As you may already be aware, the ‘Lion Mark’ was re-instated in 1998. What you may not be aware of is what the logo is fully telling you. Most people see it as a sign of quality, which is true to a certain extent, but more importantly it demonstrates that the farm where the egg originates adheres to a stringent Code of Practice; The Lion Quality Code of Practice.

This Code of Practice includes the compulsory vaccination against Salmonella enteritidis along with full traceability of eggs, hens and feed, and periodic audits by an independent party. The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) keep a database of all approved subscribers to the Lion mark scheme and if ever a farm is found to have any critical non-conformances they are immediately suspended from the scheme pending appropriate remedial action. In addition to this there are also financial penalties for critical non-conformities.

The only question is, is it working?

In 2001 the government’s advisory committee on the microbiological safety of food gave a resounding yes, stating that poultry vaccinations had reduced Salmonella cases by more than half. Further reports and investigations completed by the Food Standard Agency and Health Protection Agency also highlighted the quality of British Lion eggs. The 2004 investigation by the Heath Protection Agency they found 7% of imported eggs tested positive for Salmonella, whereas when the same quantity of Lion Marked eggs were tested no Salmonella was detected (www.lioneggs.co.uk/page/eggsafety). This does not mean that Salmonella has been eliminated from British eggs entirely though. Remember, though the Lion Mark scheme is effective, it is not ‘fool proof’ and some eggs may still contain Salmonella. In addition to this, only 85% of eggs produced in the UK meet the standards required by the Lion Mark scheme. During a survey completed by the European Food Safety Authority in 2007, 8% of commercial laying flock holdings were found to be infected with Salmonella enteritidis or Salmonella typhimurium.

By comparison however, the average for EU member states was 20.4% infected with several reporting more than 50%.

Regulations (EC) 1168/2005 and 2160/2003 were put into place to monitor and reduce Salmonella in poultry. The UK was set the target of 10% reduction each year over a three year period. The Control of Salmonella in Poultry Regulations 2008 enforces a National Control Programme for Laying Flocks that implements the requirements of the regulations.

The European Food Safety Authority now considers British eggs to be among the safest in the world. This does not mean we are able to start eating raw eggs risk free though and safety measures should always be implemented when using eggs whether Lion Mark approved or not.

Golden rules:

• Keep eggs refrigerated – If salmonella is present, by keeping the eggs below 7°C slows down the rate at which they multiply.
• Buy from reputable suppliers – This helps ensure hygiene standards are met and that correct procedures are used.
• Never use cracked eggs – these are likely to now be contaminated as the shell is no longer protecting the eggs contents from external bacteria that maybe present, including Salmonella.
• Cook thoroughly – Heat is your best method for destroying Salmonella and other bacteria that maybe present.
• Once cooked serve/eat promptly – As with all other foods that have been cooked, strict time and temperature controls must be used to prevent any bacteria that may still be present from multiplying.
• Unused/left over foods that contain eggs must be refrigerated - strict time and temperature controls must be used to prevent any bacteria that may still be present from multiplying.
• Pasteurised eggs should be used for recipes requiring raw eggs e.g. Mayonnaise – Pasteurisation means the egg has been heat treated to eliminate any Salmonella bacteria present to a safer level.
• Use Lion Marked eggs – this is a simple control to ensure better product safety.

One factor however that cannot be avoided is the fact that all eggs on sale in the UK, both in shell egg and in other products such as cakes, are not always from the UK. Simple checks on the packaging and labelling of shell eggs will demonstrate that the egg was laid from a UK flock. This however, is not so simple when checking the ingredients of a pre made item such as a cake. It is therefore of major importance that all manufacturers take note of their egg suppliers accreditations and ensure that their products come from the best and safest sources.

For more information on Lion Branding, please visit the British Egg Industry Council website.

Beverley Hanmore

Consultant

Cambridgeshire Butcher fined £8000 for hygiene offences

A butcher from Eaton inCambridgeshire was fined £8,000 and order to pay costs of £6,450 after pleading guilty to six offences. EHO’s found equipment to be in a poor condition, cleaning standards to be below requirements and the wash hand basin was out of service. Inspecting Officers also witnessed a member of staff refusing to wash his hands between handling raw meat and ready to eat products whilst serving a customer. Following the inspection, the butcher surrendered various food items and agreed to no longer sell ready to eat food. The business has now closed.

