Free Essay On Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Food Safety In Carmichael House Catering Operations

1. Although the staff are very accommodating and quite diligent when it comes to carrying out their duties, they do not seem to have had sufficient training with regard to food safety. However, there are several options available to the caterer in order to make sure that the staff are well-trained and educated on food safety. Proper food hygiene training is absolutely necessary for all food handlers. Everyone should undergo it. Nevertheless, training sessions do not have to be overcomplicated or stressful for either side. Trainings could be modified and customized with regard to the group members' specific needs and schedule. Furthermore, it could even be done on site so there will be no logistical concerns to be addressed anymore. If possible, a refresher course should also be given annually, or as often as needed.
2. As a charity organization with limited resources, Carmichael House has to operate on a tight budget. Because the listed building where it is located enforces many rules as to what could be changed structurally, the catering operation has to make do with the limited space. It only houses a small kitchen, a small room for tea/coffee making, a store-room, and a staff room. There are other storage facilities as well, which include a chemical/utilities store room and a large cupboard in the hallway opposite the kitchen. This is where cutlery, crockery and other items for service are stored when not in use.
Ideally, catering areas should be well set up. For instance, kitchens should be structured to allow for proper “zoning” and segregation in order to prevent cross contamination. Deliveries should also be received through a Goods Inwards entrance. To ensure safety and privacy, only the staff should have access to catering areas. However, this does not seem to be the case. The following are suggestions on how to improve operations without making major structural changes:
Half of the under-counter fridge in the kitchen should specifically be used for today's prep, and the other half should only be used for defrosting of items. Plastic containers should be made available for defrosting.
The area under work prep bench should be cleared. This could be used as a storage for food that will be prepared. For example, the potatoes that were stored under the wash basin should be transferred somewhere else so that they do not get dirty.
The kitchen windowsill has been turned into a makeshift workspace. This should be changed. The computer must be moved from the kitchen windowsill to a small desk in an office. It is also necessary that important records are organized and stored securely, while still being accessible to the staff on duty. If there is no enough space for an office, they should at least clear a corner and set up a small workstation with a locked filing cabinet. This could be used by the chef.
The store-room fridge, which is used as a storage for goods that are not needed presently, should be cleaned. The items should be segregated, with raw food stored at the bottom, and cooked or ready to consume products placed on the top layer. The eggs that were stored in the fridge should be stored accordingly, and be put in a plastic container with lid designed for storing eggs.

There should be a temperature monitor to measure heat.

They should hang a signage on the door of the main kitchen, indicating that this is a Catering Area, and PPE and hand washing are required.
Plastic wash-up basins should be provided so that the cutlery and utensils can be soaked before bringing to the dishwasher to be washed. Washing equipment are quite important in making sure that items are thoroughly cleaned and sterilised.
Proper waste segregation should be practiced by all. The bins should have labels indicating what kind of waste it contains.
The sinks should have labels. One sink should be set apart specifically for equipment washing, one sink for food preparation, and one sink should be used as a wash hand basin.
There should be a designated cupboard in the kitchen or Tea/Coffee room to be used specifically for storing chemicals that are often used. Also, there was an unlabeled liquid container underneath the sink, which could be a chemical that may be potentially harmful. There was also an unlabeled container containing some kind of powder beside the dishwasher. They should be labeled accordingly to avoid accidental mix-ups.
In order to limit cross contamination, there should be a rack for chopping boards so they can be stored vertically and avoid surface contact.
The cookers and work areas are exceedingly filthy. These areas should be cleaned properly and kick plates should be installed to avoid further build-up of dirt. If possible, these should be removable in order to facilitate maintenance of bait boxes.
Reorganize chemical/general stores by placing all cleaning materials in just one area. Chemicals are stored up high, which make them hard to reach. They should be stored no higher than eye level so they can be handled safely.
Toilet/Changing area has to be developed further. There was a shower that was not working. This should be fixed and be made available for the staff to use. Moreover, the toilet and changing area should be separate from each other. The changing area should be moved to a different room. Moreover, there are no lockers available to the staff. Clean PPE and safety shoes should also be separated from outdoor clothing. There should be a locker and a shoe rack for this purpose.
3. This HACCP Plan is designed for Carmichael House with regard to three types of food production:
1. Sandwiches made from ready to eat foods such as cooked meats.
2. Shepard's Pie and Lasagne made from fresh and/or frozen ingredients
3. Warm ready to eat foods including toasted sandwiches, panini and home-made soups.
Because details were not provided, it is assumed that cooling of food for later use is not being practiced, perhaps because of the size of operation and the absence of a blast chiller. In line with this, five critical control points are identified. These are demonstrated in the HACCP Process, and further outlined in the Hazard Control Plan. Sample HACCP documents are also included.

