Food hygiene best practice for the early years

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), there are approximately one million cases of food poisoning in the UK every year. However, this figure is possibly higher, with many cases going unreported or only producing mild symptoms.

The truth is that most of these cases of food poisoning are avoidable, being the result of bad hygiene, unsafe practice, pure carelessness and, according to many low score reports from Environmental Health Officer (EHO) visits, a lack of training and understanding.

Anyone who is considered a food handler and provides food to the general public, including children, must be aware of food hygiene best practice. In early-years provision, this list includes, but is not limited to:

• Childminders
• Nannies and chaperones
• Nursery and kindergarten workers
• After-school and pre-school clubs and groups
• Foundation provision in primary settings
  
  

Any of the above and any related roles will be subject to food safety legislation. It does not matter if your setting is voluntary, non-profit, independent, private or any other status. If you provide food, you are liable.

While there can be other reasons behind stomach upsets that cause symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, most of these problems originate in kitchens as a result of errors in food storage and preparation.

The 4 Cs

There are four main areas to think about when it comes to food hygiene, and we call these the 4 Cs. As long as you attend to the 4 Cs appropriately, the chances of anyone contracting a food-related illness from food prepared in your kitchen will be reduced to almost zero:

1. Chilling. Bacteria, the tiny organisms that cause food poisoning, grow and multiply much slower if they are kept below 8°C and even better, 5°C. Hot food should be cooled as fast as possible and then put into the fridge without delay. All frozen food should be kept at a minimum temperature of -18°C to ensure any bacteria are totally dormant.
2. Cleaning. Effective cleaning significantly reduces the chance of bacteria causing food poisoning multiplying in your kitchen. Regular cleaning of all surfaces, chopping boards, work areas and so forth will reduce the risk of bacterial growth. It sounds so simple, but effective handwashing is also one of the best protections against bacterial infestation.
3. Cooking. Ensure the food you prepare is always cooked to the correct temperature (usually 75°C or over). If you are keeping food warm, it should remain above 63°C at all times.
4. Cross-contamination. Direct contamination is when potentially contaminated food (such as raw chicken) comes into contact with other food. Indirect contamination is when bacteria is spread through accidental contact.

Preventing the spread of harmful bacteria

Preventing the spread of bacteria is all about strictly applying some easy rules. If you take an infected item of food and give the bacteria the right conditions, they will multiply rapidly.

Bacteria need the following to thrive:

• Warmth
• Moisture/water
• Food
• Time

Given the right conditions - let’s say, an item of food left out at room temperature overnight - a single bacterium has the potential to multiply so fast that in around 6 to 7 hours, there will be potentially 2 million bacteria in the food.

Stopping bacteria is a matter of taking away their opportunity to survive and grow. Your 4 Cs along with the right Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process will help to keep bacteria at bay.

Effective cleaning and disinfection

Cleaning should be at the core of your food safety planning. Always prepare your cleaning schedule based on the environment you work in and pay particular attention to the following areas:

• Surfaces, utensils and all other items should be cleaned after each use
• Chopping boards should be cleaned thoroughly, and don’t forget to clean the handles, underside, sides and any decorative areas or scored surfaces
• Remember to clean cupboard doors, the front of fridges and so on regularly and always if there is any debris attached to them
• Cleaning as you go will make cleaning easier overall and will ensure your surfaces and tools are always hygienic
• Clean up any spills quickly
• Microwave sponges to kill bacteria
• Empty waste bins regularly and always before they start to overflow
• Clean your oven regularly if you have one
• Don’t forget to clean floors and the edges of work surfaces as these are bacterial feeding grounds
• Sinks need to be cleaned regularly, or immediately if they have been contaminated by high-risk foods such as chicken

During inspection, an EHO will expect you to have a comprehensive cleaning schedule, with jobs allocated and signed off as they are completed.

Who should have food hygiene training in an early-years setting?

This is a complex question with a surprisingly simple solution. Legally, anyone classed as a food handler is expected to be suitably trained. In practice, this means anyone who comes into contact with food in your early years setting is expected to have an appropriate knowledge of food hygiene.

The simplest and easiest way to stay safe when it comes to food hygiene is to train all staff who might come into contact with food in any capacity. While you could argue that simply opening a lunch box and handing the food to a child does not require training, would you want to have taken that risk if there was an incident?

Remember, an EHO will need to see all current food hygiene certificates during inspection, clearly labelled with staff names and the date your training was completed.

Even more important than any legal or practical reasons to take food hygiene training is the benefit of promoting a proactive approach. If everyone on your team is able to spot and solve a potential food hygiene or safety problem, the chances of an incident occurring should be very small indeed.

