Archive for February, 2009
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
A question that is often asked in food safety training is - ” so just what jewellery are we allowed to wear?”
There is no simple answer as it can really come down to a business decision.
The Food Standards Code (http://www.foodstandards.gov.au) requires that food business do whatever is reasonable to prevent contamination. Jewellery is obviously a source of contamination, through it and what is on it.
Ideally, there should be no jewellery, so that there is no likelihood of contamination, however this is generally not the case and there are some items of jewellery that are either required to be worn or have privacy issues.
If a staff member needs to wear a Medical Alert (SOS) bracelet or pendant then these obviously need to remain on the person. As a business you will need to find a way to ensure that these do not become a contamination source. A plain wedding ring is another item that will generally be accepted for privacy and religious reasons, but it must be kept clean and in good condition.
All other jewellery is allowed only at the business’s discretion. As an example, the business may allow a watch depending upon the business, but a clock in each room is a reasonable alternative and reduces contamination risk.
Workplace Health and Safety must also be considered and therefore, necklaces, rings, watches and bracelets can not only be a contamination issue but a significant safety concern as well. It is not uncommon for someone with a necklace to be pulled into a machine or fingers removed when a ring has been caught in moving parts.
Friday, February 27th, 2009
A Product Recall is like a wicketkeeper in cricket - there to stop the ball (product) getting past the batsman (food safety controls in a business) and out to the public. Recalls are required for food safety issues, and may also be implemented for quality problems.
There are many food recalls in Australia each year, and currently most of them are as a result of incorrect allergen labelling. For these, the product is fine but the labelling doesn’t declare all the allergens in that product, and therefore does not meet the labelling requirements of Chapter One of the Food Standards Code.
All food businesses that manufacture, import, distribute or wholesale product are required by the Food Standards Code to have a Product Recall program. This program must meet the requirements of the Product Recall Protocol, which can be found at www.foodstandards.gov.au
There are three types of Recalls as detailed in the Protocol;
- CONSUMER - the product needs to be retrieved from supermarkets or locations where it can be purchased by the public. Advertising and Recall Notices may be required.
- TRADE - the product has not yet reached consumer level and needs to be retrieved from warehouses and similar level
- MOCK - if a business has a Recall Program, they must be doing regular mock recalls on paper to test the effectiveness of the program. Product is not actually retrieved but a set percentage of the stock must be able to be found within a specific period of time - eg; 95% of the stock produced must be located within three hours of the Mock Recall start time.
A recall email is sent by the Recall Co-ordinator, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), within a day, to all who sign up for this free service at the Food Standards website - www.foodstandards.gov.au
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
Effective as of 13 September 2009, all flour used for making bread in Australia is to have Folic Acid added. Food businesses across Australia have been given two years to achieve this new requirement of the Food Standards Code.
Folic acid is a man made form of Folate, a B group Vitamin. Folic Acid is more readily absorbed by people.
Folate is required to prevent neural tube defects in pregnant women. Neural tube defects have been identified as a cause of Spina bifida. Women planning pregnancy must have at least 400 micrograms of Folate daily.
The addition of Folic Acid to bread making flour will enhance the amount of Folate in the average diet of women, although dietary supplements will most likely be needed to achieve the amount of Folate needed for pregnancy.
The amount added to the flour must achieve a level of 120 micrograms per 100grams (about three slices) of bread. Although it is not going to be legally required, the additional folic acid will most likely also be in other bakery goods, including; crumpets, pizza bases, scones and crumbed products.
This requirement will not, at this stage, apply to any organic, corn, rice or rye flour based products. It will still apply to the flour made and sold for domestic bread makers.
Customers will know that the folic acid has been added to the product because manufacturers must ensure that the ingredient list shows it as an ingredient.
More information can be found at www.foodstandards.gov.au
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
So is it OK to use wooden cutting boards in a kitchen?
Wood is a natural substance, that has many small holes in it’s surface. Cutting boards made from wood will also contain these holes, which can be a contamination source in a food business.
Small amounts of food can get into these holes, and then bacteria from that and the environment, can grow if the conditions are correct. This can therefore become a source of food poisoning.
If these holes are kept clean of all food and bacteria at all times, then these wooden boards may be considered suitable for use in a food business. The problem is that it can be extremely difficult to achieve the required level of cleanliness.
This is the reason why most food businesses will now use coloured plastic cutting boards. These boards have the advantage of no small holes to trap food and are therefore much easier to clean. Once they become too scratched and are likely to cause contamination, they should be dumped and replaced.
They are also considered to be an excellent tool for controlling cross contamination, with different coloured boards dedicated to specific foods.
It is OK to use wooden cutting boards if they can be kept very clean, but the coloured boards are superior because of their ease in cleaning and cross contamination control.
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
You walk into a café at lunchtime and order a chicken and salad wrap to be freshly made from the cold display. You notice that the staff member making the wrap doesn’t wear gloves. That’s against the law right???
Gloves are certainly expected by the public as they are seen to keep hands away from food, but are they legally required?
Gloves are intended to prevent or control contamination and if used properly, do an excellent job. The problem is that as many are not used correctly, they can easily become a contamination source themselves. As an example; we have all seen food staff handle money and then food whilst wearing gloves.
Chapter 3.2.2 of the Food Standards Code has a focus on the prevention or control of contamination. Gloves are only one tool used for that prevention. They should be worn whenever there is a likelihood of the hands contaminating the food or contact surfaces. This includes whenever hands contain the following examples of contamination; dressings / bandages, creams / medications, skin conditions, wounds, and long or decorated finger nails. Another occasion when gloves should be worn is if there is jewellery that can’t or won’t be removed.
Staff should be trained in when, and how, to wear gloves properly, and there must be constant checks to ensure they are doing so. Remember that some staff may be allergic to some glove types, so ensure that workplace health and safety issues are also addressed.
It is also important to ensure that gloves do not become a substitute for good hand washing, they are simply a tool to support it.
So are gloves legally required? The answer is yes, as a recognised tool to prevent contamination, at all other times it is simply a business decision as to whether, and when, gloves must be worn.
More information can be found at www.foodstandards.gov.au
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has attributed more than 500 food poisoning cases across at least 43 states, to a type of Salmonella in peanut butter and paste made by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) plant in Virginia.
The first cases appeared at the beginning of September, with the majority then occurring between October and December 2008. To date the FDA has also linked eight deaths to this food poisoning event. Those whose immune system is weakened have been more at risk.
The typical symptoms of Salmonella typhimurium are fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. The symptom onset is usually within 72 hours and can last for up to seven days for a healthy adult.
The affected product is only sold in large tubs for use in Hospitals, Aged Care Centres, hospitality businesses or for further processing as an ingredient in factories. The manufacturer has implemented a voluntary product recall across the US. More than 125 products, including; cookies, ice cream, cakes and even pet food, are being recalled by dozens of food companies throughout the country as a result. The FDA has set up on their website, a searchable list of recalled products containing the affected material.
This type of Salmonella is a very common cause of food poisoning but is not usually associated with peanut butter or paste, as the roasting process should kill it. However the FDA has found that the PCA plant has cleaning problems, and this may be a cause for the outbreak.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand, is obviously monitoring the situation in the US, and will take actions as needed to ensure that food in Australia remains safe and suitable.
More information can be found at www.foodstandards.gov.au or www.fda.gov