Golf Club fined after employee loses finger in ball cleaner

A golf club in Warwickshire has been fined £13,500 following an accident where an employee lost part of a finger in an unguarded ball cleaner. The employee had been trying to release a stuck gold ball in the machine and easily by-passed the guard whereupon his fingers were drawn into the machinery. Injuries included partial amputation to the left-hand index finger and injuries to his middle and ring fingers. The company pleaded guilty to failing to take specific steps to control the hazards of guarding being bypassed or disabled and also failed to provide adequate health and safety information, instruction and training. Costs of £8,000 were awarded to the Council and compensation of £5,000 to the employee.

Take Away owner fined £5,000 for food hygiene offences

A take away owner in Cambridgeshire has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay council costs of £2,659 following prosecution. EHO’s inspected the premises following a complaint where a customer found their pizza base to be mouldy. The inspection revealed uncooked pizza bases stacked outside the staff toilet. Additionally there was no food safety management system in place as the use of the Safer Food Better Business system had lapsed.

Chlorine Gas release gym fined £20,000

A gym has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £59,000 following a chlorine leak at its facility in Hove. The spa pool had been over dosed with chlorine leading to a chlorine gas release which could have been harmful to gym users and staff. Staff were found to have incorrectly monitored the chlorine content of the spa pool and as a result had added further chlorine. Staff were not being trained and supervised adequately and an internal audit carried out by management only a month before had highlighted health and safety problems, the club failing 16 out of 20 of its own standards. The court was also told that the water was so caustic, that anyone entering the pool would have been seriously burned.

Every year there are hundreds of major accidents in the catering and hospitality industry caused by slips and trips. The occupations most affected are kitchen assistants, chefs and waiting staff.

Did you know?

• The cost to society and employers is over £1.3 billion per year. It is estimated the financial burden to NHS alone is over £133 million annually;

•  Slips and trips account for 50% of all reported accidents to members of the public who visit places of work;

•  Slips, trips and falls from the same level account for over a third of all reported major injuries, 20% of over-3-day injuries to employees and 2 fatalities annually.

Case Studies

A young chef was injured following a slip and trip which consequently immersed his left hand into a fryer unit full of hot oil. He sustained severe burns to his arm, parts of his chest and neck. The main cause of the accident was a greasy floor which had not been cleaned correctly. Poor awareness led to cardboard being used in an attempt to soak up the grease, but instead it caused a tripping hazard, which was made worse by the unsuitable footwear.

In similar accident, a 16 year-old employee slipped on water leaking from a broken ice-making machine and flashed fried her arm in deep fat fryer at 360^OC. The local authority prosecuted the company and on a successful conviction the magistrates imposed a total fine of £15000.

A female employee spent 11 days in a high-dependency unit when she fractured her skull after slipping in the dishwashing area of the kitchen. Her injuries were so severe she has not been able to return to work since the accident.

Investigation found that four similar incidents had occurred in the same kitchen during the previous 12 months, yet the company had done little to correct an obvious slip hazard. The main cause of the accident was unsuitable flooring .Modification or replacement of the floor surface would have reduced the risk of slipping. In addition, footwear with good slip resistance may have reduced the risk further.

Source: HSE 2005

What are the causes of slips and trips in workplace?

Most slips in the kitchen occur on wet or dirty floors and are caused mainly by food spills which have not been mopped up quickly or as a result of cooking process that has contaminated the floor. Other causes include an overflowing sink dripping onto the floor, flooring with a poor slip resistance and footwear with inadequate grip.

The majority trips in are due to poor housekeeping, especially the careless positioning of food deliveries and cables. Damaged flooring and insufficient lighting also increase the risk of trips in the kitchen.

What must we do?

Employers have legal obligation to ensure employees and anyone else who could be affected by your work are kept safe from harm.   This simply means slip and trips risks must be controlled to ensure people do not slip, trip and fall.

How can I prevent slips and trips in the Kitchen?

Prevention is often simple and cost effective and usually begins by conducting suitable and sufficient risk assessment. Once you identified the hazards you can decide on the preventative measures, which include:

• Selecting the right footwear –urethane and rubber soles with a good tread are often among the least slippery on wet floors.

•  Preventative maintenance will reduce the likelihood of leaks from equipment and trips from uneven flooring;

•  Cleaning the floor regularly will improve its grip and remove other potential slips and trip hazards;

•  Good housekeeping will prevent boxes and pans and other obstacles being left on the floor.

