Potential public health importance of the oven ready chip.
BACKGROUND
Chip pan fires are responsible for 25% of fire related injury in the UK, despite government strategies to encourage safer frying. To establish the feasibility of promoting oven ready chips (fries), the residents in a materially deprived ward of London were surveyed. Sample frame: 1073 of 2145 households participating in a randomised controlled trial.


RESULTS
Approximately half of those surveyed deep fry, mostly chips, fish, and meat. Ownership of ovens and microwaves was high (99% and 80% respectively). Reasons for deep frying included taste (50%), speed (32%), and tradition (25%).


CONCLUSIONS
Improving the quality of oven baked alternatives may encourage consumers to change to safer and healthier cooking methods, with potentially important repercussions for public health.
Rowland
D
D
Public Health Intervention Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
Roberts
I
I
D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005390:Fires / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000009:adverse effects*