0:00:04 > 0:00:05Take a look around your home.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25With the help of the country's top experts, we're going to see
0:00:25 > 0:00:29what it takes to test the household products we use every day.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We'll put the makers' claims on trial...
0:00:41 > 0:00:45..and show you how to make your money go further.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48You'll find these products in any ordinary house
0:00:48 > 0:00:53but this is no ordinary house and no ordinary street.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is the Watchdog Test House.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Hello.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06We're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Here at the Building Research Establishment,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12some of the products and materials that we use every day
0:01:12 > 0:01:16are put to the test to make sure that they're safe,
0:01:16 > 0:01:20environmentally friendly and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Coming up on today's programme...
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Beware of what you eat from abroad.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I ran to the bathroom
0:01:27 > 0:01:33and I spent probably the next 36 hours either in bed
0:01:33 > 0:01:36or the bathroom, literally thinking I was going to die.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38We're out with the Port Health Authority,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42the front line for the safety of food products coming into the UK.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46When we're talking about the size of containers
0:01:46 > 0:01:49and the potential problems for illness,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51it really is quite enormous.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55HDMI cables - they connect your TV to your DVD player
0:01:55 > 0:01:58but are you paying over the odds?
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It would be a guess between the two, so I'm going to plump for the left.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05And the development of the baby buggy.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Imagine that this carrot is a child's finger.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10As the frame collapses,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14you might pull on the handle to stop that happening.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17It's not been an easy ride
0:02:17 > 0:02:20but are we any closer to ensuring all children are safe?
0:02:25 > 0:02:30Now, from tea bags to takeaways, we come into contact
0:02:30 > 0:02:33with ingredients from other countries every day,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36all of which must comply with our hygiene and safety rules.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41But with billions of pounds worth of imported food coming in every month,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43testing everything is impossible
0:02:43 > 0:02:45and harmful products can get through.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50This was the Street Spice Festival in Newcastle,
0:02:50 > 0:02:55held between 28th February and 2nd March in 2013.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58An estimated 12,000 people from across the region attended
0:02:58 > 0:03:01the event, including young mum Jennifer Jennings.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05It was really busy. People seemed really excited.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07You had to queue quite a bit to buy anything,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10so we walked around a couple of times and then sort
0:03:10 > 0:03:13of the atmosphere, people were just really happy
0:03:13 > 0:03:14and having a good few drinks.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18But what started as a good day out turned into a nightmare.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20We went for the savoury pancake.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24The next day, I turned to my mum and said that I wasn't feeling too well,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26and then I ran to the bathroom
0:03:26 > 0:03:32and I spent probably the next 36 hours either in bed
0:03:32 > 0:03:37or the bathroom, literally thinking I was going to die. It was
0:03:37 > 0:03:41horrific. I've never felt pain like it, apart from when I was in labour.
0:03:41 > 0:03:4429 people at the Spice Festival were later diagnosed with
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Salmonella poisoning,
0:03:46 > 0:03:5025 of whom had a strain never before seen in humans in the UK.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Further analysis suggested that other organisms, including
0:03:54 > 0:03:57E. coli and Shigella, may have also been present.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01I found out from a letter from Environmental Health saying that
0:04:01 > 0:04:07it was Salmonella that they'd found, to do with the curry leaves
0:04:07 > 0:04:10that were within the chutney on the side of the pancakes.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14When, obviously, disclosed that it was faecal germs,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16I wasn't too impressed.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20This was one of the largest outbreaks of gastro-intestinal
0:04:20 > 0:04:24illness associated with herbs or spices in the UK.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27But the bigger concern was whether there was enough understanding
0:04:27 > 0:04:31amongst food handlers in general about the potential
0:04:31 > 0:04:33for infection when using these products raw.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37On this occasion, no action was taken.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41It really bothers me that the leaves, obviously, were imported,
0:04:41 > 0:04:46and that it wasn't checked. With having a four-year-old, she's...