What you like to know more?

The HSE have further information and guidance to help you prevent slips and trips accidents in the catering and hospitality industry.  This information can be found on the HSE website.

Slips and Trips accidents is a subject covered on all STS health and safety courses. We also specialise in tailoring our training programmes to environments in which the candidates work, especially the catering and hospitality industry.

Call Leon Lemon on 01252 728300 to find out how STS can help you maximise the benefits in training your team.

Peter Rose

Training Manager

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 82^oC 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.

The Awards were held at the Landmark Hotel, London on the 24^th of November. The trophy for ‘Best Training Company’ was presented to STS’s Training Manager, Peter Rose, by the Chairman of SOFHT, Simon Houghton-Dodd.

This annual ceremony recognises and celebrates excellence within the food industry and was attended by cross section of professionals, including speakers Ross Warburton, Executive Director at Warbutons and Ben Collins, formerly Top Gear’s ‘the Stig’.

The Society of Food Hygiene & Technology (SOFHT) was established in 1979 as an independent body, whose role is to offer support through membership to anyone involved in food hygiene and technology issues.

Five reasons why our nomination stood out from the competition

The winning nomination for ‘Best Training Company’ was decided by a judging panel of esteemed professionals, who required documented evidence and recommendations to demonstrate how STS deliver an innovative and superior training service.

The team at STS had a good think about how we could demonstrate this to the panel. After numerous cups of tea and coffee, we outlined five key reasons why STS should win the award for ‘Best Training Company’:

1. We always put the delegate at the centre of learning by using brain friendly methods to make training fun, interactive and meaningful. These methods include humour and challenging activities to anchor key information into long term memory.

2. We demonstrated to the judging panel our inclusive teaching and learning strategy supported delegates from diverse backgrounds. This approach was based on years of training experience and grounded theory in what they needed to maximise their learning potential.

3. We stated how we continuously changed our teaching and learning strategy to the operational needs of our customers by listening to what they had to say.

4. We could provide evidence that over 94% of delegates passed the exam first time. This was not easy goal to achieve!

5. We demonstrated that our team provided a level of professionalism that went far beyond the constraints of a job description or service level agreement.

Last but not least STS would like to say a big thank you to clients of STS who wrote complimentary nominations for us, which served as testament to our training services.

What’s next…?

The Managing Director, Neil Rush, has already put up a shelf for our latest award and we are already planning for the next awards in 2012.

Would you like to know more about how STS can help you?

STS work in partnership with a cross section of clients within the food service sector. Our experience and enthusiasm offer excellent value for money for all your educational needs. We listen to what you really want from a professional training service.

Call a member of the team on 01252 728300 or email your enquiry to the team@sts-solutions.co.uk

Peter Rose

Training Manager

John was nominated and shortlisted for this award as recognition for his exceptional depth and breadth of expertise, and sheer dedication and contribution to the industry over 41 years.

During John’s 21 years as Technical Manager with STS, John has undertaken thousands of audits, tirelessly travelling throughout the UK.

Registered with UKAS to audit against BRC food and storage & distribution standards, John also audits against STS and Public Sector Codes of Practice.

John’s auditing skills and understanding are extremely well rounded, as previously in his career John was Operation’s Manager for an inflight airline company at Heathrow, and inspected major food businesses as food team manager at the London Borough of Hounslow.

An acknowledgement to his knowledge in food safety, John achieved the prestigious Fellow of the CIEH, and is well respected by suppliers and colleagues within the food industry.

STS would like to thank all those who nominated john for this award, including Tina Georgiadis from Capital Catering.  Here is a quote from Tina’s nomination:

‘As an Auditor for STS, we, at Capital Catering Company have known you for more than 10 years.

If any portion of your skills, knowledge, wisdom, attention to detail and above all your patient encouragement has been passed on to any of your customers, it is a legacy you should feel proud of To be ‘guided’ through the modern-day ‘Food Safety Systems’ by you, has been a privilege and we will do our very best to maintain your high standards. Your thorough and tenatious approach towards reaching and sustaining the required standards as well as your enthusiasm and sense of humour has been an inspiration!’

STS would like to sincerely  thank John for all his hard work, dedication and congratulate John on being shortlisted for this award.

STS also won Best Training Company at the Sofht Awards.