The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported a 13% increase in food safety complaints received through their helpline in 2011 compared to 2010. A total of 2,415 calls the Authority's helpline received in 2011 were related to food safety complaints: 966 callers complained about unfit food, 497 callers complained about suspected food poisoning, 446 callers complained about unsatisfactory hygiene standards and 509 callers complained about labelling and advertising or had other complaints to make.
Overall, the data published shows an increasing awareness of the public about food safety issues. Edel Conway, FSAI Information Manager: "The increase in complaints is a positive indication of people's heightened awareness of their right to expect high standards of hygiene and food safety in relation to food."
Food businesses that want to stay in business or even increase their business must deal with this heightened awareness pro-actively by making sure, hygiene standards follow best practice and all employees are sufficiently trained to deliver food safety at the highest standard.
There are a number of food safety training options available to food businesses. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has published guidelines for food safety training at three different levels of experience: Induction (level 1), Advanced (Level 2) and Management (Level 3).
Training at Level 1 and level 2 is available from MKRMS Food Safety, who deliver monthly Level 2 Food Safety Training (EHOA certified) and hold in-house inductions for employees as the need arises. In partnership with the Institute of Online Services, MKRMS Food Safety have developed a short and easy-to-use online training programme that meets the requirements of Level 1 (Induction) training. It is called Food Safety Essentials and can be accessed here: http://elearning.trainingios.com. The online course is certified by MKRMS, a certificate can be downloaded after successfully completing a short certification test.
A Level 2 food safety course will start on the 20th March 2012 in Westpoint, Clonard, Wexford. The course will run over four nights (6pm to 9 pm) on the 20th, 22nd, 27th and 29th March 2012. Places are still available. To book or for Information contact Matthias on 086-8355546 or email training@mkrms.com.
Avoiding Closure - Tip 3: Independent Audits
In 2011, 66 food businesses from all sectors of the food and hospitality industry were closed by the authorities. For approximately 10 percent, this official closure was final - until this day, they haven't re-opened. Avoiding closure is easy. All it takes is to maintain good food hygiene and to keep up-to-date with food safety management and HACCP. To ensure ongoing compliance, it is helpful to employ a third party assessor: a professional who approaches the business with a pair of fresh eyes and completely un-biased.
Being issued with a closure order is a desaster for every food business. Once the order is issued by an Environmental Health Officer it has to be complied with immediately: Patrons or customers have to be sent home, the business has to lock its doors and must remain closed until the authorities give the all-clear. The order is published on the Internet, including details like the business address and the name of the proprietor. Local and national newspapers usually publish the list of offenders as soon as the Food Safety Authority has published its monthly press release. Especially in small communities, word travels like wildfire, adding rumor and false information along its way.
All it takes to avoid closure is to have all hygiene and food safety affairs in order and up-to date records and documentation readily available when an inspector arrives at your premises.
An increasing number of food business owners realise that it takes more than goodwill and a head square on the shoulders to be successful in the fight against complacency and selective blindness. They occasionally employ a food safety professional to assess their business, its operations and paperwork for compliance with all legal requirements. This helps them to get an outsider's view (just like the Inspector's) without the nasty consequences. A food safety professional will issue a detailed audit report, which makes it easy to rectify anything that might have been missed or that has slipped the attention of staff and management - before the Inspector arrives.
MKRMS Food Safety can help your business remain compliant by independently examining your food business, its operations and all required documentation. Before the assessment, we will take the time to establish what to assess, when to assess and how to carry out the assessment to maximise the benefit for your restaurant, pub, takeaway, deli or supermarket. After the assessment, we will make our audit report accessible to you together with a detailed to-do-list that makes it easy to address all shortfalls with minimum effort and cost.
Contact us for more information: 086-835 55 46 or info@mkrms.com.
Being issued with a closure order is a desaster for every food business. Once the order is issued by an Environmental Health Officer it has to be complied with immediately: Patrons or customers have to be sent home, the business has to lock its doors and must remain closed until the authorities give the all-clear. The order is published on the Internet, including details like the business address and the name of the proprietor. Local and national newspapers usually publish the list of offenders as soon as the Food Safety Authority has published its monthly press release. Especially in small communities, word travels like wildfire, adding rumor and false information along its way.
