Improving Food Safety the essentials of hygiene a guide for vending Richard A. Sprenger Sponsored by:
food safety policy Food safety and quality are important both for the customer and those who work in the vending industry. Food in this context includes hot and cold drinks, confectionery and snacks, sandwiches, plated meals and all the other things to eat and drink which can be bought from a vending machine. High standards of food hygiene reduce the risk of food poisoning from spoilt food or food contaminated with foreign bodies. Sale of unfit or poor quality food could also lead to loss of reputation, possible prosecution and loss of business. Commitment to high standards of food hygiene will help you: sell good quality, safe food comply with the law maintain compliance with national standards keep premises and vehicles clean control pests prevent contamination develop good hygiene awareness maintain a good working relationship with enforcement officers Good food hygiene and quality is the responsibility of everyone who works in the vending industry. With the necessary equipment, facilities and training, high standards will be ensured. All those who look after vending machines should study this booklet and follow the guidance to avoid putting food and your customers at risk. for those of us in the vending industry, good hygiene is essential 2
germs and food poisoning Most food poisoning is caused by germs (bacteria). Food poisoning germs are found everywhere but especially on and in: people insects rodents pets refuse Germs are found everywhere in the food business at any time. You can t operate a food business without them being present. Some of them may be harmful. They are too small to see, but if they multiply to large numbers they are likely to make people who eat the food ill. The young, elderly, and sick people are most at risk from food poisoning which in extreme cases can lead to death. Germs may get onto your cleaning cloths and equipment (engineer s tools and operator s cleaning equipment), if you don t keep them clean or store them properly between jobs. As vending operators and engineers you need to take particular care with sandwiches, plated food and dry ingredients, such as milk powder. When cleaning and servicing machines you must avoid transferring germs from dirty areas (eg. outside of machine) to food contact surfaces. (Safe cleaning is discussed in greater detail on page 10.) 3
In order to grow and multiply germs need: warmth food moisture time This is why foods such as sandwiches and dairy products must be kept under refrigeration, and also why foods must be kept dry. Powdered food such as dairy products or soup mixes must be kept dry. Once water is added to powder food germs may begin to grow within minutes. Don t store opened packs in vending machines unless in an airtight container. Given the right conditions some food poisoning bacteria can double in number every ten minutes. This means that 1,000 bacteria can become 1 million in just over one and a half hours. 4
personal hygiene Food poisoning bacteria can be found: on the hands, especially if you have skin problems in cuts, boils, sores and spots in the intestine in the hair ears, nose and mouth and on clothes or uniforms remember: You are very likely to carry food poisoning germs and spread them to food if you are ill. You must advise your supervisor before you start handling food if you: feel ill, especially if you have sickness or diarrhoea, a bad cold, sore throat or discharges from the nose or ears. have food poisoning, cuts, septic spots, boils or other skin infections have been in close contact with someone with food poisoning or sickness and/or diarrhoea In some cases you will need medical clearance before handling food. Check with your supervisor. 5
personal hygiene essentials Keep yourself and your uniform clean. Remember to wear strong sensible shoes. Wash your hands thoroughly. Keep your nails clean and short. Don t bite them. Don t lick your fingers or spit. No nail varnish or false nails. Keep your hair clean and tidy. Don t scratch your head. Don t smoke or eat when working with food. Don t cough, sneeze or touch your mouth and nose whilst working with food. Don t wear earrings, hairgrips, rings, bracelets or wristwatches. Cover cuts with a waterproof dressing. A blue one if available. Don t wear strong aftershave or perfume. 6
when to wash your hands Wash your hands before starting work at a machine and after visiting the toilet. Wash your hands after touching your hair, eating, coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, handling waste food, refuse or even plants/flowers. Wash your hands after handling cleaning chemicals or equipment. Wash your hands after putting on a waterproof dressing or dealing with an ill person. If no handwashing facilities are available close to the machine use handwipes or other suitable cleaners. You should use disposable plastic gloves which should only be used once to protect your hands but remember they must be changed whenever you would otherwise wash your hands - e.g. after handling rubbish or cleaning chemicals. 7
how to wash your hands 1 Wet hands thoroughly 2 Use soap 3 Rub palms together 4 Rub the fingers 5 Rub the thumbs 6 Rinse hands thoroughly 7 Use paper towel for drying 8 Turn off the tap using the paper towel 8
cleaning Cleaning is essential to remove waste ingredients, grease and dirt which would encourage germs to grow and attract pests such as ants, rats and cockroaches. Dirty machines lose customers and without customers you don t have a job. Do not use dirty wiping cloths. Only use disposable cloths. Where the vending machine manufacturer provides a hygiene kit, be sure to use this. Always use separate cleaning equipment for cleaning food contact parts. Always clean food contact parts before cleaning other areas. Take extra care to clean the dispense head. Always remove visible dirt before starting to clean, as disinfection is not effective on dirty surfaces. Always follow the manufacturer s instructions when using cleaning chemicals and never leave open food about during cleaning. Replace defective cleaning equipment for example, bristles falling out of a brush. 9
cleaning vending machines Have clean hands and unused disposable gloves. Use hot water. Do not use hot water from the toilet area. Clean food and drink contact parts first. Remove any visible dirt from inside and outside machine. Fit hygiene kit if required. Follow cleaning instructions from the machine manufacturers. Dispose of waste and leave area clean and tidy. 10
temperature control Sandwiches and plated foods must be kept refrigerated. Regularly check and record the temperature displayed on sandwich and food machines to ensure the machine is working correctly. Always fill the sandwich machine with chilled product. If you load food at room temperature it will not be cooled down by the chiller. Do not load room temperature cans or confectionery into a sandwich machine as they will raise the internal temperature. Advise your supervisor if the temperature is too high or too low. Food may need to be discarded. 8 C 3 C KEEP BELOW 8 C Chilled foods such as microwave meals must be kept below 8 C. Sandwiches must be kept below 8 C. AIM FOR 3 C to 5 C Since legislation on temperatures varies from country to country, it is not possible to provide figures which apply everywhere. The temperatures given are indicative. Nevertheless, operators in a given country must at least comply with national legislation. Sandwiches and perishable food must be transported in chilled containers or trucks. 11 4 C
general food safety Do not use food in damaged packaging. Always store food at least 15cm off the floor. Pests may be responsible for destroying the food. remember: Don t store open packs in vending machines unless in an airtight container. cup handling Use the packaging sleeve as a glove. Don t touch cups with your hands. Alert your supervisor to any damage to machines or signs of pests (such as ants). This guidance applies to anyone who comes into contact with vending machines, parts or ingredients. European Vending Association 44 rue Van Eyck, 1050 Brussels, Belgium Tel + 32 2 512 00 75 Fax + 32 2 502 23 42 Email: vending@eva.be Web: www.eva.be Acknowledgements: The Automatic Vending Association EVA Hygiene Committee Editorial Board: Hugh Hose, Nestec Ltd. Toine Leemans, Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems International Mike Saltmarsh, Four Square Division of Mars UK Ltd In co-operation with: Francesca Barberi, CONFIDA Paul Brühl, BDV Anders Dillström, Jede AB Designed and published for the EVA by Highfield.co.uk Limited EVA/Highfield.co.uk Limited 2003 www.highfield.co.uk