0:04:46 > 0:04:49If she'd been with me, she would have eaten exactly the same
0:04:49 > 0:04:53things and it could have been a lot worse for her.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Imported food - that's any food coming into this country
0:04:55 > 0:04:59from outside the European Union - is governed by the
0:04:59 > 0:05:03European Food Safety Regulations, and it's the local authorities
0:05:03 > 0:05:07and the Port Health authorities that are responsible for policing them.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Regular checks on food at the point of import are in place across
0:05:11 > 0:05:16the UK and food that doesn't comply may be seized, tested and destroyed.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20We're the front line for food safety of products
0:05:20 > 0:05:23coming into the UK and the European Union.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27When we're talking about the size of containers
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and the potential problems for illness,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32it really is quite enormous.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Sandra and her team carry out daily checks on consignments that
0:05:36 > 0:05:39arrive into one of the UK's biggest ports, Southampton.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44In the past, we've stopped anything from noodles containing
0:05:44 > 0:05:49aluminium, cooked prawns containing Salmonella, nuts,
0:05:49 > 0:05:54dried fruit containing aflatoxins and sometimes illegal products from
0:05:54 > 0:05:58countries that are not permitted to export to the European Union.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01There is a whole range of products now today that arrived
0:06:01 > 0:06:05either this morning or yesterday, and they will be inspected
0:06:05 > 0:06:09and sampled before they go into the country.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Inspections take place in clean environments to make
0:06:13 > 0:06:16sure there is no cross-contamination. Suited up,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Sandra starts on the first consignment -
0:06:18 > 0:06:22a product that needs checking before being allowed through the port.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Liam here's got a container from Japan,
0:06:26 > 0:06:33and following Fukushima, there is a need to sample for radiation,
0:06:33 > 0:06:34so we sample...
0:06:34 > 0:06:38I think it's 5% of any Japanese products that come through.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41These samples are packaged and sent off.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47Next up, a shipment of Canadian seafood is being scrutinised.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51We have shrimp and lobster, beautifully packaged,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55beautifully presented. I will do a sample.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58The lobsters are sent to the laboratory as part
0:06:58 > 0:07:02of a regular check for any microbiological contamination.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Sandra has concerns about some apple snails,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08a Vietnamese delicacy being imported to the UK.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13We are going to look for the cooked apple snail
0:07:13 > 0:07:18because we've tested this product previously and we've found
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Escherichia coli, a dangerous microbial pathogen, in there.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Samples collected, the next task is to send them
0:07:26 > 0:07:29back to the lab for analysis.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32We'll bring you the results of those tests later in the programme,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35when we'll also be heading to Kent, where Trading Standards officers
0:07:35 > 0:07:39are carrying out an investigation into potentially dangerous
0:07:39 > 0:07:43food products that have already found their way onto the shelves.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50You've bought a brand-new TV and a flash new DVD player
0:07:50 > 0:07:54to watch your favourite TV shows and films in high-definition.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58But which cable should you buy to connect the two devices
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to ensure you get the best possible picture and sound?
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Well, you can pay £3.99 or £89.99. So which do you choose?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Now, I'm no film buff, Sophie,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12but when I watch a movie on TV, I don't want this.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13I want this -
0:08:13 > 0:08:16pin-sharp pictures and perfect stereo sound.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And if that film's playing through a DVD player, Blu-ray or games
0:08:19 > 0:08:23console, you're going to need one of these in order to get it -
0:08:23 > 0:08:25a High-Definition Multimedia Interface,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28more commonly known as an HDMI cable.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30With so many cables on the market offering
0:08:30 > 0:08:33everything from 24-Carat gold-plated connectors to V-Grip
0:08:33 > 0:08:36technology, how do I know which one's the best to buy?
0:08:36 > 0:08:39What you want is the best possible quality picture
0:08:39 > 0:08:42and really crystal clear-sound.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46The shop is saying you need an expensive cable to link the two
0:08:46 > 0:08:48together to achieve those things.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Do you really need that cable?
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Let's find out.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Yes, we're taking our Test House to the movies. The audience?
0:08:56 > 0:09:0011 avid movie fans each belonging to local film clubs.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03For the purposes of our test, we've connected up one of these
0:09:03 > 0:09:06televisions with one of the most expensive HDMI cables we could find.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10It costs £89.99 and claims to have gold-plated connectors
0:09:10 > 0:09:11and give the purest images.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15On the other television, we've used the cheapest we could find -
0:09:15 > 0:09:16a £3.99 cable.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Everything else is identical - identical TVs,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Discs.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24We're not going to tell our fans which screen is which,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26so they'll have to judge for themselves.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Hopefully, the more expensive one will give more clarity of image
0:09:29 > 0:09:31throughout and also more clarity of sound.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34You sort of think, well, more expensive is going to be better,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37but I'll sort of reserve judgment, somewhat.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42You would expect the more expensive cable to be better quality,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44sharper, brighter.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Next, to reveal what film we'll be showing.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49For these fanatics, it's got to be nothing but the best.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53In fact, it's considered by some to be greatest movie ever made.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00Rosebud.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07No, not that one. This one - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09THEY GROAN
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Well, if you are going to watch anyone in full HD,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14it might as well be Angelina Jolie.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Right, let's get started.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19We show our film fans a range of scenes, including live action
0:10:19 > 0:10:23to test the picture and dialogue scenes to test the sound.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Which one will they think is connected with the more
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- expensive cable? - Can I look closer?- Yeah.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I can't distinguish between the visuals at all.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37It's almost impossible to say which is better.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41I don't know if we've really heard the footsteps as clear as this one.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I can't hear the difference. Maybe you've got better hearing than me!