All it takes to avoid closure is to have all hygiene and food safety affairs in order and up-to date records and documentation readily available when an inspector arrives at your premises.
An increasing number of food business owners realise that it takes more than goodwill and a head square on the shoulders to be successful in the fight against complacency and selective blindness. They occasionally employ a food safety professional to assess their business, its operations and paperwork for compliance with all legal requirements. This helps them to get an outsider's view (just like the Inspector's) without the nasty consequences. A food safety professional will issue a detailed audit report, which makes it easy to rectify anything that might have been missed or that has slipped the attention of staff and management - before the Inspector arrives.
MKRMS Food Safety can help your business remain compliant by independently examining your food business, its operations and all required documentation. Before the assessment, we will take the time to establish what to assess, when to assess and how to carry out the assessment to maximise the benefit for your restaurant, pub, takeaway, deli or supermarket. After the assessment, we will make our audit report accessible to you together with a detailed to-do-list that makes it easy to address all shortfalls with minimum effort and cost.
Contact us for more information: 086-835 55 46 or info@mkrms.com.
Pro-active Food Safety Management - Another Way of Avoiding Closure
66 food business closure orders were served on Irish Restaurants, Shops, Takeaways, Hotels, Food Processors... no industry sector was spared. 88 enforcement orders were served in total during 2011. Reports indicate that this represents an increase of 12% on 2010. In absolute numbers: closure orders were at an all-time high with an increase by 9 (from 57 in 2010 - which in itself was a record). There are a number of reasons for the ever increasing numbers of businesses that get under pressure, with the economic climate being cited most frequently. Blaming the economy and pressure on individual businesses for this disastrous situation stays short of the real problem: qualification and knowledgeability of food business owners. In reality, the cost to maintain hygienic operations is small - all it takes is regular cleaning and pro-actively managing food safety with a working HACCP system.
HACCP, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points is a system in which potential food safety hazards are identified prior to a problem occurring. Ideally, a HACCP food safety management system is established before a food business starts its operations. The system has a number of benefits: It is cost-effective, because it does not depend on expensive equipment or infrastructure. It is time-effective, because it focuses attention on areas with identified risks. It is easy to implement, because it does not require extensive training or specialist knowledge - it is not rocket science.
For most food businesses, the HACCP system works with the investment of a little time and money. Implementing a HACCP system follows a set series of steps. It starts with assembling a team of operational experts, the Food Safety Team, which use their combined expertise to develop and implement a tailored food safety system that meets the exact needs of the business. In a next step, the Food Safety Team identifies the nature of products that are used and the processes these products are exposed to in the business.
After all basic information has been compiled and verified, it is time to apply the seven principles of HACCP to the operations of the (future) business: 1.) Perform a Hazard Analysis, 2.) Identify Critical Control Points, 3.) Set Critical Limits for Food Safety Control, 4.) Establish a monitoring system for each CCP, 5.) Define Corrective Action in case a limit is exceeded, 6.) Decide on Verification activities and 7.) Document the whole system.
The HACCP system contains all strategies that are necessary to ensure that all food is kept safe at all times and at all processing steps. This is predominantly time and temperature control to control potential growth of bacteria, but can also comprise foreign body control or control of chemical hazards, where these are not controlled by a Pre-Requisite Programme or by good hygiene practices like cleaning, controlled storage or the prevention of cross-contamination.
Once the HACCP system is implemented to the necessary standards, all it takes to maintain the system is the provision of records and the time to record and evaluate the results that are generated by the HACCP system.
The biggest advantage of the system, however is that food business operators become very clear of what is required in their business to ensure no customer can ever contract a food borne illness from a product that originated in the business. To tie this back to the threat of closure: a food business operator who is clear about the potential problems in the business and what to do to avoid them can easily and with little effort maintain the premises in a hygienically acceptable condition.
MKRMS Food Safety provide help with designing and implementing bespoke HACCP systems. If you need help or want information, contact Matthias on 086-835 55 46 or email mkausch@mkrms.com.
