Food Safety Handbook

FOOD SAFETY HANDBOOKSecond Edition

CONTENTS

1. Managing Food Safety

2. Food Premises Inspections

3. Hazard Analysis

4. A Guide to Complying with the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations

5. Temperature Control

6. Training

7. Personal Hygiene

Appendix 1 – Food Safety Legislation

Appendix 2 – Enforcement Policy

Appendix 3 – Sources of further information

kh/env/pfw/150201/FSHandbook2001 1

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/tmbc/handbook1.pdf



FOREWORD

I am pleased to welcome you to this second edition of our Food Safety Handbook.

An estimated five million people suffer from food poisoning in England and Waleseach year. Running a food business means that you have a particular responsibility inprotecting the health of your customers.

The Food Safety Act 1990 and regulations made under it make it an offence foranyone to sell or process food for sale which is harmful to health. They also place anobligation on businesses to ensure that their activities are carried out in a hygienicway.

I hope you find the contents of this booklet useful. It outlines what you need to do inbroad terms to comply with the law and points you in the direction of further help andadvice. It is not a comprehensive guide to the legislation. As a proprietor, you areresponsible for checking specifically what you need to do to comply with the law.Failure to do this could lead to formal action being taken, which could result infinancial penalties and accompanying adverse publicity.

Staff in the Environmental Health Service are always willing to give guidance on howthe law relates to your business. If you need advice, please ask.

Investing in food safety management can be a major contribution to the success of abusiness as many companies have demonstrated. If you produce and sell qualityproducts, success will be your reward!

K G KaufmanHead of ServiceEnvironmental Health, Consumer Services, Cemeteries and Crematorium ServiceCouncil OfficesWellington RoadAshton-under-LyneOL6 6DL


SECTION 1 - MANAGING FOOD SAFETY

Active management is essential to ensuring food safety. Delivering food products and services of an acceptable quality is not something that happens by accident. Everyone who works for your business should be encouraged to regard food safety as a fundamental part of their job.

The standards that you set and your own personal commitment to food hygiene are central to ensuring that food safety is an integral part of your business.

Key areas for you to consider are:

•• establish which legislation applies to you and what specifically you need to do to comply with it (see Appendix 1)

•• you must register your business with the Environmental Health Department at least 28 days before you start operations. Registration is free.

• your premises must be of a design and condition to facilitate good hygiene

•• ensure that you have carried out Hazard Analysis to identify and control potential food safety hazards

•• staff must be supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene matters to a level appropriate to their work activities

•• make sure all staff understand their individual role in achieving the standards you set and make them accountable for what they do

•• carry out your own regular inspections to make sure standards are being achieved and maintained

•• keep up to date with changing legal requirements and modern good practice and where appropriate revise your Hazard Analysis to reflect these changes

Due Diligence

As a proprietor of a food business you are expected to show due diligence. Anyone prosecuted under the Food Safety Act can offer in defence proof that they have taken all reasonable precautions to avoid the offence and have shown due diligence in the implementation of those precautions.

When you have correctly identified the hazards and risks associated with your business and introduced measures to control them, then you have taken considerable steps towards demonstrating due diligence. However, you must also be able to show that you have done this by having good written records and demonstrating good practice in your work. Staff training forms a critical part of this proof.


WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

Advice:

• You can contact the Environmental Health and Consumer Services Division on 0161-342-8355 or visit our Website: www.tameside.gov.uk

•• The Food Standards Agency : Telephone 020 7972 5549, Website: www.foodstandards.gov.uk

• Private consultants – usually listed in Yellow Pages or Trade Journals.

Useful publications:

• The Environmental Health & Consumer Services Division hold a wide range of advisory leaflets and guidance, most of which are free of charge.

• More detailed guidance on complying with the law is contained in the Industry Guides to Good Hygiene Practice, which are available from Dillons bookshops. The full range of Guides are listed in the reference section of this booklet.

