Food Safety and Nutrition Policy

 

1. Overview

Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill aims to promote and maintain a uniformly high standard of ‘Food Safety & Hygiene Awareness’ within each part of its service whilst at the same time promoting healthy eating habits through a full nutritional spectrum of foods and drinks.

Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill will provide information, instruction and supervision for co-workers and residents in the safe preparation of nutritious healthy food.

2. What you need to know and do

As part of Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill’s commitment to food safety, we have implemented the relevant parts of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Maintenance of the food premises and food handling procedures are also in accordance with food hygiene legislation.

HAZARD	CONTROL
Not re-heating food to a high enough temperature to destroy bacteria which can cause food poisoning	Re-heating of food should be avoided as much as possible. In the event of food being re-heated the food should be re-heated to a core temperature of at least 82 deg C. This should be measured using a probe thermometer and temperature recorded in the Kitchen Record Book
Using cooked food contaminated with bacteria which can cause food poisoning	Ensure cooked food is protected from contamination by proper handling, storage and temperature control
Storing and keeping food warm	Hold hot food at 63 deg C or above
Cross-contamination from raw to cooked Foods	Keep raw and cooked foods separate at all times – Keep foods covered
Under cooking meat and meat products	Ensure food is thoroughly heated to a minimum core temperature of 75 deg C for 30 seconds, 82 deg c when reheating.
Not thawing meat and poultry completely	Allow adequate time for thawing There should be no sign of ice crystals
Washing up dishes inadequately leaving traces of food particles	Soapy pre-wash, main wash followed by a hot rinse
Delay from purchase to storage, causing frozen food to thaw, or refrigerated food to get to an undesirable temperature	Food purchased or delivered should immediately be put away and stored appropriately in accordance with manufactures recommendations
Bacteria developing	To ensure that the multiplication of bacteria is controlled, and to prevent food poisoning, chilled food (vegetables, raw and cooked meat, fish, dairy products and eggs) should be stored below 5◦c.

Environmental Health - Critical Control Points

Step	Hazard	Action
1. Purchase	High Risk* (ready to eat) foods contaminated with food poisoning bacteria or toxins.	Buy from reputable supplier only. Specify temperature at delivery
2. Receipt of food	High Risk* (ready to eat) foods contaminated with food poisoning bacteria or toxins.	Visual/sensory checks. Temperature checks.
3. Storage	Growth of food poisoning bacteria, toxins on high risk (ready to eat) foods. Further Contamination.	High risk foods are stored at safe temperatures. Store wrapped. Date label high risk foods. Rotate stock and use by recommended date.
4. Preparation	Contamination of high risk (ready eat) foods. Growth of pathogenic bacteria.	Limit exposure to ambient temperatures during preparation. Prepare with clean equipment used for high risk (ready eat) foods only. Separate cooked and raw foods. Wash hands before handling food.
5. Cooking	Survival of pathogenic bacteria.	Cook rolled joints, chicken and reformed meats, e.g. burgers, to at least 75◦c in the thickest part. Sear outside of other meats (e.g. joints of beef, steaks) before cooking.
6. Cooling	Growth of any surviving spores or pathogens. Toxin production. Contamination with pathogenic bacteria.	Cool foods as quickly as possible. Do not leave out at room temperatures to cool unless cooling period is short (e.g. place stews, rice etc in shallow tray and cool to chill temperatures quickly.
7. Hot holding	Growth of pathogenic bacteria. Toxin production.	Keep food hot, e.g. above 65◦c.
8. Reheating	Survival of pathogenic bacteria.	Reheat to above 82◦c.
9. Chilled storage	Growth of pathogenic bacteria.	Temperature control. Date code high risk (ready to eat) foods. Use in rotation and always within shelf life.
10. Service	Growth of pathogens. Toxin production. Contamination.	Cold service – serve high risk foods as soon as possible after removing from refrigerated storage. Hot foods – serve high risk foods quickly.

1. *High risk foods are those which will readily support the growth of food poisoning organisms and are not to receive a further full cook prior to service. For example, cooked fish, meats, patés, cooked egg dishes, pre-prepared dairy products that may only be reheated.

2. Some food poisoning bacteria can form spores which may survive cooking. If cooling is delayed or takes a long time, these may grow or produce toxins (poisons). After cooking, food should be cooled quickly to prevent or reduce this.

Check with the Food Standards Agency for the current list of allergens.

Nutrition Policy

Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill recognises the importance of nutrition for health and enjoyment. It is understood that procuring and preparing food for the consumption by others is a responsible task, and that those who carry this responsibility are fully aware of the following aspects of nutrition and health. It is known that diet may influence development, behaviour, hyperactivity and mental state.

Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill endeavours to use a high proportion of organic, biodynamic and local food.

Meals need to be acceptable to all members of the community, bearing in mind individual dietary choices and tastes (as far as possible) and special diets that cater for those with particular illnesses as well as food allergies and intolerances.

Food is procured bearing in mind the importance of selecting organically grown food, the general healthiness of food, the distance food has travelled, animal welfare and other ethical and environmental factors. Preference is given to fairly traded foods.

Each person will have individual support with nutrition, but some of the general guiding principles in Tigh a'Chomainn Camphill’s meal preparations include:

1. Including a high proportion of fresh fruit and vegetables

2. Having a varied and balanced diet that may contain a moderate amount of organic meat and other animal products, according to individual preference.

3. Including raw and lactic fermented food for their enzyme content and life forces. (Yoghurt, sauerkraut, freshly made juices, salads and fresh fruit.)

4. Using cold-pressed organic oils wherever possible and avoiding the commonly available refined oils.

5. Recognising the importance of keeping an optimum balance of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids, this usually means keeping omega 6 oils to a minimum while supplementing with omega 3 oils.

6. Eating oily fish at least once a week

7. Keeping sugar and very sweet foods to a minimum, instead using natural sweeteners such as honey, fructose and maple syrup. (High glycaemic foods put a strain on the pancreas and can lead to diabetes.) Diluting fruit juices.

8. Keeping salt to a healthy level (neither too low nor too high) and choosing sea salt or low sodium salt in preference to refined salt.

9. Keeping stimulating drinks such as tea, coffee, colas, etc. to a minimum and promoting the consumption of a variety of herbal teas or water.

10. Drinking lots of good quality spring water or filtered water where spring water is not available.

11. Using appropriate supplements in times of stress or illness.

12. Trying to ensure that a good part of the diet consists of alkaline-forming foods such as vegetables, fruit, sprouted seeds, yoghurt, almonds, Brazil nuts, millet and buckwheat. (Acid-forming foods are grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, eggs, cheese, fish and poultry.)

3. References

Food Safety Act 1990; Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulation 1995