HACCP, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points is a system in which potential food safety hazards are identified prior to a problem occurring. Ideally, a HACCP food safety management system is established before a food business starts its operations. The system has a number of benefits: It is cost-effective, because it does not depend on expensive equipment or infrastructure. It is time-effective, because it focuses attention on areas with identified risks. It is easy to implement, because it does not require extensive training or specialist knowledge - it is not rocket science.
For most food businesses, the HACCP system works with the investment of a little time and money. Implementing a HACCP system follows a set series of steps. It starts with assembling a team of operational experts, the Food Safety Team, which use their combined expertise to develop and implement a tailored food safety system that meets the exact needs of the business. In a next step, the Food Safety Team identifies the nature of products that are used and the processes these products are exposed to in the business.
After all basic information has been compiled and verified, it is time to apply the seven principles of HACCP to the operations of the (future) business: 1.) Perform a Hazard Analysis, 2.) Identify Critical Control Points, 3.) Set Critical Limits for Food Safety Control, 4.) Establish a monitoring system for each CCP, 5.) Define Corrective Action in case a limit is exceeded, 6.) Decide on Verification activities and 7.) Document the whole system.
The HACCP system contains all strategies that are necessary to ensure that all food is kept safe at all times and at all processing steps. This is predominantly time and temperature control to control potential growth of bacteria, but can also comprise foreign body control or control of chemical hazards, where these are not controlled by a Pre-Requisite Programme or by good hygiene practices like cleaning, controlled storage or the prevention of cross-contamination.
Once the HACCP system is implemented to the necessary standards, all it takes to maintain the system is the provision of records and the time to record and evaluate the results that are generated by the HACCP system.
The biggest advantage of the system, however is that food business operators become very clear of what is required in their business to ensure no customer can ever contract a food borne illness from a product that originated in the business. To tie this back to the threat of closure: a food business operator who is clear about the potential problems in the business and what to do to avoid them can easily and with little effort maintain the premises in a hygienically acceptable condition.
MKRMS Food Safety provide help with designing and implementing bespoke HACCP systems. If you need help or want information, contact Matthias on 086-835 55 46 or email mkausch@mkrms.com.
Food Safety Training - One Way to Reduce the Risk of Getting Closed
66 food businesses were served with closure orders by the authorities in 2011. That is a sad record and hopefully the end of a sad and depressing development that has started when things turned sour in 2008. Interestingly, no food sector was spared: restaurants, pubs, hotels, processing... businesses in all sectors were found not to be fit for trading by Environmental Health Officers or inspectors from other authorities.
Regular and qualified food safety training helps employees and business owners to keep the business afloat and to avoid closure.
Avoiding closure is not difficult: food business must ensure hygienic conditions in their food storage and processing/preparation facilities at all times. Interestingly enough, closure orders were served on businesses that blatantly disregarded simple food hygiene rules: staff were allowed to sleep in food storage areas, food was allowed to rot on the shelves, on occasions, pest control was poor. None of these closure orders was unavoidable, unpredictable or issued by overzealous, unjust inspectors.
One lesson can be learned from this: don't do anything in a professional kitchen that you wouldn't do at home. Basic and simple things like regular and thorough cleaning or safe storing of food and utensil greatly help to maintain a hygienic food preparation environment. Obviously, some things happen regularly in private homes that must never happen in a professional kitchen: use of out-of-date foods, disregarding of cross-contamination risks, poor hand-washing. All these poor hygiene practices are offences and can trigger the serving of a closure order or even prosecution.
If you feel you need help with your hygiene procedures, if things are starting to get out of hand or if you feel you have lost control over your food preparation: Get professional help! Employing a qualified food safety consultant is much cheaper than having to suffer through the hell of food safety law enforcement: annoyed inspectors, annoyed customers, bad press, the loss of business for a number of days, weeks or months...
MKRMS Food Safety provides assistance: We train, inspect, analyse and provide support to food businesses. We like to be called before things get out of hand, but we are very good at putting things right again as well.
A first step on the path to good food safety is training: MKRMS Food Safety offers EHOA-certified food safety training. Courses are held monthly. The next course will take place on the 24th/25th January in Westpoint Business Park, Wexford. Contact Matthias on 086 - 8355546.
