are given when they are out and about,
0:31:37 > 0:31:41and if, like Kate, they think there's room for improvement.
0:31:41 > 0:31:42He comes out, look.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Whoa! It's very good.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48So, Jen, we're obviously talking about highchairs.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51So, I'm sure you've used them a lot over the years.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53So, have you found them always to be quite clean, or...?
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Yeah, a lot of bacteria.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Do you bring the wipes with you everywhere you go?
0:31:58 > 0:32:00I've always got wipes in my handbag.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Have you ever seen a highchair or...
0:32:02 > 0:32:04- That's dirty?- Yes.- Yes.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06- How dirty?- Very dirty.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08To the point where you think...
0:32:08 > 0:32:12With food down the sides of it, everywhere.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Do you go out eating with your children?
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Not very often, as it's quite hard work, but, yeah, we do,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21we go for lunches, really, with grandparents.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24And so, therefore, would you have cleaned the highchair yourself?
0:32:24 > 0:32:27I would clean it even if I thought it was clean,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29just because I want it to be clean for Henry.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Well, it's clear that the members of the group I spoke to have one thing
0:32:33 > 0:32:37in common, they all say they've had to clean the highchairs
0:32:37 > 0:32:39in restaurants and cafes themselves
0:32:39 > 0:32:41before allowing their child to use them,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45which as well as being rather annoying does raise questions
0:32:45 > 0:32:47over whether they are right to be concerned
0:32:47 > 0:32:50about what a mucky highchair might be harbouring.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54And certainly, Dr Chloe James, a medical microbiologist,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57believes that while poor hygiene standards in food outlets
0:32:57 > 0:33:00put everyone at some risk, there are reasons
0:33:00 > 0:33:04why it's a particular issue for young children.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06It's important that highchairs are kept clean,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09because children naturally touch surfaces
0:33:09 > 0:33:12and put their hands in their mouths a lot.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Young infants also have a less well-developed immune system
0:33:15 > 0:33:19and so they are more susceptible to bacteria that cause disease,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23and they are more likely to get a lot more sick than adults.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26But Dr James also says it's important to remember
0:33:26 > 0:33:29that no restaurant is going to be able to keep
0:33:29 > 0:33:31everywhere completely germ-free.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Even if the restaurant has got a good cleaning regime in place,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36you would still expect to find some bacteria.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39There's no such thing as a completely sterile environment.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Lots of dishcloths are used that can carry bacteria on them
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and then bacteria is also going to be transferred from staff
0:33:47 > 0:33:50and customers' skin onto any surface.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Well, to try and tackle problems like that,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56a company in America has spent the last 20 years
0:33:56 > 0:34:00developing materials that inhibit the growth of bacteria,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and now they've applied that technology to highchairs,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07and that's because after doing tests into highchair cleanliness
0:34:07 > 0:34:10they turned up some pretty filthy results.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14Special scientist Ivan Ong was involved in the study.
0:34:14 > 0:34:20We were pretty surprised by the high level of contamination.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22We went to four locations
0:34:22 > 0:34:27and we looked at six highchairs where we sampled the seat area,
0:34:27 > 0:34:31the strap, the T-bar, where the legs go in,
0:34:31 > 0:34:32and the armrests.
0:34:32 > 0:34:37So in all chairs we found pretty high levels of bacteria.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Were you shocked at some of the results?
0:34:39 > 0:34:44Yeah, we were shocked at the amounts of bacteria we found.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Some of the chairs were extremely dirty, with E. Coli
0:34:48 > 0:34:52and coliform bacterias that actually smell when we plated these things..
