Being At The Centre Of An E-coli Outbreak Is Something No Commercial Kitchen Wants

The consequences for everyone, from those individuals affected to food producers and commercial caterers, who has been touched by the on-going E-coli outbreak in Germany have been horrendous.

Being at the centre of such a crisis has to be every restaurant and café owner's worst nightmare.

Coincidentally, as a result of serious outbreaks in the UK in previous years in February 2011 the country's Food Standards Agency published new guidelines on avoiding E-coli contamination in commercial kitchens.

E coli is a bacterium that exists generally benignly in the intestines of many animals including humans. Some strains, however, can cause illness in people as has been the case in Germany, although analysis has shown that this particularly severe version is the result of a previously unknown mutation to create a new and virulent strain. Both harmless and disease-causing strains of E. coli can get into humans through contaminated food or water. In the case of vegetables the contamination can be through water containing the bacterium or there might have been faecal material in the soil in which they are grown. E. coli can survive on a range of surfaces including wood, stainless steel and plastics and the presence of food debris or residues will also encourage it to persist and grow. It can also survive for many months in water.

Certain trains are particularly dangerous because they have a very low infective dose (less than 100 bacteria) and have the ability to survive during refrigeration and freezing and in environments which have a low pH or reduced water activity. The FSA's guidance advises that a commercial kitchen should avoid any risk of cross contamination between raw foods and that crucial to safe food preparation is regular washing of hands by any staff handling ingredients. Anti-bacterial gels must not be used instead of thorough hand washing.

The guidance highlights other key measures that include the identification of separate work areas, surfaces and equipment for raw and ready-to-eat food and using separate complex equipment, such as vacuum-packing machines, slicers, and mincers for raw and ready-to-eat food.

Also disinfectants and sanitisers must meet officially recognised standards and should be used as instructed by the manufacturer.

There are other things that a commercial catering organisation can do to protect itself from the trauma of being at the centre of the kind of devastating outbreak that has happened in Germany.

One of these is to ensure there is a regular programme of kitchen deep cleaning in places provided by a commercial cleaner with the trained staff and equipment to ensure it is carried out thoroughly and effectively.

Regular deep cleaning will help protect the kitchen surfaces and equipment from any lingering materials that may not be immediately visible but could provide the right environment for bacteria to survive and flourish.

More importantly it will ensure that along with the regular daily programme of hygiene measures any responsible kitchen has in place the owner or manager has the peace of mind of knowing that everything possible has been done to protect its customers, staff and clients.


Copyright (c) 2011 Alison Withers