Food Hygiene Training is available from:

• Environmental Health, & Consumer Services Division

• Tameside College, Beaufort Road, Ashton-under-Lyne

• Private consultants


SECTION 2 – FOOD PREMISES INSPECTIONS

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOUR BUSINESS IS INSPECTED UNDER FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION

Who will Inspect Your Business?

•• Environmental Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers have the right to enter and inspect food premises at all reasonable hours. They do not have to make an appointment and they will usually come without advance notice. They carry out routine inspections and may also visit as a result of a complaint. How often routine inspections happen depends on the potential risk posed by the type of business and its previous record of complying with food safety requirements. Some premises may be inspected at least every six months, others much less often.

•• Inspectors will look at the way you operate your business to identify potential hazards and to make sure it complies with the law. They will discuss any problems with you and advise on possible solutions. They also have powers which they can use when they think it necessary to protect the public. These are explained below.

What are You Entitled to Expect from the Inspectors?

• a courteous manner;

• to be shown identification;

•• feedback from any inspection, such as information about hazards which have been identified and guidance on how they could be avoided;

•• a clear distinction between what the inspector is recommending you do because it is good practice and what you must do to comply with the law;

• to be given the reasons in writing for any action you are asked to take;

• where there is an apparent breach of law, a statement of what that law is;

•• reasonable time to meet statutory requirements, except where there is an immediate risk to public health;

• to be told the procedures for appealing against local authority action.

What Powers do Inspectors Have?

•• They can take samples and photographs, and inspect records. You must not obstruct inspectors.


•• They may write to you informally asking you to put right any problems they find. Where breaches of the law are identified which must be put right they may serve you with an improvement notice.

• They can detain or seize suspect foods.

•• In serious cases they may decide to recommend a prosecution; if the prosecution is successful, the Court may impose prohibitions on processes and the use of premises or equipment, fines and possibly imprisonment.

•• If there is an imminent health risk to consumers, inspectors can serve an emergency prohibition notice which forbids the use of the premises or equipment. Such a notice must be confirmed by the Court.

Our Enforcement Policy is shown at Appendix 2 of this booklet.

What can You Do if You Think the Outcome is Not Fair?

•• If you don’t agree with action taken by the inspector, you should first contact their manager, to see if the problem can be resolved informally. If disagreement remains after that you could approach your local Councillor.

•• If you think your local authority is applying the law in a different way from other authorities you can seek advice from the Local Authorities Coordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards (LACOTS) either through your trade association or your local authority.

•• You have a right of appeal to a Magistrates’ Court against an improvement notice or a refusal by a local authority to lift an emergency prohibition order made earlier by the Court.

•• A Magistrates’ Court must confirm the emergency closure of a business or the seizure of food. If Magistrates decide premises have been shut without proper reason, or food has been wrongly seized or detained you have a right to compensation.

How Often will My Premises be Visited?

All food premises are inspected on a regular basis. The programme of inspections is drawn up in line with national guidelines, which are intended to ensure that those premises posing a higher risk to the consumer are inspected more frequently than those premises with a lower risk. The scoring system used and the rating of your business within the scheme, will be discussed with you at the conclusion of the inspection.


Inspections Outside the Regular Programme

From time to time situations may occur which give rise to a need for additional visits. Examples of this are when the Food Standards Agency ask food authorities to take specific action, or when complaints are received about the condition of premises or unsatisfactory food purchased from premises.


SECTION 3 – HAZARD ANALYSIS

Anyone who sells or processes food and is covered by the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 is legally bound to make sure they carry out their operations safely and hygienically. The Hazard Analysis regulations place increased emphasis on controlling risks and on the control of practices and procedures. They say that you must:

•• IDENTIFY all steps in your activities which are CRITICAL TO FOOD SAFETY;

•• Ensure ADEQUATE SAFETY CONTROLS are in place, maintained and reviewed.

Controls do not have to be complex but they must be effective.

