Increasing recent investment in and focus on textured modified foods have led to significant improvement in the meals offered to patients with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) in health and care settings. These include the development and implementation of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation System (IDSSI) - a framework that offers clear descriptors of varying levels of food modification, helping healthcare providers and caterers communicate clearly and meet the needs of their patients.
By its nature, textured modified food is often offered to some of the most vulnerable patients - so food safety has to be a key priority in its preparation. We look at some of the key challenges raised when preparing these foods.
Pathogenic bacteria need food, moisture and warmth to thrive; the ideal temperature range for most pathogens is between 8°C and 63°C. In any food service, good food safety includes keeping food either above or below the Danger Zone as far as possible, and handling quickly and efficiently during preparation. The extra processes involved in textured modified food means it can spend longer in the Danger Zone, so it is important that food handling staff:
Ensuring that the times and temperatures advised by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) or Foods Standards Scotland (FSS) are always met is a key factor in minimising the presence of pathogens.
Standard FSA advice (use in England, Wales and NI) is to cook food until it has reached a core temperature of 70°C for 2 minutes.
The other time and temperature combinations are:
Hot food when held must be kept at 63°C or above. You can keep it below 63°C for up to two hours. If it has not been used within two hours, you should either:
The FSS advice (use in Scotland) is:
Reheating food more than once increases the likely presence of pathogens. It can be tempting to re-chill uneaten food, especially modified food that has involved extra care and attention, but the risk is too great. Use careful portion control to suit the people you are catering for - this has the added benefit that a smaller portion can be more appealing to someone who has dysphagia.
EHOs report that bulky kitchen equipment, such as bains-marie, food processors and industrial tin openers are commonly the most neglected items in the kitchen cleaning schedule. Warm, soft, moist, protein rich food that has lodged in hard to reach places can be especially hard to clean, but is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The extensive use of these types of equipment in food modification puts these foods at greater risk of contamination so ensure every piece of equipment in your kitchen is included in your HACCP cleaning schedule and the standards of cleaning are checked regularly.
None of the above food safety practices are unique to the preparation of texture modified foods, but they are areas that may require extra focus in this type of preparation. Always ensure that all food handler staff in health and care settings are suitably trained and / or supervised for their roles. The Safer Food Group offers a range of food safety training for food industry workers: www.thesaferfoodgroup.com.
This article was written in conjunction with Andy Cullum, The iddsi Guy, who offers comprehensive training in dysphagia modification of food and drink.
High quality care comes in many forms. When dealing with vulnerable people in a care setting, listening skills, patience and empathy often come to the fore, but knowledge and application of high food standards are equally important. Poor food safety standards can add to or even create serious health conditions, whereas good quality food is an important part of life for many older or vulnerable people, both from a physical and mental health perspective.
A good knowledge of food safety is also important in a supported living setting. Helping residents understand and apply these principles is vital; especially so when facing challenges such as poor eyesight, sense of smell, lack of previous cooking experience or learning difficulties. Being able to understand, apply and convey food safety information to others is a crucial skill for many carers.
Principles of food safety
In brief, good food safety is centred on preventing contaminants from entering food, from spreading from one food to another and from multiplying. This reduces risk of harm from pathogenic bacteria, physical and chemical contaminants, and allergens.
Positive actions that uphold food safety include:
Monitoring the supply chain to prevent unsafe foods and ingredients entering the premises
Correct storage to prevent cross contamination and spoilage
Cooking, chilling, reheating and hot holding according to safe times and temperatures
Thorough cleaning and high personal hygiene standards to prevent cross contamination
Good communication processes to allow teams to operate safely, especially when dealing with allergens.
Effective training programs that ensure all team members understand and fulfil their role in keeping food safe.
Consider a training program that is suited to your set up. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), food handlers must be 'supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities', so in a typical care setting, Level 2 Food Hygiene training will be adequate for most team member, with Level 3 training appropriate for supervisors or those looking to expand their role. Food hygiene training may also be useful for residents in a supported living setting - look for a course that is accessible, engaging and can be studied at an appropriate pace, or alongside a support worker.
