Safefood conference hears from EU experts

Safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board, today heard leading EU and US academics outline strategies for engaging the public about the risks associated with modern food and lifestyle habits.

Micheál Martin, the Minister for Health and Children, who had opened the conference, earlier called for "creative solutions to the marketing bombardment" visited on consumers by the food industry.

The safefood 2004 conference - entitled 'Why Risk It?' - is being held at University College Cork.

Professor Gerard Hastings, of Strathclyde University, told delegates that the public needed to "feel good about changing its behaviour" in relation to food and lifestyle choices.

"It's not just about terrifying people," he said. "It's about providing people with the tools with which they can change their life."

The safefood conference brought together a diverse gathering of expert delegates from throughout the EU, including the new member states.