0:10:45 > 0:10:48It would be a guess between the two, so I'm going to plump for the left.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52The expensive cable might be on the screen on the right.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54I picked the one on the right.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I really can't tell the difference between the two.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Mixed opinions all round. Two chose the left screen,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02six chose the right screen
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and three of our film buffs couldn't spot any difference between the two.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08So which one was it? Could you tell at home?
0:11:08 > 0:11:09Find out later.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Prams and buggies. Anyone with small children needs one.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And it's become quite an industry, with parents spending more
0:11:21 > 0:11:25than £200 million on them every year.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28And these sleek new designs have certainly come a long way
0:11:28 > 0:11:33since the first fully foldable pushchair was launched in the 1960s.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36But that doesn't mean things don't go wrong today,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38as Lynn Faulds Wood knows all too well.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45'Welcome to Watchdog. In tonight's programme...
0:11:45 > 0:11:47'All these people have written to us...'
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Imagine that this carrot is a child's finger.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53As the frame collapses,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56you might pull on the handle to stop that happening.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01It's been a bumpy road for our baby buggies.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05I was banging on about them in the 1980s and decades later,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07they were still featuring on Watchdog.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12I was walking to me mum's house and as I bumped down a curb
0:12:12 > 0:12:15to cross the road, the pram just completely snapped.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20So why are we still talking about buggy safety today?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23After all, it's not as if we haven't had plenty of time to
0:12:23 > 0:12:25get them right.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29The first pram was actually developed in the 18th century
0:12:29 > 0:12:32but it wasn't till the end of the 19th
0:12:32 > 0:12:34that they began to be mass-produced.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38This pram, on sale in the 1880s, was one of the first to allow
0:12:38 > 0:12:40babies to lie down.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43The first thing we notice is that, actually,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45they did care about safety because there are straps but
0:12:45 > 0:12:49they don't look desperately sensible and I don't think much thought
0:12:49 > 0:12:52has been given to the way they would actually work once you've got
0:12:52 > 0:12:56the child there. But the other thing you immediately notice is no brakes.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58So if you stopped with this on the side of a hill,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00you were really in trouble.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08This model might look like it's from a Batman film,
0:13:08 > 0:13:13but by the 1920s, prams were made deeper to stop babies falling out.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Doctors were advising that children got more fresh air,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20so more time in the garden in their pram, more walks, and people felt
0:13:20 > 0:13:24that children should be both more secure in the pram and warmer.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27For the first time, prams were being built with a basic
0:13:27 > 0:13:31brake as well as a handy brolly holder!
0:13:31 > 0:13:35But by the 1960s, there were concerns that a deep body design
0:13:35 > 0:13:38could actually smother a child.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39# Baby love
0:13:39 > 0:13:41# My baby love... #
0:13:41 > 0:13:45So they went away back to the more or less Edwardian, late Victorian
0:13:45 > 0:13:50idea of a shallower body, which was higher up in the air.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53We also have a foot-operated brake round at the front
0:13:53 > 0:13:56which is much easier to operate.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59The '60s also saw the introduction of the first
0:13:59 > 0:14:02technical safety standard, in '67.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Stability was very important so that the child did not have
0:14:07 > 0:14:11the ability to make the product fall over.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Harnessing and retention of the child in the product was also
0:14:15 > 0:14:18very important. The other major issue in those days was braking.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25But the old style pram had had its day.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30In the 1960s, Maclaren introduced the first fully foldable pushchair.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32And by Jubilee year in 1977,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36the company was turning out 20,000 a week.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39# God save the Queen... #
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Now buggies would have to balance the need for safety
0:14:42 > 0:14:45with the need for convenience and portability.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49So standards were expanded to cover these new, smaller, folding
0:14:49 > 0:14:55pushchairs and the risks potentially caused by moving and foldable parts.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57The most common concern?
