20 CRAFTBUTCHER l MAY 2018
FOOD HYGIENE
IF YOU SELL READY-TO-EAT PIES YOU MAY BECOME PART OF A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER FOOD SAMPLING PROJECT
As Richard Stevenson
flagged up last month the FSA have expressed concern that the incidence of listeriosis in England and Wales has doubled since 2001, with a largely unexplained increase in people aged 60 years and over.
An Outbreak of Human
Listeriosis in England between 2010 and 2012 was associated with the Consumption of Pork Pies. Where 14 cases of Listeriosis occurred between 2010 and 2012 and which were linked to pork pies: the contamination was associated with the process of adding gelatin to the pies aſter cooking.
As a result Environmental
Health Departments throughout the UK will be shortly participating in a nationwide food sampling study to assess the overall quality and microbiological safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) pastry based foods. Products sampled will be pies, pasties, sausage rolls, etc. Te samples will be taken from cold cabinets, refrigerated display and products displayed at ambient temperature.
Te samples will be
collected from any catering or retail operation including:
• Market stalls/markets • Convenience stores • Bakers • Supermarkets • Butchers • Takeaway • Restaurant/café • Mobile vendor • General shop • Hotel/guest house • Public house
Samples will be collected by Local Authority food enforcement officers who will require Information from each premises sampled. Tey will complete a study questionnaire and ask: • Whether the sample was pre packed • Premise type • Storage/display temperature
No advance notice of the
sample visits to the premises will be given. Where possible the sampling officers will try to sample a variety of products.
Samples will undergo microbiological testing for:
Te detection of a
pathogen (food poisoning bacteria) or elevated levels of indicator organisms will be communicated to the sending authority. Detection of a pathogen in the ready- to-eat food will be dealt with in accordance with the HPA Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of Ready-to-Eat Foods Placed on the Market (2009) and conveyed to the local authority as a matter of urgency. Te local authority will be expected to investigate the reason for the poor sample test result. Tis may result in further sampling or some form of legal action.
Te samples collected will:
• Be ready-to-eat without any cooking or further preparation by the consumer. • Be hot held, chilled or ambient • Can be open (e.g. delicatessen) • Can be wrapped/packaged on the premises or elsewhere • Can be contained in a closed package
• Aerobic colony count • Escherichia coli • Bacillus cereus • Enterobacteriaceae • Coagulase positive staphylococci • Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria species by enumeration and enrichment • Clostridium perfringens will also be tested if the product is meat based.
All data from the study will
be collated by PHE. Following analysis of the data, a report will be produced within a reasonable time following the end of the study period which will be made available to all Local Authorities and the Food Standards Agency.
Te study will run for seven
months from April 2018 to October 2018. n
Principal EHO at Horsham District Council
Te results will be
interpreted using the Guidelines for Assessing the Microbiological Safety of RTE Foods Placed on the Market (HPA 2009).
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