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Not good.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55Yeah, you have to be careful.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00I judge a restaurant by a toilet and if I see that the toilet is dirty,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I'll be honest with you, I don't go back, because I think, well,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05if the toilet is that dirty and uncared for,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07- what's the kitchen like?- Right.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10And to give you a shocking perspective,
0:35:10 > 0:35:14what we found is the average toilet seat in a restaurant
0:35:14 > 0:35:20is much, much, much cleaner than a highchair seat for a young child.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22So, 17-40 times cleaner.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24That is unbelievable.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26Certainly a shock.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Well, as yet, there's been no comparable research done in the UK,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33so to get a snapshot of the cleanliness of highchairs over here,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36we've collected some samples of our own.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40We selected five branches of family-friendly high-street chains.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44They all have highchairs and each of them proudly displays
0:35:44 > 0:35:47a 5-star FSA hygiene rating.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Our team of researchers went out with swabs
0:35:49 > 0:35:52and they, for example, took a swab of this strap
0:35:52 > 0:35:54and of armrests and things like that.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57And immediately, those swabs were sent to a laboratory.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02We also planned to swab the highchair trays,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05but, in fact, all the establishments we visited
0:36:05 > 0:36:08had highchairs designed to be pulled up to the table instead.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11So we swabbed the table directly in front,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14as well as the highchairs' arms and straps.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16The swabs were then examined
0:36:16 > 0:36:19by microbiologist Dr Margarita Gomez Escalada
0:36:19 > 0:36:21from Leeds Beckett University.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24She's done similar tests for us before,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26most memorably perhaps in our last series,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30when she found faecal contamination on the ice we'd taken
0:36:30 > 0:36:32from a well-known chain.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Now she's looking to see what kind of bacteria
0:36:34 > 0:36:38and just how much of it is present on the highchair we were given
0:36:38 > 0:36:40in each of our five establishments.
0:36:41 > 0:36:46Because of the fact that these bacteria found in a food environment
0:36:46 > 0:36:48and they can find nutrients to grow,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52they can potentially grow in numbers relatively quickly.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Dr Gomez Escalada is testing for two things.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Firstly, the levels of everyday bacteria,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02which generally speaking isn't likely to do any harm,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06but does indicate how clean an establishment is.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And secondly, the more worrying faecal coliforms,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12otherwise known as gut bacteria.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15First up, the overall bacteria count.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18That gives Margarita a reading as to how good a restaurant is
0:37:18 > 0:37:20at keeping their highchairs clean.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26The numbers obtained of bacteria are high across the board,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29which indicates a low level of hygiene.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32One highchair was cleaner than the others
0:37:32 > 0:37:34and not considered a concern, but overall,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Margarita's verdict on the others
0:37:37 > 0:37:40was that they were not sufficiently clean.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43In particular, she found some of her highest readings on the arms
0:37:43 > 0:37:46and straps of the chairs, rather than the tables in front,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50suggesting that the highchair may have had less cleaning attention
0:37:50 > 0:37:51than the table surface,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55and one swab result on a strap particularly stood out.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01The highest was 386 bacteria per hundred centimetres squared.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06This is almost a 20-fold difference from one to the other.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Which increases the risk of potentially getting sick,
0:38:09 > 0:38:13because it shows that there's a lack of hygiene.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16And in one of the highchair arms, the levels were even worse,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18a 900 bacteria count.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Results like this mean that, as far as Margarita is concerned,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25that the cleaning regimes for highchairs in the restaurants
0:38:25 > 0:38:28we swabbed simply were not up to scratch.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31The numbers of bacterias that we have found in the highchairs
0:38:31 > 0:38:34indicate that there's not a sufficient level of cleanliness.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37I think that they need to be cleaned more often.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42And if that sounds bad for levels of general bacteria, well,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46what our other tests turned up in one restaurant of the five
0:38:46 > 0:38:47was even worse.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51I found really high numbers of faecal bacteria
0:38:51 > 0:38:52in the areas we sampled.