Governance
Food safety compliance within the care sector is monitored both by the CQC and the FSA.
Safety is one of the fundamental standards by which the CQC assesses care settings, and as such, condition of catering facilities are subject to inspection.
As part of their inspection, the CQC inspector will check whether food preparation and storage is safe and sanitary, and whether the site employs a food safety management system (e.g. HACCP).
Care homes are also subject to the standard legislation under which all food businesses operate. As such, they will be subject to the regular inspections carried out by their local authority. FSA (or FSS in Scotland) ratings are awarded based on these inspections, which examine a site's premises, food handling processes and confidence in their food safety management and culture. For more information about the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, follow this link to The Safer Food Group's free course. (link to: https://www.thesaferfoodgroup.com/FHRS.php)
Training and support from The Safer Food Group
The Safer Food Group offers straight forward, easy to follow training courses for everyone wanting to expand their food safety knowledge, including food professionals. Our recently updated Level 2 Food Hygiene course has full accessibility features, engaging interactions, and allows the learner to study at a pace that suits them. Our video clips offer a human introduction into our written course material, which is accompanied by a downloadable course booklet, that can be kept for future reference.
For more information visit our website: www.thesaferfoodgroup.com, drop us a line at info@thesaferfoodgroup.com or call 0800 612 6784.
Click here to download an example Scout Group Allergen Statement.
Are you using your food operation to provide new skills and experience to members of your community? The Safer Food Group has created a Skills and Competency framework for kitchen assistants; this framework suggests a list of useful food preparation skills to be covered, and once completed forms a record of evidence for the trainee to take away.
Download the framework.
Otherwise known as The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (or Food Hygiene Information Scheme in Scotland), scores on the doors are the green stickers you see in the windows and doors of many food establishments throughout the UK.
Similar schemes trialled in countries including the USA, Canada, Denmark and Singapore had shown that a rating scheme that was visible to and accessible by customers significantly improved the hygiene standards of food establishments. Initial work began in the UK in 2005, leading to the eventual roll out by the Food Standards agency (FSA) of the 5 star rating system that still exists today (Pass / Improvement required / Exempt in Scotland).
Inspections are carried out by local authority Environmental Health teams, ideally every two years for food businesses with good hygiene standards and well trained food handler staff, or more regularly for those businesses that are struggling to achieve those standards. EHOs are trained to measure businesses against a set of criteria, including:
The Food Standards Agency encourage food businesses to display their rating stickers – in fact, in Wales and Northern Ireland it is mandatory for food hygiene rating stickers to be displayed. You might wonder why a business would not want to display a rating sticker – do they have something to hide? The latest ratings for food businesses are also available online, via the FSA website; this is also the place to find out how to report a food business if you have concerns about their safety standards.
If you are unsure about anything, talk to your local authority’s environmental health team. They are there to advise and would rather you asked a question and kept your customers safe than you make a dangerous, possibly even fatal, mistake
Whether you are an established cook or looking for your first role in catering, a food hygiene certificate is an important part of your toolkit. We look at the top 5 reasons for passing your food safety course before you apply for that dream job.
This one should go without saying. The fundamental reason for taking a food hygiene course is to learn the principles of preparing safe food – it’s that simple! Understanding food safety challenges such as cross-contamination and knowing the difference between a Best-Before and a Use-By date are really important skills in a kitchen. Having an up-to-date certificate to show you have already mastered these skills gives an employer confidence before you even arrive for an interview and helps you hit the ground running.
This one is especially important when you are starting out in the food industry, perhaps looking for your very first food industry job. A food hygiene certificate demonstrates that you are genuinely interested enough in the sector to invest in your own training. For an entry level job, you won’t need to break the bank – Level 2 Food Safety (aka ‘Basic Food Hygiene’) is usually sufficient, and you can buy a single online course for £12+ VAT. BUT – there are lots of courses out there, and they vary in quality – make sure you look for a course that is accredited by a reputable body, such as Qualifi or CPD
Roles in catering and hospitality are generally busy and at some point you may be working without supervision. You need to be able to make the right decisions when working alone, and taking food related training courses, such as Food Safety, HACCP and Allergy Awareness, will help you to do that.
