Prerequisite programmes are practices and operational conditions that are essential for the production, handling and provision of food that is safe to eat. This term can also be referred as ‘good manufacturing practice’ or good ‘hygienic practice’. Prerequisite programmes are the foundation of HACCP and control general hazards. They include: approved suppliers, premises design, facilities…
Cleaning and disinfection is a HACCP perquisite that controls general hazards, especially cross contamination, and is important for many reasons. Failure to clean and disinfect thoroughly could lead to enforcement action, food poisoning outbreaks and harmful contaminants in food. Poor cleaning can provide the perfect environment for the harbourage of pests, resulting in some businesses…
Controlling pests is important for moral, legal and financial reasons. They can spread disease by contaminating food and surfaces, damage to property, loss in revenue, harm to brand reputation, prosecution and closure. Negative press in national newspapers can destroy customer confidence and seriously reduce sales. A restaurant is not going to survive when a story…
Huge Fine For Health Food Store Holland and Barrett was fined £500,000 for pest infestation. Environmental health officers found store infested with mice and food contaminated with mouse droppings. The store in London was closed immediately for 2 weeks. Restaurant Manager Fined And Banned Following Food Poisoning Outbreak A restaurant manager in Warwickshire was banned…
Food hygiene and safety training is important. Effective training provides food handlers with the knowledge and skills to handle food safely. But trained food handlers does not necessarily mean they are competent. Training is about putting knowledge into practice. There are plenty of food handlers who have successfully completed a course and still do not…
Every day you read in news about cases of foodborne illnesses and other harmful contaminants found in food. So questions do arise about why HACCP sometimes fails. The importance of prerequisite programmes should never be under estimated as they provide the foundation for the HACCP system. Prerequisite programmes control general hygiene and environmental conditions and…
Physical contaminants in food can be harmful and objectionable and are major cause of customer complaints received many food manufacturers, retailers and restaurants. These complaints in most case are genuine, but can also be a deliberate attempt to defraud a food business. All complaints must take seriously and investigated thoroughly. Physical contaminants in food fall…