Will Your Festive Party Make You Ill This Year?

A Beverley based training company is launching a Food Safety awareness campaign for the festive period. A survey conducted by the company shows that 75% of those questioned said they had some form of “Tummy bug” over the Christmas period.

Steve Naldrett, director of ARDAN Training Consultancy Limited said  “With all the extra office parties in the run up to Christmas, people find themselves eating an increased amount of buffet foods, it is vital that party organisers and suppliers take all reasonable steps to protect the health of the partygoers”

Steve went on to say  “Organisers need to ensure they are purchasing their buffets from reputable companies who can prove that they have staff that are well trained and will ensure that all food is prepared, stored and served safely”

Some of the tips that Steve suggests to ensure you avoid food poisoning this Christmas: –

•    Ensure your suppliers have trained all their staff. Industry standards say Training certificates should not be more than 3 years old.
•    Have they trained their temporary staff?
•    Use a reputable supplier; ask to see their food hygiene certificates.
•    If there is a “Score on the Door” system in place see what your supplier scored on their last hygiene audit.
•    Make sure buffets are stored at the correct temperature, under 8C for chilled products and above 63C for hot products.
•    All buffets should be transported in clean temperature-controlled vehicles
•    All utensils, surfaces and equipment should be clean and disinfected.
•    Buffets should only be out of these temperatures for a minimum amount of time before being consumed.
•    Serving tongs and spoons should be used to avoid cross contamination from unwashed hands.
•    Use serving spoons for dips to avoid cross contamination from saliva.
•    Peanuts and Crisps are a trap for bacteria as people use their hands to serve themselves. (How many people do you observe not washing their hands?)
•    Be careful about taking “Doggy bags” home, unless you store them at the correct temperature
•    Do not eat leftover buffet items at the end of the night if have not been stored at the correct temperature, they could be contaminated with food poisoning bacteria.

Food poisoning is a common, usually mild illness. Sometimes though, it can cause death, especially in the elderly, the very young and people who are ill already.

Food poisoning happens when someone eats food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria or its toxins. Very occasionally, toxins from chemicals or pesticides can also cause food poisoning. It is very hard to tell if food and drink are contaminated because it looks, tastes and smells normal. Food poisoning can affect one person or a group of people, depending on whether they have all eaten the same contaminated food.

Most food poisoning is caused by the toxins produced by bacteria, or by the amount of bacteria itself. Some bacteria can multiply from one to millions in a very short period of time, given the right conditions of moisture, food, warmth and time. The more bacteria present, the higher the chance of infection and illness. The most common types of bacteria to cause infection are Campylobacter, E. Coli and salmonella. Some of the sources of these are raw meat, pets, sewage, and can be passed on, with unwashed hands.

The Food Standards Agency, estimates, that up to 5.5 million people in the UK are affected from food poisoning each year. Only a small number of these visit their GP or get medical advice. Most cases of food poisoning are not reported because people have mild symptoms and recover quickly. As a result, less than 100,000 cases a year are tested for the exact cause of food poisoning.

Ardan Training, who deliver food hygiene training to companies in the Hull and the East Riding are able to offer advice through their website on the topic of keeping food safe this Christmas. Why not phone Steve directly on 07967 104042.

• Ardan Training