This is the scary one. As a food handler, you have a legal responsibility to do everything you reasonably can to make sure the food you serve is safe to eat. A good food hygiene course will explain your legal responsibilities and those of your employers and supervisors.
The food industry is becoming increasingly focussed on the environmental impact of food waste. Having a good understanding of food safety practices – especially fridge and freezer temperatures, food labelling and hot-holding, cooling and reheating methods – will enable you to do your bit in the war on waste. And for your employer, that means cost savings too – a big win-win!
Food Safety courses are readily available online, and can generally be taken in your own time, at your own pace. Good training providers will allow you to sample course content before you buy to check it is right for you – so perhaps a better question would be: ‘Why wouldn’t I need a Food Hygiene certificate?’
Employment within the hospitality industry is often regarded as a temporary arrangement, both by employees and employers themselves. What can we do to change this view, and why would it help both businesses and the people working within them?
According to a pre-covid survey commissioned by YouGov, staff turnover in the UK hospitality industry averages around 30% – twice as high as the national average. Some of this turnover is accounted for by seasonality of roles – employing temporary staff to cover busier periods – but the industry is often seen as one for young people and students, to tide them over before embarking on their long term career.
The YouGov survey listed key improvements that would be likely to encourage staff to remain including:
In the post covid market, running an efficient operation will be a vital factor in the survival of hospitality businesses. Retaining good staff adds to your operating efficiencies by:
By tackling some or all of the staff concerns listed above, you put your business in a better position to retain staff. Let’s look at three of the major concerns, and consider ways to make improvements.
The great news is it is relatively cheap, quick and easy to address staff concerns regarding working patterns and shifts. Creating a system that allows staff to access shift information weeks in advance, and gives them regular, fair and predictable working patterns allows staff better control over their own lives and therefore reduces stress. This may encourage job applications from prospective staff who require stability from their employment – such as working parents or those with caring commitments – who would in turn be more likely to remain in a job that suits their lifestyle.
Consider using an online tool to give greater visibility of rotas to staff. Cloud based tools such as Google calendar or Doodle poll provide low cost and easy to use software which allows your team to view and even collaborate with your resource planners to find the best rota solutions for everyone. Organised forward planning is a very low cost, high impact way to improve your team’s working life.
To offset the perception of hospitality as low skilled, temporary employment, consider creating a clear career path that staff can follow. Think about suitable training to help them increase the right skills as they follow that path – not just functional job related courses such as food hygiene or allergen training, cookery or sommelier courses, but training that incorporates invaluable softer skills, including team work, customer service and leadership skills. A recognised award programme such as the Catering Professional Award demonstrates that you value a team member enough to invest in their development and future, and can actually encourage new staff to seek employment with you.
Creating a defined career path adds to individual and team stability. Once you have a number of staff who have a good career record with you, they will be able to act as mentors for your less experienced staff and will demonstrate the real benefits in staying with you.
Winners of the 2021 ‘Best Pub Employer’ award, Brewhouse & Kitchen, were commended for their team first approach – this included their innovation training programme that was strengthened during the pandemic, reinforcing the importance the pub and microbrewing company places on staff wellbeing.
Paying minimum wage to staff may look sensible in your budget planning, but it can be a false economy. A low wage is most likely to attract staff who are looking for a temporary, stop gap role while they look for something with better conditions. Also consider that they will attach similar value to their role as you do – so if you demonstrate that you consider your staff to have little value in the benefits you provide, your team will think similarly; this will be reflected in the time they spend in role before looking for a new opportunity.
When deciding on a pay and benefits package, do your research. Look at average pay rates of similar businesses in your area and ensure you don’t undervalue your team. Think about the wider package of benefits you offer – such as tips, staff discount, team meals, long service rewards and annual leave – and be clear about these right from the start.
And one last tip – don’t forget to say thank you! We are all human – the impact of being recognised for a job well done, keeping going through a difficult period, or just being a great colleague is huge.
Unsurprisingly, following food shortages in 2020 and 2021, savvy British consumers have been considering alternatives to their supermarket shop.
