Food Provision
Personal Hygiene
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Personal hygiene is an important part of food hygiene and applies to everybody who
comes into contact with food.
Anyone who works in a food handling area must maintain a high degree of personal
cleanliness, as hands are one of the principal agents in transferring harmful bacteria
to food. Handling raw and then cooked food is a particular danger.
Hand washing is vital and should be carried out thoroughly to prevent spread of
contamination. Disposable gloves provide a false sense of security to the wearer and
may prevent frequent hand washing. Cross-contamination can still occur from the
person or from objects if touched with the plastic gloves. Therefore, the use of
disposable gloves is NOT recommended as an alternative to hand washing.
Liquid Hand Wash meeting the BS EN 1499 Standard (with disinfectant properties) is
recommended for extra protection against cross contamination. Information on this
Standard is found on the product label or by contacting the supplier or manufacturer.
Hygienic Hand Rubs meeting the BS EN 1500 standard can provide an additional
level of protection against cross contamination and are recommended after hand
washing where there is an increased risk of cross contamination, e.g. when raw
foods have been handled prior to hand washing.
It should be noted that hygienic hand rubs should never be used as a replacement
for hand washing.
It is not recommended that children use antibacterial soap on a regular basis.
Therefore, such soap should be clearly labelled for adult use only.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
What is the difference between Cleaning and Disinfection?
Cleaning is the process of physical removal of food debris, visible dirt and food
particles from surfaces, equipment and fittings using hot water and detergent.
Cleaning on its own will not remove all bacteria.
Disinfection is the process of killing bacteria and viruses following general cleaning.
Any disinfectant used must be applied to a visibly clean surface and be of the
following standard: BS EN 1276 (1997) or BS EN 13697 (2011)
Single-use cloths are used as these provide a reliable way of ensuring cleaning and disinfection does
not present cross contamination risks and can be used on hand contact surfaces
such as light switches, door handles and telephones to prevent spread of
contamination.
Why do we need to Clean and Disinfect?
Cleaning and disinfection are vitally important for a number of reasons:
• To prevent food poisoning – proper cleaning and disinfection will facilitate the
removal of harmful bacteria from surfaces and equipment and will help to reduce the
risk of cross contamination
• To remove physical materials which may contaminate food or attract pests.
Cleaning chemicals:
Cleaning chemicals should be stored away from the food preparation areas and
should not contaminate food.
Cleaning materials and equipment:
• Separate materials and equipment must be used for cleaning and disinfecting raw
food handling areas, from cleaning materials and equipment used in the rest of the
kitchen.
• Colour Coding of cleaning materials is displayed as this
provides visual reminders for staff on effective cross-contamination controls.
What needs to be Cleaned and Disinfected
All equipment and areas within food premises require to be kept clean.
Please note, disinfection will always be necessary as part of your
cross contamination controls. You should also clean and disinfect sinks,
washbasins, taps and any other items that are liable to come in contact with food either directly or indirectly. Equipment and surfaces which come into contact with raw
foods should be disinfected, for example, chopping boards, utensils, food storage
containers and pots. Items that come into contact with food indirectly by hand
contact should be disinfected as necessary, for example, light switches, taps, fridge
door handles, sinks and wash hand basins. Identify all food areas and equipment
used in your business and list them in your Cleaning Schedule. (on display on kitchen wall)
Food waste containers, refuse waste bins and all waste storage areas should also be cleaned as
per kitchen cleaning schedule.
Kitchen Equipment Cleaning Method
Method 1 – Dishwasher - HEAT
(For dishes, utensils, and other small equipment)
Our dishwasher must be used and maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s
instructions. This is the only acceptable method for cleaning and disinfecting both
equipment and utensils used for only raw food and equipment and utensils used for
only ready-to eat foods together.
The nursery dishwasher operates using a high-temperature intensive wash cycle with additional heat drying functions to support effective thermal disinfection of crockery and utensils.
Method 3 - 2 Stage Clean – CHEMICAL
(For work surfaces, hand contact points sinks etc)
• First Stage Clean – remove debris and clean the work surface using hot soapy
water
• Second Stage Clean - Disinfect surfaces by spraying with food safe sanitiser spray
(Sanell Antiviral and Antibac Multi Surface Cleaner) Leave for surface contact time (30 seconds light duty clean, 5 minutes for heavy duty clean.)
• Dry – ideally, air dry.
Note 4: Light duty clean between snacks for lightly soiled surfaces. Heavy duty clean
after raw food preparation and at the start/end of each day.
Note 5: Check the label of the product for dilution rates, surface contact time and to
see if a rinse step is required
Safety Date sheet for Sanell Antiviral and Antibac Multi Surface Cleaner can be found here:
CROSS CONTAMINATION PREVENTION
What is Cross Contamination?
Cross contamination occurs when harmful bacteria are transferred from contaminated food to uncontaminated food.
