It’s been just over a week since my foray into Newport’s catering trailer underworld. I’ve been busy on my new Food safety ebook, which will be available for download (for a small charge) to use as a reference source for level 2 Food safety courses. I didn’t realise it takes so long to proof read material! The ebook is based on my popular level 2 training course, which I deliver to clients and my online training course, which leads to an accredited level 2 qualification (UK only). However, the ebook will be available planet-wide. Watch this space or Twitter for further details.
Anyway, back to the catering trailer depicted on the left. It is called Sizzles and is situated on Newport Retail Park, between Tesco and The Range. When I first approached the van it appeared to be in a clean condition, externally. A generator was attached to the van, but it was not working, therefore temperature control for any high risk food was not available. This trailer did sell high risk food, as well as hot food. There was a domestic fridge freezer on board where the member of staff continuously retrieved bacon, sausages, burgers and high risk food (ready to eat). OK, strictly speaking temperature control for raw meat such as bacon, burgers and sausages is not a massive problem, as the meat is going to be cooked, which will kill pathogens. Bacteria much prefer cooked protein to grow on anyway. Dependent on the time the raw meat is held out of temperature control, would determine how much spoilage growth there is. Spoilage microorganisms cause food to go “off”, but very rarely causes illness. However if you eat food that tastes off, you should report the fact to your local environmental health department. It is illegal to sell food that is off.
The inside of the trailer was scruffy and disorderly. There was no evidence of the use of a temperature probe, which all catering businesses must use, regardless of size, to indicate the food was cooked to the correct temperture (75°C). All temperature checks must be logged and retained in a Food Safety Management System (FSMS). Since January 2006, all FSMSs must be based on the 7 HACCP principles, although there is flexibility with smaller businesses to operate a system loosely based on the HACCP principles. Such a system can be freely downloaded from the Food Standards Agency website.
The served did not wear any protective clothing at all, not even an apron. He was wearing jeans and a red and white striped tee shirt. Although a food hygiene certificate was on display, it was quite evident that this person was not following his training. He handled money, broke eggs and placed raw bacon on a griddle without washing his hands afterwards. He did wipe some of the excess raw egg and bacon fluids on his tee shirt. Protective clothing is worn to prevent infection from being transferred from external clothing to food. This person might well have brushed against insanitory surfaces, come into contact with pets or even wiped his hands against his tee shirt after going to the toilet.
To my increasing amazement he picked up seveal raw beefburgers, placed them on the griddle with his bare hands, disposed of the waxed separator disks in a bin and wiped his fingertips into his tee shirt. He proceeded to pick up bread rolls for serving food. All raw meat juices, along with pathogens, including E coli 0157, have now been transferred to the rolls for customer consumption. Triple Aaaargggg!
Marks out of 10… a big fat zero. I would not eat from this trailer and I advise everybody to do the same. Do not put your health at risk from such dangerous practices.
See you in my next experience of catering trailers, or should I look at butchers’ shops?
