Infectious Diseases

Environmental Health Departments have a duty to investigate reported cases of food poisoning.  This will involve taking details of foods consumed and identifying possible sources of the infection.

Environmental Health Departments have a statutory duty to investigate reported cases of food poisoning.  If a case of food poisoning has been formally confirmed by a Doctor or hospital (by analysis of a faecal specimen) these details are passed to Environmental Health.  An Environmental Health Officer will then speak to the individual to try and determine the cause.  This will involve taking a history of food consumed over the days prior to the onset of the food poisoning symptoms.  If the illness can be linked to food consumed in a commercial premises the local Environmental Health department will carry out an investigation of the business in question.  If the Environmental Health Officers find a problem with the business’s food hygiene practices, they can then take action to ensure that they improve.  This could therefore help prevent other people suffering from food poisoning.
 

Prevention of Food Poisoning

There are four main things to remember for good food hygiene – you should think about them whenever you are in the kitchen.

The 4 Cs

1. Cleanliness
2. Cooking
3. Chilling
4. Cross Contamination

1.  Cleanliness

You can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria by observing good personal hygiene, keeping work surfaces, utensils etc clean.
It is important to wash your hands regularly, especially:

• After visiting the toilet;
• After handling raw foods;
• Before touching ready-to-eat food.

And remember:

• Do not handle food when you are ill with stomach problems such as vomiting.
• Do not touch food if you have sores or cuts unless they are covered with a dressing.

2.  Cooking

Proper cooking kills food poisoning bacteria such as listeria, salmonella, Ecoli and campylobacter.  It is important to cook food thoroughly, especially meat.  Make sure meat is cooked right through and piping hot in the middle.

When reheating food make sure it’s piping hot all the way through and do not reheat it more than once.
 

3.  Chilling

It is very important to keep certain foods at the right temperature to prevent bacteria or toxins forming.  Always look at the label on the packaging.  If it says that it should be refrigerated, make sure you keep it in the fridge.

If food that needs to be chilled is left standing at room temperature, food poisoning organisms will grow and multiply to dangerous levels.  Cooked leftovers should be cooled and covered and put in the fridge.  Put food in shallow containers and divide it into small portions.
 

4.  Cross Contamination

Cross contamination is the transfer of bacteria from foods (usually raw) to cooked foods where one food touches (or drips onto) another, or indirectly, for example from hands or utensils.  Cross contamination is one of the major causes of food poisoning.

 

To prevent cross contamination:

• Always wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw food.
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat food separate.
• Store raw meat in sealable containers at the bottom of the fridge.
• Use different chopping boards/work surfaces for raw food and ready-to-eat food.
• Clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after use with raw food.

Additional Information

Further information is available from the Food Standards Agency website – www.food.gov.uk

Contact

Karen Phillips, Senior Environmental Health Officer,
Food Control/Infectious Diseases
Genevieve McWilliams, Senior Environmental Health Officer,
Food Control/Infectious Diseases