0:14:57 > 0:14:59So-called finger traps.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04As Watchdog exposed in 1989, some children had lost
0:15:04 > 0:15:08parts of their fingers in this Mothercare pushchair.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10The locking device is right here,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13where a child might rest his hands on it or they could play with
0:15:13 > 0:15:17these lovely, jangly safety rings and the whole thing can collapse.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Now, if that happens, you can grab on the handle to stop it
0:15:21 > 0:15:25collapsing and here's how bits of the finger have got chopped off,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27if I use that carrot as a finger.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Mothercare changed that faulty design.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33But as European standards require the agreement of all member
0:15:33 > 0:15:37countries, with new models coming onto the market all the time,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41it can be hard for safety organisations to keep up.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46There are so many developments because everybody is trying to
0:15:46 > 0:15:50give the consumer what they want and the consumer these days wants
0:15:50 > 0:15:54ease of use - to get on buses, to get on trains, to get in cars,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and therefore, that leaves the standards people
0:15:57 > 0:16:00lagging behind all the time.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03We cannot keep pace with modern developments.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06But even when a product does meet high safety standards
0:16:06 > 0:16:11before it goes on the market, it doesn't mean things can't go wrong.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18The baby buggy maker Maclaren is at the centre of a safety scare.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20It's had to issue urgent advice
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and repair kits for around a million pushchairs in America.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It follows reports that 12 children had to undergo
0:16:26 > 0:16:30amputations after getting their fingertips caught in the hinges.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Days later, Maclaren agreed to issue the same special
0:16:33 > 0:16:37covers for the buggy's hinges in the UK.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Then, three years later, it was Cosatto's turn
0:16:40 > 0:16:43to take action on a small number of their products.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46This is one of their most popular models. It's called the Giggle.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Except, what follows isn't the least bit funny.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54After Watchdog investigated their Giggle in 2013,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Cosatto issued a safety notice on a faulty bracket,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01causing some buggies to collapse.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04The worst thing is, what if he'd been a little bit younger?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07He could have literally come out the pram.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11This time, the fault was due to a manufacturing problem and the
0:17:11 > 0:17:15smallish numbers of products affected are no longer on sale.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18After Watchdog's report, Cosatto agreed customers
0:17:18 > 0:17:23could return their pushchairs to be strengthened at no extra cost.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27From improving testing standards to putting right design flaws
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and manufacturing faults, it's fair to say
0:17:29 > 0:17:34that when there is a problem, the industry does work hard to fix it.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38So will that be the last we hear about the safety of our buggies?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42It is very difficult to guarantee anything is 100% safe.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Is your car door 100% safe for children's fingers?
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Is your door in the house 100% safe with fingers?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It's impossible.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54We try, within standardisation, to cover as many areas as we can
0:17:54 > 0:17:58and we try very, very hard to make the products as safe as possible.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08With petrol and diesel costing as much as £1.50 a litre,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12you might be thinking it's time to go green and go electric.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16With no tax, no costly fuel and free parking in certain areas,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20it is tempting but these cars are expensive.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23So does it work out in the end?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25With me now is Emma Butcher, from What Car?
0:18:25 > 0:18:28So as far as electric cars are concerned,
0:18:28 > 0:18:29how much are they nowadays?
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Well, you're looking at around £25,000 for an entry-level electric
0:18:33 > 0:18:38car on average, and that includes a £5,000 grant from the government.
0:18:38 > 0:18:39So they're not cheap.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42You're probably looking at about double the price
0:18:42 > 0:18:44for a similar-sized petrol car.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47But in terms of the price, as the technology improves,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- do you think that the cost will go down?- Absolutely.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53So the biggest cost of an electric car is the battery.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Battery manufacturers reckon that by about 2020, we could see those
0:18:57 > 0:19:00costs halved, so electric car costs will come down significantly.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Obviously, it's green, it helps the environment,
0:19:03 > 0:19:04but do you get your money back?
0:19:04 > 0:19:09For the right lifestyle, they can be a really fantastic choice,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14so they're much cheaper to fuel, obviously, than a standard fuel car.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16If you charge overnight,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18if you have that facility to do that at home,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22you're looking at about £1.50 for a full battery charge, then you're also
0:19:22 > 0:19:26looking at reduced servicing costs because there are fewer moving parts.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29You don't have to have oil filters changed and things like that.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33- So yeah, the savings can really stack up.- What about longer journeys?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35How far can you go in an electric car?