0:38:52 > 0:38:57We found 15 faecal bacteria per 100 centimetres squared
0:38:57 > 0:38:58in the table,
0:38:58 > 0:39:04and 160 bacteria per 100 centimetres squared in the arm of the chair.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Well, that's the bacteria associated with poo to you and me.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11And not only does that sound rather horrible,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14those bugs can be really bad for your health too.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Now, the fact that these are faecal bacteria that come from the gut
0:39:17 > 0:39:19makes it particularly relevant,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23because these bacteria are the most likely to make you sick,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26because they are transmitted by consumption.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30160 bacteria, it's pretty high,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32and in my view,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34it's high enough for it to be concerning.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37It's a very worrying find.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Faecal bacteria living on the arms of a highchair
0:39:41 > 0:39:43within easy reach of a child.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47Our results indicate that some highchairs are not clean enough.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51And that opinion was backed up by Dr James when we showed her
0:39:51 > 0:39:53what we'd found.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Most gut bacteria don't cause disease, and in fact,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58most of them are highly beneficial.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02But we can't rule out the fact that some of the bacteria
0:40:02 > 0:40:05isolated in this study could cause disease.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08In particular, we'd be worried about diarrhoeal disease
0:40:08 > 0:40:13that very young infants could suffer more severe symptoms,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16which would be a worry for parents.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Perhaps one of the greatest concerns is how on earth
0:40:19 > 0:40:24the faecal matter got onto the table and highchair in the first place.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Staff or customers that may not have washed their hands properly
0:40:27 > 0:40:28and then touched those surfaces
0:40:28 > 0:40:31may have transferred gut bacteria that way.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36The other possibility is that dishcloths can be breeding grounds
0:40:36 > 0:40:40for bacterial growth, and so the action of wiping down surfaces
0:40:40 > 0:40:44can sometimes transfer bacteria onto the surface from the dishcloths.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46So I would be a little bit worried about that.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49It's an indication that the hygiene practice in that restaurant
0:40:49 > 0:40:51could probably be improved.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55When we put our results to the restaurant where we found
0:40:55 > 0:40:58the faecal bacteria, it wouldn't comment,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01so there was no explanation for the contamination.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05But the restaurant where the highest levels of bacteria were detected
0:41:05 > 0:41:08told us it was taking our findings very seriously
0:41:08 > 0:41:11and the results have triggered a fundamental review
0:41:11 > 0:41:15to ensure that its highchairs are appropriately sanitised.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19But whilst we may never get to the bottom
0:41:19 > 0:41:21of how those worrying levels of bacteria
0:41:21 > 0:41:23got on the children's highchairs,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27in these cases, what our testing does seem to have highlighted
0:41:27 > 0:41:30is that even if a restaurant has a good hygiene rating,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33the highchairs are not always spotless.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37And Dr Gomez Escalada says that giving them a quick once-over
0:41:37 > 0:41:39with a wet wipe is doing the right thing.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Look at the highchair and scrutinise the highchair.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And if you find any food debris or it's sticky,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48then you can either clean it yourself with a wet wipe
0:41:48 > 0:41:51or actually ask a waiter to clean it for you.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55As for Kate, whose concerns kicked off our investigation,
0:41:55 > 0:41:59she feels very strongly that this is an area where restaurants and cafes
0:41:59 > 0:42:02need to do better and she'd love to find a way to help them do it.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07I just think there's got to be a better way of dealing with it.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10We've got to up the standard somewhere.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13And if I could invent some sort of straps
0:42:13 > 0:42:17that were really easy to clean, or that you could take off
0:42:17 > 0:42:20the highchair really easily for these restaurants and cafes
0:42:20 > 0:42:22to wash them properly, then I would.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Well, that's just about it from us for today, and I have to say,
0:42:29 > 0:42:30what an eye-opener it's been.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34I was really genuinely shocked by some of the test results
0:42:34 > 0:42:38from those highchairs. We only took a really small sample,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42so to have two out of five come back with high rates of bacteria,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44and of course one with the faecal matter,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48was incredibly disappointing and really, really worrying.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Absolutely disgusting, I'd say.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Well, certainly a wake-up call to the entire catering industry
0:42:54 > 0:42:56to be ultra-vigilant about hygiene.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59It really shouldn't be up to the customer,
0:42:59 > 0:43:00like Kate, who we saw earlier,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03to give everything a wipe before they sit down to eat.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06And why should they? It's basic cleanliness, after all.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09But please remember that if you've got concerns about food safety,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11or indeed any other subject for that matter,
0:43:11 > 0:43:12then do get in touch with our team,
0:43:12 > 0:43:15because they are always keen to hear your experiences,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18so that we can perhaps include them in a future programme.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21But in the meantime, I'm afraid that's it for today.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22We'll see you again very soon.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Until then, from all of us, goodbye.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.