Regular and qualified food safety training helps employees and business owners to keep the business afloat and to avoid closure.
Avoiding closure is not difficult: food business must ensure hygienic conditions in their food storage and processing/preparation facilities at all times. Interestingly enough, closure orders were served on businesses that blatantly disregarded simple food hygiene rules: staff were allowed to sleep in food storage areas, food was allowed to rot on the shelves, on occasions, pest control was poor. None of these closure orders was unavoidable, unpredictable or issued by overzealous, unjust inspectors.
One lesson can be learned from this: don't do anything in a professional kitchen that you wouldn't do at home. Basic and simple things like regular and thorough cleaning or safe storing of food and utensil greatly help to maintain a hygienic food preparation environment. Obviously, some things happen regularly in private homes that must never happen in a professional kitchen: use of out-of-date foods, disregarding of cross-contamination risks, poor hand-washing. All these poor hygiene practices are offences and can trigger the serving of a closure order or even prosecution.
If you feel you need help with your hygiene procedures, if things are starting to get out of hand or if you feel you have lost control over your food preparation: Get professional help! Employing a qualified food safety consultant is much cheaper than having to suffer through the hell of food safety law enforcement: annoyed inspectors, annoyed customers, bad press, the loss of business for a number of days, weeks or months...
MKRMS Food Safety provides assistance: We train, inspect, analyse and provide support to food businesses. We like to be called before things get out of hand, but we are very good at putting things right again as well.
A first step on the path to good food safety is training: MKRMS Food Safety offers EHOA-certified food safety training. Courses are held monthly. The next course will take place on the 24th/25th January in Westpoint Business Park, Wexford. Contact Matthias on 086 - 8355546.
Happy Christmas? 65 Business Closures issued by Enforcement Officers during 2011
It may not sound like a lot, but thinking about it makes me cringe: During 2011, 65 food businesses were forced to close their doors and shut down their operations, because food inspectors found them to be a "grave and immediate danger to public health". Food business closures are an all-time high since publication of these figures started in 2000.
Being issued with a closure order is probably the worst experience, food business owners or managers can face in their professional life. It means that all business operations must cease immediately. In case of a restaurant, cafe, diner or takeaway, all patrons must be asked to leave the premises, in case of a food manufacturing operation, all production must stop at once.
Although the business does not have to close its doors for good, depending on the reasons for the order being issued, it may take at least one, most commonly several days before the order can be lifted and the business is allowed to operate again. For about 10% of the businesses affected this year, the order seems to have been the death knell: the order hasn't been lifted, yet, the businesses are not back trading.
There are many reasons for an official inspector to issue a closure order, but they all have one thing in common: the business must be found to put the health of the general public in "grave and immediate danger".
There are five easy steps to prevent the drama that is involved in receiving a closure order:
1) Know what you are doing and get the training that is required to run and manage a food business. A course in Managing food Hygiene or Managing HACCP helps greatly to increase Management knowledge and competence.
2) Be proactive in all aspects of managing the business. Plan your operations and always have a 'Plan B' at hand in case plan A fails. Have a HACCP-based food safety management system in place, which is tailored to the requirements of your business.
3) Allow a trustworthy, independent and knowledgeable food safety professional to have an eye over your operations from time to time. An independent food safety audit can help to identify shortfalls and problems before they get out of hand.
4) Train your employees to the standard that is required in your business. If you can't do it yourself (which, by the way is fully acceptable), get a food safety training professional to do the training.
5) Supervise your staff in everything they do. Training can only be effective if staff are supervised and constantly reminded of good hygiene practices.
Remember: MKRMS Food Safety can help your business to meet al legal food safety requirements, be it staff and management training, developing and implementing HACCP or food safety auditing.
MKRMS Food Safety: Supporting Retail and Catering
EHOA-Certified! Primary Course in Food Safety - 24/25 November 2011
Last Chance for Food Safety Training from MKRMS Food Safety in 2011! We are running the last course for this year on the 24th and 25th November 2011 in Wexford Town.
