Olympics – Legionella update – Edinburgh Teenager dies at Rockness – Food Safety Week  – Malleny Garden

Now that the Diamond Jubilee is out of the way, it is time for the Olympics, or at least the Olympic Torch relay, which will start from Stenhouse on Wednesday evening and continue towards the Castle. It will also start from the Castle on Thursday morning. There is also to be an event at Edinburgh Castle on Wednesday evening which is the reason for the Tattoo staging going up early. And then we have the Olympic rings on The Mound which feature in our photo today. What do you think of the rings? Does it make you feel part of the 2012 Olympics?

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The latest number of people either suspected or confirmed as suffering from Legionnaire’s disease is 82 according to the latest update from NHS Lothian issued yesterday. It appears that the number of new cases is slowing down.

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A Portobello teenager has died at Rockness after apparently taking an illegal substance known as Benzo Fury report The Edinburgh Evening News. Two of his friends have also been hospitalised.

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Promoting food safety on a budget is the theme of this year’s Food Safety Week which is being supported by the City of Edinburgh Council.

New research published today by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) shows that some people are taking more risks with food safety as they try to save money and make their food go further.

The research shows that most of those questioned (97%) believed the cost of their typical shopping basket has gone up significantly in the last three years, with half of these trying to make better use of leftover food.

However, some people are ignoring ‘use by’ dates more than they used to, while others are keeping leftovers for longer than the recommended limit of two days in the fridge.

The three main tips from the FSA during the Food Safety Week, which runs from today until 17 June, are understanding ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates, use leftovers safely and plan your meals.

Environment Leader, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “The increased cost of food shopping is undoubtedly having an impact on household bills. It’s important that people don’t take risks when it comes to their health and following this advice can help people stay safe.

“It also means that they can save money by shopping efficiently and make food go further at home. An extra benefit of this is that it will also help cut down on the amount of waste produced.”

Bob Martin, a food safety expert at the FSA, said: “With most of us seeing our weekly shopping bills increase over the last few years, we are all looking for ways to get the most out of our shopping budget. Using leftover food is a good way of making our meals go further.

“However, unless we’re careful, there’s a chance we can risk food poisoning by not storing or handling them properly. During Food Safety Week we are working with local councils to encourage people to view their fridge as their friend and make the most of leftovers whilst staying safe.”

An information leaflet called ‘Your Fridge is Your Friend’ which gives advice on reducing waste, eating safely and planning ahead will be available in the following Edinburgh libraries – Central, McDonald Road, Leith, Wester Hailes, Drumbrae and Fountainbridge or by contacting the Council on 0131 529 3030 or environmentalhealth@edinburgh.gov.uk

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The beautiful Malleny Garden is inviting folk to come along for a peak behind the scenes as midsummer approaches. The evening walk takes place on Thursday 14 June at the National Trust for Scotland’s beautiful Balerno garden.

 

Enjoy a glass of wine in this beautiful and tranquil spot which is famed for its old-fashioned roses, and centuries old yew trees. It is also a haven for birdlife and in 200 was voted as one of Scotland’s top gardens by the readers of Gardener’s World.

 

The walk begins at 18.00 and lasts until 20.00. Malleny Garden is open daily, usually from 10.00 until 17.00 or dusk if earlier.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.