Which Food Businesses are Covered by the Regulations?

The Regulations apply to all types of food business – from a hot dog van to a five star restaurant, from a village hall, where food is prepared, to a vending machine. They apply whether the food is sold publicly or privately, for profit or for fund raising. But they do not apply to food cooked at home for private consumption.

Who benefits?

Many food poisoning incidents are the result of poor practices, which only come to light after incidents have occurred.

By analysing the potential hazards in your business and being aware of those activities which may be critical to food safety, you can reduce the likelihood of problems actually occurring and causing harm. This is good for consumers and for your business.

What do the Regulations Mean to Me?

At their simplest, they mean that you should have looked at your business operations, identified things with the potential to cause harm to consumers, and satisfied yourself that you have sufficient controls in place to minimise such risks.

What do you Need to Do?

Identify Potential Hazards (i.e. things that might be harmful):

• Assess what possible food hazards there are in your business.• Identify the areas where they could occur.• Pinpoint those areas that are critical to ensuring food safety.

Introduce Controls:


• Make sure you have adequate safety controls in place at those points critical to ensuring food safety.

• Regularly monitor the controls to check they are working effectively. • Maintain and review all controls.• Review your assessment, control and monitoring procedures periodically, and

whenever the food operations change.

These are principles that underlie a formal system know as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). But the Regulations do not require that businesses use any specific or formal system. The nature and complexity of the system used will, in practice, depend on the nature and complexity of the business you operate. You do not have to keep written records of your analysis and monitoring procedures, though you may find them particularly useful if you run a large business or a small but high risk business. Also, records may be helpful when you are asked to demonstrate compliance with the Regulations.

You may find it helpful to draw a flow diagram of your operation from purchase of ingredients through to the sale or service of the food. Food hazards can then be identified at each step and any necessary controls put in place.

An example of a flow diagram is shown below. This represents a business that is preparing food to be served both cold and hot and is also cooking and then chilling food. You may not be carrying out all of these stages in your own business and consequently there will be fewer lines of production and a simpler flow diagram.


FLOW DIAGRAM OF A CATERING OPERATION�

LINE A

LINE B

LINE C LINE D LINE E

PURCHASE

RECEIPT

STORAGE

PREPARATION SERVE COLD

COOKING

CHILL

SERVE HOT

HOT HOLD SERVE COLD

REHEAT

SERVE SERVEHOT HOT


How do I start?

Identify Hazards

You need to identify all hazards, and decide which are critical for food safety. If no major hazards exist, your analysis can simply be based on your own judgement, with no need for specialist skills or complicated techniques.

Whichever method you choose, it should be systematic and should take into account:

* all potential hazards; * all aspects of your food business operation; * your actual working procedures and conditions.

Many food manufacturers and ‘high risk’ food businesses may prefer a more structured system, using written records of hazard analysis to set up effective control. Specialists like food research and trade associations can give further advice or sources of advice on how to do this, as will your Environmental Health Services.

What Sort of Hazards are There?

There are essentially three categories of food hazard: microbiological, chemical or physical.

Microbiological

* Could harmful bacteria be present in or on the food (e.g. raw meat)? * Could foods, particularly ready-to-eat foods, become contaminated? * Could harmful bacteria grow to dangerous levels in the food? *� Could harmful bacteria survive a process, like cooking, meant to destroy

them?

Chemical

Could toxic chemicals (e.g. cleaning chemicals) get into the food?

Physical

Could dangerous pieces of glass or pests get into the food?

Introduce Controls

When considering controls, remember:

* They must be effective. * The controls should either completely eliminate the hazard or reduce it to a

safe, acceptable level.


* They should be practical. * Try to ensure that controls can be applied to your business in a realistic and

sensible way. * You could change either the nature of the control or the operation.

* They should be understood. * You should tell appropriate staff about the importance of any controls in place,

particularly any for which they are responsible.