Carmichael House HACCP Process follows that:

Purchase and delivery(CCP 1)
Storage (Frozen storage, Refrigeration storage, Dry goods ( CCP2)
Thawing(CCP3)
Cooking ( CCP4)
Hot holding( CCP5)
4. Products (High Risk Delivery Assessment Form (Daily) such as Milk, cheese, raw meat and salad.
1. Product: Temperature, Correct Quantity, Correct Label/Date.
2. Containers/Packaging:

All containers are clean and in good condition

Foods are well protected by suitable covering
No blood/liquid spillage
3. Vehicle: Temperature
4. Delivery Personnel:

Good personal hygiene and clean uniform/protective clothing.

Evidence of hand washing.
5. Delivery Received
It should be kept in mind that the temperature of chilled food on delivery should range from 0°C & 8°C. The temperature of frozen food on delivery should be at least -12°C or colder. If temperatures are not within the above ranges, food must be used immediately, or be returned to the supplier. Frozen goods that are not kept in the freezer must be recorded on Thawing Record Sheet.
2- Storage(Fridge/Freezer Temperature Record)Week-ending e.g. Monday AM, Monday PM:

Under Counter Fridge

Storeroom Fridge
Chest Freezer
Storeroom Freezer
Temp Taken By
The temperature of the fridge must only range from 0 to +5°, while food in the freezers must be -18° or colder. If correct temperatures are not attained, this must be immediately corrected. Scheduled thawing times should also be followed.

3- Thawing Record Sheet

(Start Date, Start Time, Start Temp, Signed Product, Finish Date, Finish Time , Core Temp After Thawing*(0°c to 5°c), Signed, Verified, Date). It should be noted that food temperature after thawing must be between 0°c and +5°c before they are ready to be cooked.

4- Cooking Temperature Record

Include (Date, Item, Temperature, Taken By, Verified By)
It must be noted that core temperature of food after cooking must be at least + 75°. If temperature is below 75°, item must be cooked further until 75° is reached.

5- Hot Holding Temperature Record

Include (Date, Item, Temperature, Taken By, Verified By)
Freshly Cooked Food may be maintained at a temperature of 63° for 120 minutes. Food that is being kept hot should be monitored at least every 30 minutes. If temperature falls below 63°, it may be reheated to 70°. After 120 minutes, food should be used immediately eaten or discarded.

For the purposes of this exercise, the pre-requisites that have been identified are as follows:

• Equipment – suitability, cleaning and maintenance
• Measures for prevention of cross contamination
• Cleaning and sanitising
• Pest control
• Personnel Hygiene & employee facilities
• Staff training and records
• Supplier information
6. The following is a brief outline of non-compliance in these areas and a grade assigned to them- Critical, Major or Minor. It should be noted that the layouts of building, premises or workspaces are not considered as prerequisites. Some of these issues have already been addressed in the Physical Layout section.
Several areas of improvement have been identified in the catering operation in Carmichael House. These have been briefly described and outlined. In summary, implementing a simple HACCP programme and establishing a systematic cleaning schedule could further improve the operation. These would not address all the issues, but they could be a starting point that would not require much to implement.
Lastly, to address the lack of communication among the members of the team in the department, good communication tools should be provided. For example, a handover diary could be given for the staff to use.
In conclusion, although points of non-compliance were identified, they could easily be corrected, since the staff are very willing to be trained and guided.