How does Cross Contamination occur?
• By Direct Cross contamination – contact between raw food and ready-to-eat food during transport, storage or preparation
• By Indirect Cross contamination –spread of bacteria from raw food to
ready-to-eat food via food handlers, equipment or surfaces. For example,
refrigerator door handles, knives, chopping boards, work surfaces, cloths
Why is it important to prevent Cross Contamination?
Cross contamination has frequently been found to be the cause of food poisoning
outbreaks. Bacteria in contaminated food are not visible to the naked eye and do not
cause noticeable food spoilage or affect taste, smell or texture.
Importantly, ready-to-eat food must be protected from cross contamination at all
times. This is because there are no further controls to protect the customer from the
risk of food poisoning, once contamination has taken place.
The risk of E. coli 0157 cross contamination must be considered and controlled
E. coli 0157 is a particularly dangerous organism because:
• It can lead to serious untreatable illness and even death
• It is reported to have a very low infective dose (less than 100 bacteria can cause illness)
• It has the ability to survive refrigeration, freezing and environments which have low pH or reduced water activity
Which foods provide the main sources of Cross contamination?
The following raw foods or ingredients present a potential source of cross contamination and should be handled with care.
• Raw meat such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey
Little Wonderland Nursery does not use raw meat, fish or shellfish within the setting.
• Other raw foods such as eggs.
• Vegetables and fruit that have not been labelled as ready-to-eat and especially vegetables that are visibly dirty
To reduce the likelihood of contamination from e-coli from soil on unprepared
root vegetables, the following procedures MUST be followed:
Any root vegetables used within the setting will be purchased as ready to eat.
Fruit and vegetables
• All fruit with the exception of soft fruits (strawberries/raspberries etc) should be
stored in a cool well ventilated area preferably off the ground
• Soft fruits should be refrigerated as soon as possible after delivery in a sealer container.
• Keep bananas away from other fruits such as apples and pears
• Don’t wash fruit before storing
• Keep handling to a minimum
• Always finish or dispose of old stock before new stock is delivered Wherever possible.
PEST CONTROL
Little Wonderland Nursery has a pest control contract in place with Pest b Off and can be contacted on 07766 164 133.
Any signs of pests should be reported immediately to Stacey Sneddon or Lauren Peat.
Why is pest Control important?
Pest control is important because pests can carry harmful bacteria that can
contaminate foods and cause illness. These harmful bacteria can be passed to the
food by contact with their hair, faeces and urine. Pests can also cause serious
damage to the structure and fabric of the building.
What are pests?
Pests are animals, birds or insects that contaminate food either directly or indirectly.
They include:
• Rodents e.g. rats and mice
• Insects e.g. flies, cockroaches, ants, wasps, bees and various insects that can be found in stored products
• Birds e.g. pigeons, crows, seagulls, starlings and sparrows
WASTE CONTROL
Little Wonderland Nursery has a contract in place with Oakbank waste management ltd and can be contacted on Tel: 01387 268160 / Email: info@oakbank.co.uk
Any issues with waste management should be reported to Stacey Sneddon or Lauren Peat immediately.
Why is waste control important?
Waste control is important because the storage, accumulation and disposal of
waste needs to be controlled carefully since waste presents a risk of physical
contamination and may attract pests. Additionally, food that is damaged, out
of date or rotting may present a risk of microbiological cross contamination
from harmful bacteria Waste can be regarded as any item of food, ingredients, packaging materials
or even soiled cleaning cloths which are not suitable for further use and which
are intended to be discarded.
STOCK CONTROL
Little wonderland Nursery operates on a first in first out system to ensure foods are used as soon as possible.
Foods are purchased on a weekly basis to ensure they are fresh.
Stock control is important because:
• If high risk food is kept too long harmful bacteria may multiply
• Longer shelf life food may deteriorate if kept too long
• Stored food may become contaminated by food handlers and by pests
What are high risk foods?
High risk foods are classified as ready to eat foods which, given the right conditions,
will support the growth of harmful bacteria and are intended for consumption without
further treatment such as cooking. Such foods include:
• All cooked meat and poultry
• Cooked meat products including gravy and stock
• Milk, cream, artificial cream, cheese, custards and dairy products
• Cooked eggs and egg products i.e. mayonnaise
• Shellfish and other seafood
• Cooked rice
Use by Date
Date mark required on microbiologically perishable pre-packed foods, it is an offence
to sell food after UBD has expired. Food eaten after the UBD has expired could
cause food poisoning.
Best before Date
Date mark required on longer life foods that are NOT subject to microbiological
spoilage, for example canned / dried / frozen foods. This mark relates to food quality
rather than food safety.
It is important to note that when purchasing foods with a “Use by Date” the product
should have at least three days shelf life. Foods with a “Best Before Date” should
have at least a three month shelf life.
