Food Safety Policy and Procedure

Transcription

1 Food Safety Policy and Procedure Document Type Author Action Required Owner (Dept) Food Safety Policy and Procedure Health and Safety Officer Release Learning and Development Department Issue Date October 2014 Date of Review January 2016 Version 2

2 Contents 1. Policy Statement Scope Procedure Food Storage Hygiene Practices Cooking and Serving Cleaning Safety in the Kitchen Monitoring of Standards Non Domestic Food Preparation and Handling... 9 Appendices Appendix Appendix Appendix Appendix Page 2 of 13

3 1. Policy Statement 1.1 Every organisation must promote and maintain the highest possible standards of food hygiene and safety in line with the Food Safety Act 1990, Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 and other Food Safety and/or Health and Safety related Legislation. 1.2 There are other numerous reasons why effective food safety and hygiene practices are essential as outlined below Benefits of good practices include: Good health and nutrition (staff and those they support); Compliance with the Law; A good reputation; Absence of problems (food poisoning outbreaks, pest infestations etc ) Costs of poor practices include: Food poisoning outbreaks (possible death in those who may have compromised or frail immune systems), (high staff sickness absence and replacement costs); Fines and associated costs of Legal Action (including any Civil Action taken by those who are affected); A poor reputation. 1.3 Those most at risk from food poisoning are likely to be the elderly, the very young, those with compromised immune systems or complex disabilities and anyone who cannot understand the risks associated with eating out of date or spoiled food e.g. with or without visible mould present. 1.4 Individuals we support who have no interest in food (mental health problems, drug and/or alcohol abuse) and keeping themselves in a good state of nutrition may also be more at risk. 1.5 (Reference should be made to the Food Allocation Procedures and the Nutritional Needs Policy). 1.6 Although these groups of people may be more susceptible to illness through food poisoning anyone is potentially at risk. 1.7 Food Poisoning Culprits Food prepared too far in advance (stored at room temperature); Not re-heating to high enough temperatures to kill off bacteria; Using contaminated/spoiled ingredients; Undercooking; Not thawing frozen poultry or shellfish sufficiently; Cross contamination (raw/cooked foods); Infected food handlers & poor hygiene practices. Page 3 of 13

4 1.8 The Mungo Foundation therefore has a legal responsibility to ensure good and safe hygiene practices are adhered to and a moral responsibility to ensure the welfare of staff and individuals. This procedure is designed to give guidance through the different stages of the food cycle starting with purchasing and finishing with the serving of food. 2. Scope 2.1 All staff, individuals we support and volunteers involved with the purchase, storage, preparation, cooking, serving of food and the disposal of waste food. 3. Procedure 3.1 Supplier Controls In most cases the supplier will be the local Supermarket or Shop, Butcher, Baker, Fishmonger and Fruit and Vegetable Retailer. 3.2 Where possible all shopping trips should be made to reputable retail outlets. 3.3 Retail staff handling food should be appropriately dressed and the shop should look and smell clean and uncovered hands and hair should not touch food. 3.4 In the Supermarket when buying pre-packed foods check the sell by and the use by date and try not to buy items on the day they are to be used by if you know they cannot be used by that date or frozen. 3.5 If possible try to discourage individuals from purchasing nearly out of date reduced priced food unless it can be consumed by the use by date. 3.6 After purchase it is imperative that all perishable foods are placed in the appropriate storage e.g. in a clean sealed container or refrigerated or frozen. 4 Food Storage 4.1 Correct food storage is an important factor in food safety and storage conditions should ensure that the nutritional value, appearance and taste are of the highest standard possible. Page 4 of 13