Course Title: Primary Course in Food Safety
Course Date: Thursday, the 24th and Friday, the 25th November 2011
Location: Wexford (venue TBC)
Price: € 180.00 per person, including course materials and examination fee
Training Provider: MKRMS Food Safety, Unit 11, Westpoint Business Park, Clonard, Wexford
Awarding Body: Environmental Health Officers' Association, Bray (Certificate valid for 5 years)
Course Schedule:
Day 1 (9.00 to 4.30):
Session 1 Introduction to Food Safety
Session 2 Microbiological Hazards
Session 3 Food Contamination
Session 4 Personal Hygiene
Session 5 Cleaning and Disinfection
Session 6 Pest Control
Day 2 (9.00 to 4.30):
Session 7 Premises and Equipment
Session 8 HACCP from Delivery to Storage
Session 9 HACCP From Food Preparation to Cooking and Service
Session 10 Food Safety Law and Enforcement
Exam - EHOA validated
Successful candidates will be awarded the Environmental Health Officers' Association's Certificate in Primary Food Safety, which is recognised nationwide.
To book or for more information contact Matthias on 086-8355546 or email training@mkrms.com.
Course Title: Primary Course in Food Safety
Course Date: Thursday, the 24th and Friday, the 25th November 2011
Location: Wexford (venue TBC)
Price: € 180.00 per person, including course materials and examination fee
Training Provider: MKRMS Food Safety, Unit 11, Westpoint Business Park, Clonard, Wexford
Awarding Body: Environmental Health Officers' Association, Bray (Certificate valid for 5 years)
Course Schedule:
Day 1 (9.00 to 4.30):
Session 1 Introduction to Food Safety
Session 2 Microbiological Hazards
Session 3 Food Contamination
Session 4 Personal Hygiene
Session 5 Cleaning and Disinfection
Session 6 Pest Control
Day 2 (9.00 to 4.30):
Session 7 Premises and Equipment
Session 8 HACCP from Delivery to Storage
Session 9 HACCP From Food Preparation to Cooking and Service
Session 10 Food Safety Law and Enforcement
Exam - EHOA validated
Successful candidates will be awarded the Environmental Health Officers' Association's Certificate in Primary Food Safety, which is recognised nationwide.
To book or for more information contact Matthias on 086-8355546 or email training@mkrms.com.
Eight Enforcement Orders Served in September
Friday, 7 October 2011
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that eight Closure Orders were served on food businesses during the month of September for breaches in food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010. The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers (EHOs) in the HSE West Region; the HSE Dublin North East Region; the HSE Dublin Mid Leinster Region and the HSE South Region.
Closure Orders were served on:
- Alis, Main Street, Enniscrone, Sligo
- Punjab Balti, 15 Ranelagh Village, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
- Treacy’s Indiana, The Square, Kilkelly, Mayo
- Happy Chan, 30 McCurtain St., Fermoy, Cork
- Bombay Spice, 404 South Circular Rd., Dublin 8
- Bella Bia, Dublin Road, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan
- Ruby King Chinese, Restaurant & Take Away, 5 Roscommon Business Park, Circular Road, Roscommon
- China Buffet King, Unit CSA, 1M3, Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14
Commenting on these latest Enforcement Orders, Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, stated that vigilance is always required in relation to food safety and standards must not be permitted to slip to such levels that consumer health is put at risk.
“Most food businesses are committed to high standards for the health of their customers and the good of their business but there still remains a small number who continue to defy the law and are complacent when it comes to food safety and hygiene. FSAI has produced two resource packs to help businesses comply with food legislation – the Business Start-up Pack and Safe Catering – Your Guide to Making Food Safely. We are conscious of the diversity of food workers in Ireland. The FSAI has published a “Safe food to go” booklet in eight languages and information on food labelling in ten languages. The FSAI provides specialised food safety training for the Chinese food sector, delivered by Chinese nationals to ensure that this sector has access to relevant food safety training in their native language. The FSAI has also developed an induction training programme for in-house training of all employees which includes a multi-lingual DVD. Food businesses should take full advantage of the information and support made available by the FSAI and its official agencies to ensure a basic and consistent food safety management plan is developed and put in place in line with legislation. Our advice line (1890 336677) and our Facebook page are additional resources that can be contacted with any queries in relation to food safety.”
Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.
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