Storage of dried goods
Once opened, dry goods e.g. flour, sugar, cereals must be taken out of the original
packaging and put into sealed, labelled containers, with date opened and the original
use by / best before date clearly marked on the container. To adhere to allergen
advice the ingredients list should be attached to the new container.
Old stock MUST NOT be topped up with new stock.
All manufacturer’s storage instructions should be followed at all times i.e. keep
refrigerated at all times or use within 3 days of opening
It is not required to store eggs in the fridge. However, they should be removed from
their original packaging, stored in a sealed, plastic container and labelled with the
use by date. If choosing to refrigerate, they should be stored at the bottom of the
fridge within a sealed, labelled, plastic container.
Opened tinned goods should never be left in their tin but decanted to a container
with a lid. Date opened UBD / BBD or manufacturers guidance should be listed along
with the ingredients list.
ALLERGENS
As from December 2014 we are required by law to provide allergy information
on the food items you serve in our setting. (EU Food Information for Consumers
(EU FIC) 2014)
We have a legal responsibility to provide the correct allergen information
about the ingredients that are in the food you make or serve to your customer. The
EU law has listed 14 common allergens that need to be identified if they are served
or used as ingredients in a dish. There are many more allergens; however the
following 14 are those which must legally be identified. Documentation may be
amended in light of the needs of individual children within your setting.
Why is it important to manage allergens?
Some people have sensitivity to certain foods that non-sufferers would find harmless.
When someone has a food allergy, their immune system reacts to a particular food
as if it is not safe. A severe food allergy can cause a life-threatening reaction. Food
intolerance, however, does not involve the immune system and is not generally life-
threatening.
It is our responsibility to know which allergenic ingredients are present in the foods we serve.
We ensure that all staff are aware of the procedures and policies of the setting when it comes to handling all requests for allergen information.
All staff should receive training on handling allergy information requests.
Staff need to be extra vigilant for cross-contamination with regards to food handling,
storage and preparation. Where possible, best practice would be to allocate specific
chopping boards, knives, utensils for the child with the specific allergy, and store
these separately in a sealed container.
At Little Wonderland Nursery we actively aim to provide products which can be provided to all children to support children in feeling respected and included.
For more information please refer to Allergen information for loose foods, Food
Standards Agency 2014 www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/allergy-guide
Allergen Menu Folders
We make sure all allergen information is accessible to all staff, parents and carers and
that it is kept up to date.
We know what is in pre-prepared ingredients (e.g. stock cubes, tomato ketchup) and make sure it is listed on Allergen template
Allergen menu folders contain:
• recipes or charts of the lunch dishes - Provided by D&G Meals
• Allergen template for Snacks provided by nursery
This folder should be made available to parents.
Packed Lunches
1. Responsibilities of Parents and Carers
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Parents and carers are responsible for providing food that is safe, appropriate, and suitable for their child.
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Packed lunches must be clearly labelled with the child’s name.
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Food should be packed in an insulated lunch bag with a suitable ice pack to keep food cool.
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High-risk foods (e.g. foods containing raw egg, unpasteurised dairy products, or foods requiring reheating) should be avoided.
2. Receiving Packed Lunches
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On arrival, staff check that packed lunches are clearly labelled.
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Packed lunches are not opened on receipt unless there is a concern about safety.
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Any concerns (e.g. damaged containers, strong odour, visibly spoiled food) are reported to the Management.
3. Storage of Packed Lunches
- Staff will wash hands and wear PPE (disposable gloves)
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Packed lunch containers put into a clean storage box, labelled with the child's name and are stored in a refrigerator as soon as possible if there is space within nursery fridge.
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Where refrigeration is not available, lunches remain in insulated lunch bags and are stored in a cool area away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
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Packed lunches are kept separate from food prepared by the setting.
4. Food Safety and Hygiene
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Staff wash and dry hands thoroughly before handling children’s food.
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Children are supported to wash their hands before eating.
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Food is handled using clean utensils, unnecessary direct hand contact is avoided.
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Packed lunches are not shared between children.
5. Serving Packed Lunches
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Packed lunches are given to the correct child at mealtimes.
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Staff supervise children while eating to promote safe eating practices and to manage any allergy risks.
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The setting does not reheat food brought from home.
6. Allergies and Dietary Requirements
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The setting’s Allergy Management and Medical Needs procedures are followed at all times.
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Staff are aware of children’s individual dietary and medical requirements.
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Where allergen controls are in place, packed lunches are monitored to support risk minimisation.
7. After Meals
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Uneaten food is returned to the child’s lunch container.
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Lunch containers are sent home at the end of the day.
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Tables and eating areas are cleaned and sanitised after use in line with cleaning procedures.
8. Unsafe Food
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If food is considered unsafe to eat, it will not be served.
- Children will be offered a safe alternative.
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Parents and carers will be informed as soon as practicable.
ALL CHILDREN HAVE FRESH WATER AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY.