The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently updated its Q&A document related to the February 2011 guidance document on the control of cross contamination with E.coli 0157. The Q&A document has been updated to reflect some of the comments and additional questions received since the publication of the February guide.
E.coli 0157 has been the cause of some high profile food poisoning outbreaks over recent years with one of the latest being that in South Wales in 2005 where 157 children were sickened across some 44 schools resulting in the death of one child.
The Q&A document contains a variety of new questions ranging across a spectrum of issues including:
Making raw fruit and vegetables grown in soil ready to eat
This section looks at methods of removing potential sources of contamination such as soil from fresh fruit and vegetables during preparation. Controls during storage are also vital, ensuring that unwashed or unprepared vegetables are stored below or separately from ready to eat foods.
The washing of fruit and vegetables in chlorine solutions
The Q&A document does not recommend the use of chlorine in catering or domestic kitchens as its benefit is not especially effective. Indeed, decontamination of produce during washing appears to be due to physical agitation rather than the effect of washing aides such as chlorine.
Understanding the requirements of ‘complex equipment’
Complex equipment is the term used to describe any equipment that cannot be cleaned in its entirety i.e. it needs to be dismantled to be cleaned properly. Examples include vacuum pack machines, meat slicers, mincers etc. The basic foundation of the guidance is that such equipment should be dedicated for either raw or ready to eat foods and there should be no cross over between the two.
Design and layout of food preparation areas
Good segregation of raw and ready to eat food preparation areas is a key control to avoiding cross contamination. The new Q&A document recognises that small kitchens may not always be capable of having such segregations and as such control measures to avoid cross contamination are discussed in detail.
Handling of raw and cooked foods in small service areas
Small businesses may only have one person serving raw and ready to eat food items which may lead to cross contamination occurring. Therefore controls to avoid such cross contamination are detailed as being the same for a business where there are multiple serving staff with the focus being placed on hand washing, the use of separate utensils and avoiding contact between raw and ready to eat foods.
Avoiding cross contamination with probe thermometers
The Q&A guide recognises that probe thermometers can be a vehicle of cross contamination, especially when testing the temperature of part cooked products or ground meat products such as burgers. The recommendation for disinfection of the probe on all occasions is made.
Alternative equipment disinfection methods
Alternative options for the disinfection of equipment are available other than ensuring equipment is chemically disinfected or placed through a dishwasher rinse cycle above 82oC e.g. steaming. Such methods are recognised as being effective although the point is made that heavy soiling should be removed from equipment prior to steaming to ensure efficacy of disinfection.
Further Information
For more information post a query below or view the entire Q&A document by visiting the Food Standards Agency website. Here you will also find the guidance and a fact sheet which you could display for your staff to read.
