A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH

A matter of life or death

Everyone who works with food has a big responsibility. This booklet tells you what you need to know about safe food handling.

Every time we handle food we can contaminate it. So handle food as little as possible. If in doubt, ask your manager or supervisor.

Fact File:

In December 1996 nearly 20 people died from just one outbreak of food poisoning in Scotland. 500 people were seriously ill.

REMEMBER

Poor food handling causes:

Food poisoning

Food spoilage

Foreign body contamination

These can lead to:

Illness

Complaints

Even worse to:

Lost customers

Death!

Prosecution

Bacteria: meet the enemy

Bacteria are everywhere. We even carry billions of them in our own bodies.

Most are harmless, but some are more dangerous. The ones we worry about most come from raw foods, especially raw meat. Or those that get on our hands when we go to the lavatory.

We must keep them out of ready-to-eat foods. Bacteria are also more dangerous in large numbers. They can grow quickly in food left at warm temperatures. Keep food in the fridge for as long as possible.

Factfile:

At the right temperature, one bacterium can grow to 16 million in 8 hours.

REMEMBER

Stop contamination from:

Raw food (keep it separate)

Unclean equipment

Food handlers

Control bacteria by:

Keeping food hot or cold

Cooking it properly

Follow the cleaning schedules

Cool food quickly

A serious business

Food poisoning is serious. At least 100,000 people suffer every year and many more are not recorded.

If you're lucky, you feel terrible for 2 or 3 days with violent sickness, diarrhoea and piercing stomach pains.

Many are not so lucky. The illness can be much worse and every year dozens die because someone has mishandled food.

More from Tolley next issue.