As well as supply chain issues, consumers have been driven to local producers by concerns about quality, citing a deeper trust in British farmed goods than in imported foods. High profile news stories regarding imported meat containing high levels of antibiotics and chlorine have forced consumers to think more carefully about food quality and production and processing methods.
And environmental concerns have also led shoppers to think about buying local – farms shops and markets have proved a great way to buy direct from producers, as well as providing genuinely seasonal foods.
This article published by Speciality Food Magazine cites OnePoll research that claims, ‘73% of the public often or always looking specifically for British food when shopping’.
It also revealed a strong level of support for British farming and its quality standards, with the vast majority of respondents wanting trade deals to protect British farmers from being undercut and welfare standards of imported meat to match that of domestically produced food.
The unprecedented challenges caused by the pandemic highlighted the need for more secure supply chains – and local businesses responded to support their communities. Producers found creative ways to get their food directly to consumers, through farm shops, co-operatives and box schemes. The benefits of open air markets became clear as a safer shopping environment.
The economic situation continues to be tough for some food businesses, especially those without a corporate safety net to keep the cash flow going. However, the pandemic has demonstrated how agile and adaptable small businesses have been and continue to be as the rules and landscape shift on a monthly business
Small businesses can suffer from higher proportional overheads, without the economies of scale enjoyed by larger companies. However, they often have the benefit of entrepreneurial spirit, an adaptable and loyal staff body and the agility to change direction quickly and make change happen. In adverse times, these skills will continue to be invaluable and as circumstances develop, the rise of small businesses is very welcome .
In simple terms, a use by date tells you whether a food should be safe to eat, while a best before date tells you about a food’s quality.
Use by dates appear on foods that are most likely to perish quickly, and cause a threat to health after a relatively short period. This includes meat, fish, dairy products and prepared salads and meals. Harmful bacteria can exist on these foods and multiply over time, so it is vital to follow food safety rules when using these foods.
Waste prevention tip – foods can be frozen up to and on their use by dates, as long as they’ve been stored safely up to that point. You’ll need to cook and eat it within 24 hours when you defrost it.
Best before dates tell you about the quality of a food – after this date, the food may not be harmful to eat, but the flavour or texture might be affected. Best before dates are often used on frozen, tinned and packet foods.
Waste prevention tip – Have a regular check of your food cupboard and make sure you keep foods with shortest best before dates at the front so you don’t forget about them.
To review this and other important food safety important, visit The Safer Food Group and check out our Level 2 Food Hygiene course – vital for all food handlers.
It is important to serve safe, hygienic food to everyone – but in early years settings, it is especially important to ensure little bodies are protected and nourished, and immune and digestive systems can develop safely. Having an awareness of food borne illness and how to prevent it is important for anyone who works in early years.
According to Section 3.48, Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, March 2021: “Providers must be confident that those responsible for preparing and handling food are competent to do so. In group provision, all staff involved in preparing and handling food must receive training in food hygiene.”
So the simple answer is – if you prepare or handle food, you MUST have received food hygiene training.
This depends on your role – if preparing and serving food is a small part of your role, and someone else is instructing or supervising you, a Level 2 Food Hygiene award should be adequate. If you are running the kitchen, putting processes and plans in place, and supervising others, you might want to look at a Level 3 Food Hygiene award, that gives you some insight into management level skills and a greater background knowledge of food safety.
If you already work in early years, your employer may have a preferred training provider for food hygiene. If you’re looking for a course yourself, you can choose to study a face to face or an online course. Think about what is important to you before you decide – cost, convenience, being able to recap material and study at your pace, or being able to ask questions?
Look for a course that is designed for early years practitioners, especially at Level 2. Courses such as those offered by The Safer Food Group cover specific situations and details that will be relevant in your role.
Also, consider whether you’ll need any additional training – do you need to learn about Allergen Management, or Nutrition for your setting, for instance? If so, look for a training provider who can cover all of these subjects – you’ll have all your training details held in one place, and you’ll build up a comfortable familiarity with the way the courses work.
Have a look at our free guide – it covers menu planning, food safety, hygiene and allergens, and provides links to some great free resources for early years cooks.
Click here to access our free resource for Early Years caterers
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