TEY_10_1_2020

Teachearlyyears.com 81 ALLERGY AWARENESS There are 14 allergens that must be identified and labelled on food products… l Celery l Cereals containing gluten – including wheat (e.g. spelt and khorasan), rye, barley and oats l Crustaceans – such as prawns, crabs and lobsters l Eggs l Fish l Lupin l Milk l Molluscs – such as mussels and oysters l Mustard l Tree nuts – including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts l Peanuts l Sesame seeds l Soybeans l Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if they are at a concentration of more than 10 parts per million) Remember, it’s your responsibility to carry out ‘due diligence’ and ensure that deliberate or accidental contamination of additional allergens into food doesn’t happen. SOURCE: FSA Cases of food poisoning in the UK each year. 1m care safe. Food can become contaminated with unlabelled allergens and they may be accidentally introduced into the food at any stage, including by the supplier, during storage, during preparation and during service. CLEANING Cleaning and disinfecting food-handling and preparation areas is just as important as the cooking and preparation of the food. The main objective is to reduce bacteria to a safe level, remove conditions compatible to bacteria growth, remove conditions that will attract pests, provide a healthy and pest-free environment for the preparation of clean safe food, and comply with legal and moral obligations to keep food safe. PEST CONTROL A food pest is a creature that lives on or in human food. Pests can contaminate food with bacteria and disease, and cause physical contamination from urine, droppings, pet fur, feathers, etc. You must never ignore a potential pest problem: food premises have been, and will be, closed down as a direct result of pest infestation. Prevention is always better than cure. FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Legislation states that all food businesses must put in place “food safety management procedures”. These management procedures should follow the guidelines in the recognised food safety system known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). HACCP is a system that helps food business operators look at how they handle food and introduces procedures to make sure the food produced is safe to eat. You must ensure that l a permanent food safety management system is in place, l all records are to be kept up to date, and l procedures are reviewed regularly if any changes are experienced to either products or processes. As part of routine inspections, environmental health officers will check that the business has an appropriate HACCP-based food safety management system in place. FOOD COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES It’s essential to remember that your setting is classed as a place of business which serves food (even if you don’t charge for it directly), and you have a duty to report any food safety breaches to your local authority, who in turn will determine if the Food Standards Agency needs to be notified. MCW Nursery Support Service Ltd is a family-run business specialising in health and safety, auditing and training for the childcare industry. Visit mcwnss.co.uk “All food handlers must receive appropriate training in food safety practices.” R E A D M O R E A T Read Laura’s advice on infection control – visit bit.do/TEYinc