5 4.2 Dry Food Stores (most often the kitchen cupboard) Dried and tinned foods should be stored in a dry cool area, preferably off the floor and away from walls and pipes affected by heat or condensation. The area should be kept clean and tidy; Opened dry foods should be placed in an airtight container to prevent spoiling and to discourage pests. 4.3 Fruit and Vegetables Fruit and vegetables should be stored in a dry, cool and well-ventilated area preferably separate from other foods; Fruit should be examined regularly for bruising and mould as this can quickly spread to other fruit causing it to rot. 4.4 Tinned Foods Blown tins, badly dented, holed or rusty tins must not be used and disposed of. Do not purchase dented tins from the Retailer. Remember tinned foods have a shelf-life also and these should be checked; Part-used tins of food should not be placed directly in the fridge but emptied into a sealed container first. 4.5 Chilled Foods Fridges should be stored in well-ventilated areas away from heat sources and out of direct sunlight; Fridges should operate at temperatures of around 5ºC; A thermometer should be placed in the fridge and staff should check and record the temperatures on a weekly basis (see Appendix 1); Defrosting and cleaning should be carried out as often as is necessary, avoiding highly perfumed cleaning agents; Fridges should not be overloaded and raw foods kept separate from cooked foods remembering to place raw foods at the bottom of the fridge; Hot food must never be place directly into the fridge as this would raise the temperature of the food already being stored. It can also encourage condensation which can contaminate food; Any spillages should be cleaned immediately. Page 5 of 13

6 4.6 Frozen Foods Freezers should be placed in well ventilated areas away from direct sunlight and should operate at -18ºC, freezer temperatures should also be checked on a weekly basis (see Appendix 1); Check the information on purchased food e.g. that readymade meals can be frozen some products are not suitable for freezing; Foods placed in the freezer should be well wrapped in suitable packaging to avoid the handler getting a freezer burn and spillages occurring; If placing home cooked foods in the freezer, these should be labeled with the date they were cooked and used within an appropriate time period; Expiry dates on purchased foods must also be checked as items can only be stored for a certain amount of time e.g. up to 3, 6, 9 or 12 months; All foods should be thawed thoroughly before use unless indicated on the packaging that it can be cooked from frozen ; When defrosting frozen food ensure the food is placed on a plate and follow the defrosting instructions e.g. defrost at room temperature for 3 hours, defrost in the fridge for 5 hours etc; Unless specified as safe to do so defrosted food should not be re-frozen. Fridges and freezers should have their temperatures checked and recorded on a weekly basis. (See Appendix 1) 4.7 Stock Rotation Regular checks should be made on short life perishable foods and ensure to use the foods which are closest to the use by or best before dates first; Food which is out of date or not fit for consumption (e.g. smells, mould or curdled) must be disposed of via the food waste protocols. 4.8 Food Preparation The observation of good hygiene practices during food preparation is an important part of preventing food poisoning. Raw food must be prepared on a different surface and where possible, a different area from other foods e.g. using chopping boards; Raw foods, fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before use; Lids must be replaced on food containers as soon as possible after use; The handling of food should be as minimal as possible and food should not; be left out in warm or humid environments or near an open window or door; Pets should not be in the kitchen area when preparing or cooking food. 5 Hygiene Practices 5.1 All staff must comply with effective hygiene practices when preparing, cooking and serving food, especially where they may be supporting someone to eat and drink. Staff must strictly adhere to the following: Page 6 of 13