Examples of possible controls:

* buying supplies from reputable suppliers

* checks on raw materials

* proper stock rotation of food and ingredients

* separating different types of food to prevent cross-contamination

* using foods within date marks

* appropriate food temperature holding controls, i.e. during display/storage

* good staff hygiene

* adequate food hygiene training

* effective cleaning routines

* pest control

Check Controls

Identifying and controlling food hazards is, of course, a continuing process. Once the Critical Control Points have been identified and controls put in place you need to monitor them regularly.

You may find simple records of checks, for example, of the temperature of chilled food in a cabinet can help you to ensure that the correct temperature is maintained and that controls are working effectively.

How you monitor controls, and how often, will depend on the size and nature of your business. Ideally, you should have a target to check against, for example in relation to:-

* date marks * storage/delivery temperatures * cleaning procedures checked against a cleaning schedule * personal hygiene practices checked against company manual/rules.


The following table shows some, but not all, of the potential steps, hazards, controls and monitoring procedures a caterer may need to consider, for example.

Step Hazard Control Monitoring

Purchase & Delivery

• Harmful bacteria, mould or foreign bodies present in/on food.

• Use reputable supplier.

• Check goods on receipt.

• Check delivery vehicles, date marks, temperatures and condition of food.

Storage • Bacterial growth or further contamination by micro-organisms, chemicals, etc.

• Store at safe temperatures.

• Cover/wrap foods.

• Separate raw/cooked foods.

• Stock rotation.

• Check temperatures and date marks

• Check storage conditions.

Preparation • Bacterial growth or further contamination.

• Limit handling times.

• Use clean equipment.

• Good personal hygiene

• Hygienic premises

• Visual checks • Cleaning

schedules

Cooking • Survival of harmful bacteria

• Adequate cooking e.g. cook to a safe centre temperature.

• Cooking times • Routine

temperature checks.

Further Storage • Growth of bacteria

• Further contamination

• Store at safe temperatures

• Cover/wrap foods.

• Separate raw/cooked foods

• Check temperatures.

• Visual checks.


Whether you record and document your system is up to you. However, by law, you must do the following:-

1. Ensure that controls are working effectively, and that your food is safe for the customer.

2. Take action if you find the controls are not operating effectively.

3. Review your system regularly and especially if the way you work alters.

4. Take remedial action if your checks show problems with the controls you have in place.

Where can I find out more?

See appendix 3


SECTION 4 – A GUIDE TO COMPLYING WITH THE�FOOD SAFETY (GENERAL FOOD HYGIENE) REGULATIONS 1995�

The following points are a guide to the main parts of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995. This information is not intended to be definitive and you may wish to seek further advice if you are not clear on how the Regulations apply to you in practice.

All Food Premises

Must be kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition.

Layout, Design, Construction and Size

Should permit good hygiene practices and be easy to clean and, where necessary, disinfect and should protect food against external sources of contamination such as pests. Food storage rooms must be capable of keeping food at suitable temperatures or temperature specified by law (see temperature control – Section 5) and any relevant Industry Guide.

Rooms where Food is actually Prepared, Treated or Processed

Floors, walls, ceilings and surfaces which come into contact with food must be adequately maintained, easy to clean and where necessary, disinfect.

All surfaces, fixtures and fittings need to be kept hygienic to prevent contamination of food. Surfaces should be durable to prevent damage from normal wear and tear e.g. greater durability and strength should be used for areas subject to mechanical or chemical damage.

Toilets and Handwashing Facilities

An adequate number must be provided relative to the number of employees. The toilets must be adequately ventilated by natural or mechanical means to prevent offensive odours and aerosols from entering into food rooms.

The appliances must be trapped and properly connected into a drainage system and the cubicle(s) containing the toilet(s) must not open directly into a food room.

Wash Basins

There must be an adequate number of wash hand basins provided exclusively for securing personal hygiene of staff.

The basins must be suitably located, e.g. close to toilets or where open food is handled. The basins must be supplied with hot and cold running water, or mixed water at a suitable controlled temperature.

