THE refusal of Ribble Valley Council's environmental health department to identify the premises being investigated after a case of E. Coli food poisoning (LET, August 24), has obviously created suspicion of several Ribble Valley eating establishments and bewildered many prospective customers.

Would it infringe the ethical bounds for the innocent food outlets to publish a joint legal declaration that their particular establishment is definitely not involved with any current Ribble Valley environmental health investigation - for the benefit of proprietors and reassurance of customers?

J A MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

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