7 Wash hands before and after preparing and cooking of food, after a visit to the toilet and after touching pets; Wash hands after assisting an individual with personal care; Wash hands before and after assisting an individual with eating and drinking; Wash hands before eating own meal; Ensure all cuts are covered with a clean and detectable waterproof dressing; Do not scratch, cough, sneeze or blow nose over food; Avoid touching nose, mouth, inner ear or other body areas whilst preparing and cooking food; Do not smoke whilst cooking; Tie back long hair; Report any skin, throat or bowel problems to your Line Manager. 6 Cooking and Serving Thorough cooking is important to destroy harmful bacteria. After cooking food should be eaten as soon as possible, if food is to be re-heated for immediate consumption this must be heated to a temperature of at least 82ºC this is a legal requirement in Scotland; Cover sneezes and coughs whilst cooking and do not scratch or blow nose directly over the food. If tasting the food use a clean spoon (not fingers) and then place the used spoon for washing do not put the spoon back into the food once food has been tasted (double dipping); Microwave cooking is a safe method of cooking provided the cooking instructions are followed. It is essential to be aware of the wattage of the microwave oven and to follow any specific instructions on the packaging or cook book; Be aware microwave food can often be extremely hot immediately following the cooking process; Food probes should be used to check the temperature of main meals especially where these have been re-heated before serving. The food must have attained a temperature of 82 C and a record of this should be noted using (Appendix 3) below. Please note this requirement is only for those situations where staff are cooking and/or re-heating food and assisting the individual to eat; All serving utensils, crockery and cutlery must be clean and dry before use; Food which has been cooked and is to be stored in the fridge or freezer must be allowed to cool properly before being covered and placed in either the fridge or freezer; After eating, all waste food must be discarded immediately, secured and disposed of properly to prevent pests, birds or animals getting into it. Page 7 of 13

8 7 Cleaning It is important to remove any food matter or liquids on which bacteria could grow in to reduce the risk of work surface contamination, food spoilage and food poisoning; All crockery, cutlery and plastic shopping boards should be (ideally) washed and air dried in a domestic dishwasher to ensure effective cleaning. All other cooking equipment including wooden chopping boards, electric mixer, food processors must be washed by hand; Where a dishwasher cannot be used, rubber gloves can be worn to allow hotter water in the sink or basin to be used for washing dishes. The water must be changed frequently depending on the amount of crockery/cutlery/pots and how thorough they need to be cleaned; Staff must clean as they go using hot water, detergents, disinfectants and sanitizers (as per risk assessment) this will include the work surfaces, sink, the cooker, waste bin, oven and microwave even the kettle and toaster need cleaning from time-to-time also; Disposable cloths are preferred; Cleaning cloths and tea towels must be regularly changed and floor mops cleaned, rinsed, dried and replaced as necessary; Any cleaning schedule (see Appendix 2) should also include the fridge, freezer (including defrosting), cooker hoods and extraction fans, kitchen floors and the cupboards where food is stored; Keep refuse separate from edible food; Any indication of pest infestation (mice, ants, cockroaches, wasps, birds etc) should be dealt with immediately; Good housekeeping practices should be adopted and consistently carried out in all kitchen areas. 8 Safety in the Kitchen 8.1 Staff should adhere to common sense safety precautions whilst preparing and cooking food and these include: Be careful with sharp knives if an accident happens rinse the cut under cold water and apply a clean, waterproof dressing if food becomes contaminated with blood then it must be thrown out and disposed of; Never attempt to catch a falling knife, let it drop to floor level, clean it before re-use or get another one; Risk assessment information should be referred to, for safe use and storage of sharp knives e.g. in a drawer (locked if necessary) or knife block; Be careful when dealing with broken glass use a brush and pan then discard the glass safely e.g. wrapped in thick newspaper and then into the rubbish bin; Never leave metal spoons in boiling liquids and do not leave saucepan handles overhanging hot plates or gas flames; Avoid dangling items of clothing, sleeves over gas or electric rings; Page 8 of 13