The basins must be connected into a drainage system, be provided with soap or detergent and a suitable means for hand drying.


Pests

Premises must be designed and maintained to prevent pest access and harbourage. Waste and refuse should be stored in suitable lidded containers which should be regularly removed and disposed of at an authorised disposal site. Advice should be sought from the Environmental Health Department or a reputable pest control contractor.

Ventilation

Natural or mechanical ventilation must be provided to ensure that heat and /or humidity do not build up to levels that could compromise food safety.

Air inlets drawing air into food preparation rooms must do so from a clean source and not from potentially contaminated areas such as waste bin stores or pot wash areas. The outlet should not present risk of odour nuisance to neighbouring premises.

Filters and other parts of the ventilation system must be readily accessible to permit easy cleaning and maintenance.

Examples of recommended air changes are given below relating to different types of food premises:

Type of Premises/Work Room

Bars, Public Rooms, Cafes CellarsKitchensToiletsStore RoomsOfficesBakehouses

Lighting

Air Changes/Per Hour

8 – 10 3 – 5 20 6 – 10 3 – 6 6 – 10 20 – 30

Lighting must be good enough to allow safe food handling, effective cleaning and the monitoring of cleaning standards.

Recommended illumination levels range from 150 lux in store rooms to 500 lux in food preparation areas. It is recommended that glass lights are protected with shatterproof covers in areas where open food is handled.

Drainage

All food premises must have adequate drainage. Appliances connected to the drainage system must be properly sealed to prevent odours or pests escaping from the drains. The drainage system must be accessible only for the purposes of maintenance and cleaning.


Changing Facilities

Facilities must be provided for changing so that outdoor clothing of food handlers can be stored away from open foods.

The nature of the facilities should depend on the size of the operation and the number of employees, as stated within the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and approved Code of Practice listed in appendix 3.

Facilities for Washing Food Equipment and the Premises

Facilities must be provided to wash and disinfect all tools, equipment and utensils that come into contact with food.

The amount and type of facilities provided must depend on the size of the premises and equipment and the nature and risk associated with the food operation.

Examples of suitable equipment include:

a) Sinks, together with hot and cold running water, detergents and disinfectants for manual cleaning and disinfection and adequate drainage.

b) Sterilising sinks involving use of very hot water or chemicals.

c) Dishwashers.

d) Hoses or pressure sprays.

Method of cleaning and disinfection must be appropriate and must in itself not present any extra risk of cross contamination e.g. moving dirt around premises through the use of a high pressure jet spray which is likely to contaminate open food.

Facilities should be provided for drying of equipment that does not cause re-contamination e.g. air drying, use of clean cloths. Tools and equipment must be kept clean and disinfected so as to ensure food safety.

Washing of Foods

Some operations will need separate facilities for washing foods. This may, in some instances, be within a sink provided for washing equipment as long as each operation is separated by time and thorough cleaning takes place between each process, provision for a totally separate sink is usually determined by the nature and size of the business.

As with facilities for washing food equipment, sinks for washing foods need to be provided with a running hot and cold (or controlled temperature) water supply and be connected into the drainage system. If you need to wash any food ensure that it is carried out thoroughly.


Facilities for the Transport of Food

Vehicles and equipment used for transportation of food must be designed where necessary to allow them to be adequately cleaned and disinfected.

They must be kept clean and in good order to prevent contamination.

Adequate steps must be taken to protect food from the risk of contamination from all potential sources during transportation e.g. non-food products and chemicals.

This may involve the use of dedicated containers or vehicles for the exclusive use of transporting foods, effective separation of foods and non-foods within the same vehicle or effective cleaning of containers between each use.

Machines and Food Equipment

All utensils and equipment that come into contact with food, need to be made of durable and impervious materials that can be easily cleaned and where necessary disinfected.