The best defences against food safety issues are good processes, vigilance, knowledge and a proactive team. Food hygiene training will help you to achieve all of this. With these measures in place, you should be secure in the knowledge that your early years setting is as safe as possible when it comes to food hygiene.

What training do you need and who should be trained?

There are three common levels of food hygiene training. The nature of your role will determine which level of training is most appropriate for you.

• Level 1 food hygiene training is only really suitable for those who do not come into contact with raw ingredients and uncovered food or food preparation areas. Commonly, it is basic training given to stock operatives, warehouse teams and so on. It is not usually suggested as suitable training for early-years professionals who are involved in serving food to the children, helping out in the kitchen or at mealtimes, or plating snacks.
• Level 2 food hygiene training is typically completed by everyone except the senior kitchen staff. It is still a relatively straightforward course, with an online version taking as little as 1 to 2 hours to complete, but it delivers enough knowledge for you to safely handle and serve food to children in an early years setting. All non-supervisory staff who come into contact with food in any way should complete a level 2 food hygiene training course.
• Level 3 food hygiene training is far more in-depth and is usually delivered in a face-to-face environment over a number of days. It can alternatively be a combination of online and face-to-face training. Supervisory staff and senior kitchen staff are expected to be trained to this level.

If you are in doubt about which level of training you need and you are not expected to supervise a team of food handlers, the safest option is usually to take level 2 food hygiene training.

 

Be allergy aware

It is vital that you understand what allergens are and think about how they affect your world, especially at work. Some children are severely allergic, so even trace amounts of an allergen can cause a life-threatening reaction.

One common mistake is to mix up allergies with intolerances. The two are similar in some ways, but an intolerance to lactose, for example, is less likely to be life threatening than an allergic reaction.

In most people, the effects of a lactose intolerance are discomfort due to bloating and possible flatulence. This is because an intolerance is usually digestion related. An allergic reaction to milk, however, is a reaction by your immune system and can sometimes result in anaphylaxis, which causes respiratory issues and even death.

This is not to downplay the importance of an intolerance when planning meals for a child in your care. Intolerances are still highly serious and can be distressing for an individual suffering from the effects, but it is vital that you understand the difference between the two.

An allergy is a reaction caused by your immune system. An intolerance is a reaction caused by your digestive system.

Dealing with allergens is all about awareness. Where possible, you should simply eliminate them from the food process. Cross-contamination is of particular concern. While it is unlikely for someone to suffer a reaction by simply being near an allergen, you need to be aware that this could still happen.

Another common mistake is to assume pre-prepared foods are safe. This might not be the case.

Peanuts are a very common allergen, with some research suggesting three in 100 children might be allergic to some extent. They feature in the production of a number of sauces and other foods, so it is important that you always check the labels. Allergens will always be in bold print in a products list of ingredients.

Simply put, prevention is best, and that means separating the allergic child from any potential contact with an allergen.

 

Keeping Records and the Environmental Health Officer

If you serve food in your early years setting, you are probably due a visit from the Environmental Health Officer.

EHOs are not there to police you or your food offerings, nor are they there to find fault with what you do. Their role is simply to ensure that the public (in your case, the children in your care) are being served food that is safe to eat. So, work with them, read their report carefully and respond appropriately to their guidance.

If you want to achieve a good food hygiene rating, you must be able to demonstrate that you have adequately trained staff, effective management and that everyone is following a clear set of rules and using accurate records.

An EHO does not have the benefit of seeing your daily practice ± they only see a snapshot on the day of their visit. For this reason, you need to keep accurate records every day and have the appropriate documentation on hand to evidence that your staff are trained and actively working to deliver a good standard of food hygiene.

One of the main documents you will need to have on hand for the EHO to review is your HACCP or Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) information. Which of these you will need depends on the size and complexity of your food service. If in doubt, ask your local council for advice.

Usually, if you employ less than 50 people, you should be fine with the smaller and simpler SFBB. In Scotland, this is known as Cook Safe.

You will not get any warning about a visit from an EHO. They will want to see your food service on a normal day, not when you have spruced things up for them.

This means you must adhere to your food safety policy at all times.

An EHO will expect you to have all your records, training details, food policies and so forth available if they ask for them. They have the power to sample food, take photographs and remove food items for testing. However, it is worth remembering the EHO is not the enemy. They are simply an

impartial observer checking to make sure the public is safe.

 

For a more comprehensive guide download the free ‘Food Hygiene Best Practice for the Early Years – A Useful Guide for Practitioners’ available here. For more information on food hygiene training contact the Food Hygiene Company on 01327 552136, help@foodhygienecompany.co.uk or via its online chat service at www.foodhygienecompany.co.uk. Its staff are currently based at home but working from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.