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Well, we reckon that you're probably looking at a range
0:19:38 > 0:19:40of about 90 miles in good weather.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43In the winter, the range drops to about 60 miles,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- so you need to be careful.- You've driven them. Are they good to drive?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48They're fantastic to drive.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The torque is instant, there are no gears to interrupt power
0:19:51 > 0:19:52and it's just so quiet and smooth.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Yeah, a really good experience. - Emma, thank you.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Earlier, we looked at the cables at the back of our TVs.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05We asked some film fanatics
0:20:05 > 0:20:09to watch a film in high-definition on two screens.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13One was connected with an expensive cable, the other with a cheap one.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Could they tell the difference? Time to find out.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Yes, one cable cost £89.99, the other just £3.99.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25As for the 11 film fanatics,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28two thought the left screen was connected by the expensive cable,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30six chose the right screen
0:20:30 > 0:20:34and three of our film fans couldn't spot any difference between the two.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36So which one was it?
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Although most of our fans chose the screen on the right,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42the expensive cable was actually connecting the one on the left.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44- Wow!- I'm just shocked.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48It's quite surprising that the one on the left is supposedly
0:20:48 > 0:20:50the better quality one
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- because I thought it was just slightly the one on the right.- Wow!
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Yeah, not worth it!
0:20:56 > 0:20:59We all preferred the right one, the cheaper one!
0:21:00 > 0:21:04So why did our film buffs find it so hard to work out which was which?
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Time to get technical.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11So let's look at the wave forms that are actually sent down our cables.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Now, these are digital wave forms and a wave form that's sent
0:21:14 > 0:21:18digitally looks a bit like castle battlements. It will go up and
0:21:18 > 0:21:23down and up and down and maybe down for a bit and then up for a bit.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26So no matter how expensive the cable, as long as it's made of metal
0:21:26 > 0:21:30and it conducts electricity, that signal will be transferred.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33And although a more expensive cable benefits from being stronger
0:21:33 > 0:21:34and more robust,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37if a signal did become distorted by a faulty connection
0:21:37 > 0:21:41or a damaged wire, according to Professor Webb, your TV would
0:21:41 > 0:21:44still deliver exactly the same picture and sound.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Now, clearly, it's different from the one at the top
0:21:47 > 0:21:50but equally, we can work out what it should have been just by looking
0:21:50 > 0:21:53at it, and a television can do the same.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57But with even the cheapest cable very unlikely to do this,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00do you really get better picture or sound if you pay extra?
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Absolutely not. There's no need for a more expansive cable.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08As long as the signal gets from one end of the cable to the other,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09everything is fine.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12And that works perfectly well, as long as the cable
0:22:12 > 0:22:14is a conductor of electricity.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17He's not just saying that, you know. He can prove it, too.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20First, he cuts the wires inside this HDMI cable
0:22:20 > 0:22:22that carry the picture image.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25So here, we have a cable that is working. We can see a picture
0:22:25 > 0:22:30and if I now let these two ends fall apart, away it goes.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33He then inserts a number of different metal objects
0:22:33 > 0:22:36into the gap to see if the signal still transmits.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37First, a gold ring.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39So let's take our cut wire...
0:22:40 > 0:22:44..and put the two ends onto different parts of the wedding ring.
0:22:44 > 0:22:50There we go. So that signal is travelling through my wedding ring
0:22:50 > 0:22:52on its way to the television.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Next, a steel barbecue skewer.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00If I touch up these two leads, there we have it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03A kebab stick is carrying our TV signal!
0:23:03 > 0:23:06OK. Well, those were solid metal.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08What about something that isn't even solid metal?
0:23:09 > 0:23:15So here's a little bit of kitchen foil, metal kitchen foil.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Let's see if we can get our signal to pass through the foil.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23And look! The picture has come back again.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24OK. We're convinced.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27As long as your HDMI cable conducts electricity
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and has been bought from a reputable source, the picture quality
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and sound quality will always be the same. But what about
0:23:33 > 0:23:37the other benefits, some of the more expensive cables offer?