The must be free from breaks, cracks or open seams that may prevent adequate cleaning or present a risk of physical contamination by means of a piece breaking off and contaminating foods. All equipment and surfaces that come into contact with food must be kept clean.

Colour coded equipment should be used to assist in the management of prevention of cross contamination by separating operations involving raw meats, vegetables and ready to eat (cooked foods). For example, the use of red coloured cutting boards and knives for raw meats, white boards and knives for cooked foods and green boards and knives for vegetables.

Food Waste

Food and other waste must not be allowed to gather in food rooms unless this is unavoidable for the proper functioning of your business.

Refuse containers must be appropriate for use, kept in good repair and condition and be easy to clean and disinfect.

Refuse stores must be properly designed and constructed to be easily cleaned and to keep out pests. Refuse must be properly removed on a regular basis and the storage area cleared. Tameside Council offers commercial refuse collection contracts. For further information, you are advised to contact 0161-342 8355.

Water Supply

Water supplied and used for food production purposes, including ice and steam must not contaminate the food. The water must be of a mains drinking water standard.


SECTION 5 – TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Good temperature control of foods is fundamental to the safe operation of the majority of food businesses.

Who is Affected?

The Regulations apply to all types of food business – from a hot dog van to a five star restaurant; from a village hall, where food is prepared, to a vending machine.

What are the Basic Temperature Requirements?

The Regulations state that foods which need temperature control for safety must be held either:

HOT:�at or above a minimum temperature of 63°C.�

OR�

CHILLED:�at or below a maximum temperature of 8°C.�

What Foods Need Temperature Controls?�

Rather than providing a long list of food items, the Regulations apply the requirement for temperature control to all types of food which, without temperature control, might support the growth of harmful (pathogenic) bacteria or the formation of poisons (toxins). Such foods fall into a number of categories:

Dairy Products:

Such as soft or semi-hard cheeses (e.g. Stilton) ripened by mould and/or bacteria, dairy based desserts such as fromage frais, mousses, crème caramels or products containing whipped creams.

Cooked Products:

All foods comprising or containing eggs, meat, fish, milk, or their products, cereals (including rice), pulses and vegetables, or sandwiches which contain these ingredients.

Smoked or Cured Ready-to-Eat Meat or Fish:

Such as sliced cured meats like ham, smoked fish, some salamis and other fermented products – unless the curing method leaves the product ‘shelf-stable’ at room temperature.


Prepared Ready-to-Eat Foods:

Such as prepared vegetables, vegetable salads like coleslaw or prepared products containing mayonnaise.

Uncooked or Partly Cooked Pastry and Dough Products:

Such as pizzas or fresh pasta containing meat, fish (or substitutes) or vegetables.

Some of these listed products may be preserved or prepared in such a way as to relax or remove the need for temperature control.

Because of food labelling legislation, packaged products should have special storage conditions on their labels, and any such conditions will indicate whether or not the food in the packaging needs to be kept chilled.

The General Requirement

In addition to setting specific chill and hot holding temperatures for certain foods, the Regulations also contain a general overall temperature requirement that

“ no person shall keep any raw materials, ingredients, intermediate products and finished products likely to support the growth of harmful bacteria or the formation of toxins at temperatures which would result in a risk to health.”

In most circumstances maintaining food temperatures for relevant food at 8°C or below, or at 63°C or above, will satisfy this requirement. There will be situations where it is appropriate to keep foods at chill temperatures lower than 8°C for safety reasons. Examples may be certain cook-chill foods or some vacuum packed, extended shelf life foods such as ‘sous vide products’. (Sous vide products are products which have been cooked in a vacuum package and are intended to be rapidly chilled and stored at chill temperatures, often with long storage lives).

Which Foods are Exempt?

In specific circumstances, some foods are exempt from the 8°C limit. These include:

• Foods which can be kept at room temperature throughout their shelf life, without causing any health risk:

e.g. some cured or smoked products or certain bakery products which are to be sold quickly.

