Common causes of food poisoning

We take our business seriously. How do your existing caterers stand up to Risk Assessment?

This standard provides a method of assessing the hazards from the food business operation and determining the action necessary to ensure all reasonable steps have been taken to prevent hazardous food reaching the To Go consumer.

The most significant hazard to our customers is bacterial contamination, which may result in customers suffering from food poisoning. A study undertaken by the UK Central Diseases Surveillance Centre of food poisoning outbreaks identified the ten most common causes. In order of occurrence they are:

Food prepared too far in advance of service

Food stored at room temperature - not under refrigeration

Cooling food too slowly before refrigeration

Not re-heating food to a high enough temperature to destroy food poisoning bacteria

Using cooked food contaminated with food poisoning bacteria

Under-cooking meat and meat products

Not thawing frozen meat and poultry for sufficient time

Cross-contamination from raw to cooked/ready to eat foods

Storing hot food below 63°C

Infected food handlers

Significantly all ten causes relate to the way we prepare and handle food; our practices and procedures. This standard enables us to concentrate resources on the most effective ways of preventing unsafe food reaching the consumer.

A full hard copy version of the To-Go haccap booklet are available by request