Category

Food Safety

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Pass your audit first time with these 6 steps

Whether you have a food safety or health and safety audit on the way, here are a few steps you can take to ensure a smooth and successful audit. 1. Prepare the site Unfortunately, when it comes to audits, it is often true that by failing to prepare you really are preparing to fail. The impression of an organised operation during an audit is invaluable. By ensuring you have the necessary documents to hand when asked for, you are proving to the auditor that you operate to professional standards within your business and... Read More

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Stay Warm and Safe with FlexiTog Workwear

Working in low temperatures can create significant risk to employee health, short term and long term. If you are frequently exposed to cold temperatures at work, it is vital that you enlist appropriate workwear to keep you warm and safe. Just an hour or two’s exposure to cold temperatures can cause health issues such as swelling and soreness. These symptoms can worsen if exposure to cold continues. For those working in wet or damp cold conditions are at a greater health risk. If employees find that their feet are consistently... Read More

Benefits of a Food Safety Certification

Benefits of Food Safety Certification The presence of a food safety and quality management certification provides evidence that a business operates to a recognised high standard for food hygiene and safety. This can be an important consideration for potential customers who are looking to safeguard their supplier chain. Third party certifications are awarded based on the results of independent audits evaluated against accepted national and international industry standards. The presence of a third party certification such as BRC or SALSA, provides existing and potential customers with confidence in the safety... Read More

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Newport Salmonella Outbreak – Potential Link to Watermellons

One person has died and at least 50 more have fallen ill from salmonella poisoning which may be linked to watermelons imported from Brazil. The outbreak, which began in December, is believed to involve packs of ready-to-eat sliced watermelon. Health chiefs say the public can protect themselves by washing all types of fruit and vegetables. The one British fatality was suffering from a number of other underlying health problems. Details of the outbreak – involving the Salmonella Newport form of the bug – were revealed by the Health Protection Agency,... Read More

FSA Updates answers on cross-contamination control

            The Food Standards agency has published the second edition of the Q&A on its guidance document ‘E.coli 0157:control of cross-contamination’. http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/enforcement/crosscontaminationqanda.pdf The new version of the Q&A address a number of issues that have arisen since the original document was published in June 2011. Among the issues addressed are: expanded information on the scientific basis of the guidance a definition of ‘complex equipment’ detailed advice on ‘temporary clean areas’ applicable to ALL food businesses advice on the preparation and use of fruit and vegetables for ready-to-eat... Read More

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FSA Updates its Advice on E. coli

  Following further cases of E. coli in France, the Food Standards Agency is revising its guidance on the consumption of sprouted seeds such as alfalfa, mung beans (usually known as beansprouts) and fenugreek.   Following reports of E. coli cases in France, the Agency is, as a precaution, advising that sprouted seeds should only be eaten if they have been cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout. They should not be eaten raw.To date, no cases of food poisoning have been reported in the UK linked to the outbreak in France. The Agency also advises that equipment... Read More