• Food which goes through a preservation process, e.g. canning or dehydration:

Most canned or dried foods are stable at room temperatures until the can is opened or the food is rehydrated. There are some cans of ham or similar cooked meats which may only be pasteurised, and must be kept chilled.


Once a can has been opened and the seal of a can is broken, the food must be kept chilled if it contains any of the foods types described earlier. For high acid canned foods such as fruit or some vegetables chilled storage is not essential.

• Food which must be ripened or matured at room temperature:

e.g. soft or mould ripened cheeses. Once fully ripened or matured, the food must be stored and/or displayed by food businesses at or below 8°C.

• Raw food intended for further processing (including cooking) which will ensure the food is fit for human consumption:

e.g. fresh meat and fish, except where they are intended to be eaten raw, for example a steak tartare or sushi.

• Mail order food:

Although exempt from the 8°C control, mail order foods must be supplied at temperatures which will not present a health risk.

Flexibility

The Regulations recognise it is impractical to keep foods at the suggested temperatures at all times. At certain times, they therefore allow a degree of flexibility, called tolerances, which are explained below:

Service or Display

Food normally requiring temperature control may be kept above 8°C for a single period of up to 4 hours, to allow it to be served or displayed. After this period, any food remaining should be thrown away or chilled to 8°C or below until used. This would include self-service food, buffets and some foods displayed in restaurants and cafés and food served or displayed in shops.

Only one time period of service or display is allowed. After this time, remaining food or foodstuffs should be either placed under chill control until final use, or discarded.

Food which will be served hot may be kept for service or on display for sale to consumers out of temperature control (cooler than 63°C) for a period of two hours. After this time, the food should either be discarded or cooled as quickly as possible to a temperature of 8°C or below, before final reheating for sale.


Handling and Unloading

Limited periods outside chill control are also allowed where:

• food is being loaded or unloaded from a refrigerated vehicle for transfer to or from food premises; or

• there are unavoidable circumstances, for example when food has to be handled during and after processing and preparation, or if equipment is defrosted or temporarily breaks down. It is important in these circumstances to contact a manager for advice on the quality and/or safety of the product.

Good management practice should ensure food is kept under these conditions for the shortest time possible. The Regulations do not give a specific time limit, but normally it should not be more than two hours, in order to avoid undue risk to the food.

Other Tolerances

In a few special circumstances, manufacturers or organisations can recommend a holding temperature above the normal 8°C chill temperature or below the 63°C minimum hot holding temperature. However, any such recommendation must be supported by a well-founded scientific assessment, and a suitable shelf-life must be given.

In practice there are likely to be few circumstances where this variation from normal temperature control applies. Manufacturers and suppliers of chilled products who recommend holding temperatures above 8°C, must state this clearly on the food label or by written instructions.

Cooling Times

Cooling times are critical to food safety. Foods which must be chilled for safety must be cooled as soon as possible after any final cooking or preparation.

In order to prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria hot food which is not intended to be eaten immediately should be cooled quickly. Cooling may be achieved by either:-

(a) hygienically dividing the hot food into smaller quantities, covering it and placing it in a cool area of the kitchen or other suitable room (but not a refrigerator) or

(b) placing food in a sealed plastic container and running cold water over it or

(c) using a blast chiller or

(d) by reducing the portion size, either by cutting food into smaller pieces or by placing it into several smaller shallow containers.


Food should be cool enough to refrigerate (10-15ºC) within 1½ hours of the completion of cooking.

Where can I find out more?

See appendix 3


SECTION 6 - TRAINING

It is now a legal requirement for the proprietor of a food business to ensure that all food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters appropriate with their work activities.

The appropriate level of knowledge required to meet the legal requirements will vary depending upon what level of work activity is carried out by the food handler and should be in fitting with the level of knowledge and competence required to perform the activity safely. Further guidance on appropriate levels of supervision, instruction and training is given within the various industry guides listed in appendix 3 of this publication.