9 Never pour water on a fat or oil fire use a fire blanket and call the Fire & Rescue Service if necessary; Always mop up spillages especially on the floor; Keep chemicals out of reach, locked away if necessary and away from food; Use oven gloves when removing food from the oven or grill; Be vigilant when moving hot liquids from one surface to another and never use a damp or wet cloth to hold a hot handle it may slip; Be aware of small children and pets when cooking; Remember to switch off all cooker rings, grill and oven when not in use; Carry out a risk assessment of the kitchen environment and the preparation/cooking of food if this is necessary and appropriate e.g. if the individual is preparing and cooking meals and you are concerned they may be at risk of injury or accidental food poisoning. 9 Monitoring of Standards All staff who handle, prepare, cook and serve food must be made aware of this Procedure; Staff who have symptoms of food poisoning or Diarrhoea and/or Vomiting should not prepare, cook or handle food; It is recommended that staff receive food safety training commensurate with their responsibilities. Consideration should also be given to individuals nutrition training and good hygiene practices; Managers must ensure that good food hygiene and safety standards are regularly monitored and any issues identified are appropriately dealt with; Any outbreaks (be vigilant to two or more people with same symptoms over a short period of time) of Diarrhoea and/or Vomiting must be investigated and reported to the appropriate Authority where this is necessary; Recommendations from Environmental Health Officers (where appropriate) must be actioned; 10 Non Domestic Food Preparation and Handling 10.1 Larger services that have kitchens and are preparing frequent amounts of food or for large numbers of people may be required to do a more in depth assessment (as directed by Environmental Health Officers) Some projects will be strictly adhering to the requirements of the Cooksafe/HACCP based systems, inclusive of forms, records and guidance. Where Cooksafe or similar systems are implemented, they will supersede the guidance contained in this procedure This document should be read in conjunction with the Nutritional Needs Policy, the Food Allocation Procedure and the Infection Control Policy & Procedures. Page 9 of 13

10 APPENDIX 1 FRIDGE AND FREEZER TEMPERATURE RECORD THIS IS A WEEKLY CHECK ONLY AND CAN BE DONE ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK Week Commencing.. Fridge Day Time erature Signature Comments Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Freezer Day Time erature Signature Comments Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Please photocopy before use. If you have more than 1 fridge or freezer then each appliance should have a record and you will have to be able to identify them e.g. fridge 1 or freezer 2 in the garage etc. Page 10 of 13

11 APPENDIX 2 CLEANING SHEDULE Week Commencing.. Item Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Cooker Oven Microwave Fridge Freezer Cupboards Worktops Sink Bins Floor Tick when item has been cleaned and initial. Add in other items or equipment specific to your environment. Page 11 of 13

12 APENDIX 3 Food eratures Week Commencing.. Food item (e.g. lunch mince and tatties) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week Commencing.. Food item (e.g. dinner chicken curry) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday The enclosed Assessment Chart (Appendix 1) has been made available to assist in the first aid assessment process. Page 12 of 13

13 APPENDIX 4 Q. What aspects should you consider? A. The impact on first aid provision 1. What are the risks of injury and ill health arising from the work as identified in your risk assessment? If the risks are considerable and are without adequate control measures, you may need to employ First aiders. 2. Are there any specific risks? i.e. working with: Hazardous substances Dangerous tools Dangerous machinery Dangerous loads or animals You may need to consider: Specific training for first aiders Extra first aid equipment Precise siting of first aid equipment 3.Are there parts of your establishment where different levels of risk can be identified i.e. workshops etc? You will probably need to make different levels of provision in different parts of your establishment. 4. Are large numbers of people employed at the work location? 5. What is your record of accidents and cases of ill health? What type are they and where did they happen? You may need to employ first aiders to deal with the higher probability of an accident. You may need to: Locate your first aid provision in certain areas Review the contents of your first aid box 6. Are there inexperienced employees on site, or employees with disabilities or special health problems? 7. Are the premises spread out i.e. several or multistorey buildings? You will need to consider: Special equipment Local siting of equipment You will need to consider provision in each building or on several floors. 8. Is there shift work or out of hours working? Remember that there needs to be first aid provision at all times while people are at work. 9. Is your work place remote from emergency medical services? 10. Do you have employees who travel a lot or who work alone? 11. Do you or any of your employees work at sites occupied by other employers? You will need to: Inform local medical services of your location Consider special arrangements with the emergency services You will need to: Consider issuing personal first aid kits and training staff in their use Consider issuing personal communicators to employees You will need to make arrangements with the other site occupiers. 12. Do you have any work experience trainees? First aid provision must cover them. 13. Do members of the public visit your site? You have no legal responsibilities for non-employees, but HSE strongly recommends you include them in your first aid provision. 4. Do you have employees with reading or writing difficulties. You will need to make special arrangements to ensure that first aid information is suitable. Page 13 of 13