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Well, the manufacturer of the expensive cable told us
0:23:40 > 0:23:43their product is built to exceed industry standards, is supported
0:23:43 > 0:23:47by a limited lifetime warranty and contains premium materials
0:23:47 > 0:23:50to ensure reliability and performance for the life of the product.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56The more expensive ones tend to work, even if they're mistreated.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59So unless you're the person that goes about and enjoys tying
0:23:59 > 0:24:04knots in their cables, a cheap HDMI cable will do the job perfectly
0:24:04 > 0:24:08well for you and there's no need for one of these - the expensive items.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Earlier, we saw how in Southampton, the Port Health Authority
0:24:17 > 0:24:21stop and check shipments on a daily basis to make sure the food
0:24:21 > 0:24:23being brought into the country is safe to eat.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26They sent off various samples to the lab for testing.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29A few days later, the results are in.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35The samples included some apple snails, a Vietnamese delicacy.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37So what we do when we receive the food
0:24:37 > 0:24:41is we first of all have to take out a sample and mush it up.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Bacteria aren't going to just jump off the snails
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and onto the agar plate. We've got to release them
0:24:46 > 0:24:49from the food into a format that we can test on agar plates.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Agar plates are used to help grow bacteria.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54If there's any present, it will soon reveal itself.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57We literally mash the snails up with some liquid,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00which releases the bacteria, and we can then take that liquid
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and put it onto agar plates.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05And then those agar plates will go into incubators,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08sometimes for a day, if it's things that grow quickly, sometimes
0:25:08 > 0:25:11for five days or more for slow-growing bacteria
0:25:11 > 0:25:13and other organisms.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16And then we get them out and have a look at them.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20The team then tested the plates for Salmonella and E. coli -
0:25:20 > 0:25:23bacteria that could cause food poisoning.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26On this occasion, both these tests proved negative.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29So when we looked at all the results we've got from the apple snail
0:25:29 > 0:25:32testing together, we don't feel that any of them
0:25:32 > 0:25:35indicate a significant problem for public health, particularly
0:25:35 > 0:25:39when you take into account the apple snails are due to be cooked.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43So we're happy with the results we've obtained for these samples.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46With the Canadian prawns, lobsters and Japanese tea
0:25:46 > 0:25:50we saw earlier also testing negative for any dangers to health,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53it's good news for the importers. The shipments have passed
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Port Authority checks and are safe to move into the market
0:25:56 > 0:25:58and be consumed.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Meanwhile, Trading Standards officers in Kent are investigating
0:26:01 > 0:26:05another imported food product suspected of being dangerous
0:26:05 > 0:26:07that's already made it onto the shelves.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Today I'm heading to a shop to follow up a sample
0:26:11 > 0:26:15of some cornflour, which we recently had tested
0:26:15 > 0:26:19as it had... Excess levels of aflatoxins were found in it.
0:26:21 > 0:26:27Aflatoxins are linked to cancer, so I'm just heading back
0:26:27 > 0:26:30to the shop to take another sample for the laboratory.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Alex arrives at the store to seize the second sample
0:26:33 > 0:26:36of potentially carcinogenic cornflour.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Alex wastes no time finding the items he's got concerns about.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44All these are from the same batch of cornmeal, so they're all
0:26:44 > 0:26:49processed at the same time, so I'll sample all three of these bags.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54As Alex bags and tags the products, the owner arrives on site.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57With the paperwork complete, Alex pays for the goods
0:26:57 > 0:26:59and takes them to the lab for testing.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03OK. Thank you. Bye.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Aflatoxins themselves are a very, very potent carcinogen in terms
0:27:11 > 0:27:15of it affecting the liver and that's why the legislative limits are set
0:27:15 > 0:27:17at two parts per billion parts of food,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19so it's a very, very low level.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23The cornflour is separated, weighed out
0:27:23 > 0:27:27and mixed with a solution to strip out any toxins present.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30We can measure individual toxin concentrations and give a total
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and we can then compare those results against the legislative
0:27:33 > 0:27:36limits to determine whether it passes or fails.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And this is the machine that does the calculations.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41It analyses the toxins present...
0:27:48 > 0:27:50..and displays the results on a graph.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52The peaks show the levels of aflatoxin present.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55So unfortunately, I've had the test report
0:27:55 > 0:27:57and it's shown that there are excess levels of aflatoxin
0:27:57 > 0:28:00in the sampled cornmeal.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02The next course of action would be to notify
0:28:02 > 0:28:04the importer of the result
0:28:04 > 0:28:05and also the Food Standards Agency.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08The likely course of action - this product will be
0:28:08 > 0:28:11withdrawn from the market while we continue with our investigations.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15The cornflour is now the subject of an investigation
0:28:15 > 0:28:16and proceedings are ongoing.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Hopefully, that's one potentially harmful product you
0:28:20 > 0:28:23won't need to worry about seeing on the shelves in the future.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31If you want more information on the safety of products
0:28:31 > 0:28:33in your home, you can go to our website.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41That's all for today. Thanks for watching.