Food trade hit by salmonella and tight EU rules

It makes for frightening reading for anybody working in the food sector, never mind consumers: seven major food poisoning outbreaks within a month; more than 340 people ill, 48 requiring hospital treatment.

Ominously, the vast majority of cases are linked to hotels, restaurants and catering establishments, rather than individual homes. The problem has forced the temporary closure of some premises.

The Irish summer of 1998 is gaining a reputation for bad weather and salmonella. The bacterium, which can do untold damage to a business, underlines the need for good hygiene, good kitchens and, perhaps most importantly, knowing the source of supplies.

But food businesses will also have to take on board legislation that will place big demands on their operations namely, the European Communities (Hygiene of Foodstuffs) Regulations 1998 and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Bill 1998.

EU rules, effectively making it legally-binding that all food handlers be trained, place heavy demands on food businesses, particularly smaller ones. The legislation gives effect to Council Directive 93/43/EEC. Its article 27 states: "the proprietor of a food business shall ensure that food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity".

A food business is: "any undertaking, whether for profit or not, and whether public or private, carrying out any or all of the following: preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging storage, storing, transportation, distribution, handling or offering for sale or supply of foodstuffs".

"Responsibility for training all staff, therefore, lies with the proprietor to ensure his/her staff has received a certain level of training in food safety and hygiene before they commence work," explained Dr Patrick Wall, Food Safety Authority chief executive.

This applies equally to part-time, full-time or casual staff, and regardless of whether they work in the public or private sector. It includes all sectors of the food industry beyond primary production.

Failure to comply is an offence harvesting, slaughtering and milking are subject to separate regulations.

The regulations are general and voluntary codes of practice are a useful guide to interpreting them. The codes may be voluntary but, in reality, a food business will not get away with ignoring them. That is unless it can prove it has a more effective system in place. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is helping to apply them in the Irish context.

With indications that a great many food handlers are not trained, the need for a national strategic plan to co-ordinate food hygiene training is obvious. The FSA is compiling a database on organisations providing food safety training.

It has also endorsed the hygiene training programme operated by the National Hygiene Partnership which is supported by the food industry including CERT; Environmental Health Officers' Association, Irish Hotel and Catering Institute, NSAI and Excellence Ireland. FAS has also taken a leading role in food safety training.

"This initiative is the first of its kind in Europe," said partnership spokeswoman, Ms Sheila Matthews, "It provides courses for industry. We have 99 licensed trainers giving approved courses."

Some businesses are better equipped to respond to the new legislation. Smaller enterprises may not have the resources available compared to larger ones. Those in the hospitality sector may have additional pressures such as unsocial hours, high staff turnover and many part-time workers.

The FSA Bill provides increased powers for food inspectors; fines of up to £100,000 for offending premises, and the ability to withdraw foods or close premises where a danger to human health is suspected.

Recent outbreaks have also underlined the need for an all-island, North and South approach to food safety, Dr Wall said. All sectors of food industry, for example, should co-operate to ensure the eradication of salmonella enteritidis from eggs. Infected hens lay infected eggs, therefore it is important that all flocks are tested.

"Primary producers in Ireland and Northern Ireland must co-operate to ensure they are producing safe eggs. Retailers, hotels, restaurants, bakeries, takeaways, old peoples' homes and contract caterers can play an important role in controlling this public health problem on behalf of the consumer."

For businesses using or distributing eggs, keeping raw eggs refrigerated during transportation, storage and sale, where possible, would slow the growth of any salmonella inside the produce.

The FSA hopes that businesses will comply voluntarily. That said, there is little room for not heeding the legislation, and every indication that it will become even more demanding in the consumer's interest and in response to food illness trends.