Examples of the Training Required for Different Types of Job:

Who? When? What Training?

All food handlers

Before starting work for the first time

Introductory Training including: - personal hygiene; - how to carry out their duties hygienically - what to do if they have an illness such as

a stomach upset; New employees should work under close supervision until they have received more detailed training.

Staff who handle wrapped/pre-packed or “low risk” food only

Within 4 weeks of starting a job (8 weeks for part-time staff)

Hygiene Awareness Instruction, this should include: - the importance of food hygiene,

cleanliness, etc; - the causes of food poisoning; - personal hygiene, reporting illness, etc. - food storage, temperature control and

stock rotation; - foreign body contamination; - awareness of pests (rats, mice and insects)

Food handlers who prepare or serve high risk “open” food, e.g. cook, baker, shop assistant handling cooked meats or serving unwrapped cream cakes, person working in a café or takeaway

Within 4 weeks of starting a job

Hygiene Awareness Instruction, this should include: - the importance of food hygiene,

cleanliness, etc. - the causes of food poisoning; - personal hygiene, reporting illness, etc; - food storage, temperature control and

stock rotation; - foreign body contamination; - awareness of pests (rats, mice, insects)

Level 1 (Basic Food Hygiene Course or equivalent) Duration approximately 6 hours.


Managers and Supervisors

Within 3 months Level 1 (Basic Food Hygiene Course or equivalent). Duration approximately 6 hours. In larger businesses more detailed training to Level 2 (Intermediate – 12 to 24 hours) or Level 3 (Advanced – 24 to 40 hours) may be required

Basic Food Hygiene Training

Good food hygiene is an essential part of food business. It is a legal requirement that all food handlers are supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene matters to levels appropriate to their work activities. Obtaining further knowledge in food hygiene matters is very important.

The Environmental Health and Consumer Services Division currently offers a Basic Food Hygiene Course culminating in a short examination leading to a nationally recognised qualification.

Course can be organised at either your own premises or at a suitable Council venue.

The study programme includes 6 hours of presentation including videos, visual displays and informal group participation in the following subjects:-

* Food Poisoning * Prevention of Food Poisoning and food contamination

* Personal Hygiene * Premises, Equipment and Pest Control

* Bacteriology * Legislation

* Cleaning and Disinfection * Hazard Analysis

The course is run by friendly Environmental Health staff experienced in the field of Food Hygiene.

For further information please feel free to contact the Environmental Health and Consumer Services Division

Telephone number: 0161-342 3467

The course fee of £45 includes tuition fees, information pack, examination and certificate.


SECTION 7 - PERSONAL HYGIENE

The role of individual food handlers in ensuring good practices is central to the prevention of food poisoning. All food handlers must as a minimum have an understanding of the following requirements:-

• Wear clean clothes and suitable over-clothing/aprons.

• Wash hands regularly, especially after handling raw foods and using the toilet.

• Wash hands in the wash hand basins provided, not in any sinks provided for washing equipment.

• Wherever possible avoid directly handling or touching food – use tongs or other utensils.

• Do not smoke in a food room. Never cough or sneeze over food.

• Ensure that any cuts or sores are covered with waterproof dressings.

• Avoid touching your lips, nose, scalp or ears whilst handling food.

• Never handle food if you are suffering from a stomach upset or skin infection.

Staff Suffering from Certain Medical Conditions

Some illnesses can be passed onto other people through food. Any person working in a food handling area who –

• knows or suspects that they are suffering from or may be a carrier of an illness likely to be transmitted through food; or

• has an infected wound, a skin infection, sores, diarrhoea or similar medical condition;

must report their suspicion, or condition to the proprietor of the business where they are working. They should refrain from handling food, or food products until medical advice has been obtained on the risk of infecting food and of any precautions that should be taken.

The manager of a food business who believes that any of their employees is suffering from any of the conditions described above, should not allow that person to handle food before medical advice has been taken.


Documents

Food Safety Handbook