Introduction
This essay offers a critical analysis of Sunshine Wok Chinese Take Away premise and an assessment of the influence that it could pose on food safety. In addition, it also assesses the intervention strategies that could help in resolving the identified food hygiene concerns. The intervention rating is determined in conformity with the food regulations as well as codes of practice. Finally, the general consequences of this inspection in relation to their effectiveness as an appropriate method of intervention are considered. According to regulation 852/2004, food hygiene is described as procedures and conditions required to control risks and to safeguard suitability for human consumption of food, taking into consideration the envisioned use.
Sunshine Wok Chinese Take Away premise is located in a busy line of shops within a big housing estate. The premise is comprised of a counter as well as a purchaser waiting region, the kitchen space that covers the cooking range, a table for making preparations and two standing fridges. In addition, it also contains a freezer and a store, which had another fridge, freezer and racking. The outdoor door, which is located at the back of the building leads to a trivial yard that has dustbins. The proprietor and his family live in a flat situated above the business premise. When food is inappropriately handled it could pose a serious consequence to food safety. For instance, improper food handling and exposure to a dirty environment could lead to contamination of food. Contamination could either be microbial, for example, E. coli bacteria, chemical-for example veterinary medicine and dioxins and Physical contamination, for instance, the presence of glass in food.
Analysis of the premise and the impact it could pose on the food safety
Analysis of the food premise indicated that there are various factors that could result in food safety hazards. There were several issues that exposed to wide-ranging jeopardy of cross-contamination with allergens, bacteria, chemicals as well as Physical contamination, which includes dirt and foreign particles. These issues were categorized as personal hygiene, structure and cleaning as well as the general premise condition and food handling equipment. Analysis of the personal hygiene of the food handlers revealed that most of them rarely washed their hands, the chef had his hat on while preparing food, and other food handlers never had a proper outfit. For instance, a food handler was observed to be not only wearing jeans but also a top-sleeved top with insufficient washable overdress, which is considered an outdoor outfit. In addition, another food handler could be observed wearing earrings. These risks pose a serious threat to bacterial food contamination. For instance wearing jewelry, for example, earrings, while cooking food could destroy the jewelry, and stones could fall in the food resulting in physical food contamination. In addition, it is difficult to clean the jewelry prior and subsequent to food preparation. This could pose a risk of bacterial food contamination. Again, lack of handwashing could result in bacterial contamination of food. The mentioned measures are important in ensuring that health-related provisions reach the public and the concerned officers are charged with the mandate to ensure health optimization.
Analysis of the structure and cleaning in the premise indicates there was a presence of black mold on some parts of the store walls and accumulation of food remains could be observed between the chip fryer and the Wok Range. Additionally, an assessment of the electric fly killer showed that there were lots of fly carcasses sticking on its bars. This implies that lots of flies got into the premise further indicating poor hygiene status. Most likely, this was because there were no fly screens fixed to the windows so as to inhibit dirt as well as flying insects from getting into the premises. Flies act as transfer agents to numerous diseases, so whenever it lands on the food they could contaminate food without detecting it. In most cases, flies feed on what is considered waste by human beings and their presence indicates a filthy environment. Another factor that attracts flies into the premises is the accumulation of food debris as observed between the Chip fryer and Wok range. According to research, there is a close relationship between the presence of interior mold, damp situations as well as increased incidences of coughing, wheezing, asthma and allergic reaction. In addition, mold could cause eye, nose and throat irritation.
Further analysis of the premise indicates that the general conditions of the premise are not appropriate for food handling. Both the brown and green chopping boards were poorly scored and required replacement. Also, the red and green chopping boards were placed on top of each other while being stored. The Chest freezer was completely full having been stocked with both raw and cooked food. Putting raw and cooked food is not appropriate since the raw food could contaminate the cooked food. The back door of the premises was left open. This allows flies to enter the premises since there is no fly screen fitted to prevent them. In addition, the food bowls in the fridges were arranged with the bottom of one bowl in contact with open food placed in the container underneath. This could contaminate the food since the bottom of the food container could be having some contaminants, either chemical or physical, which could be transferred to the food material. Frozen foods were never dated, which implied that it was not possible to determine if the food is expired or not. Generally, there was inadequate stock rotation and dates were never marked on the food placed in the fridge. For instance, 4kg of fresh bean sprouts which had expired was found. Although some expiry dates connect to food flavor, expired foods are generally poisonous to the body. Symptoms, as well as the health consequences, vary based on the kind of food poisoning. Nonetheless, the common symptoms are comprised of repeated vomiting, fever, dizziness, dehydration and obstinate diarrhea (Schmidt 2005, p. 65).
Intervention measures that could help in resolving food hygiene concerns
According to (Hobbs1974, p. 23), interventions are defined as actions that are intended to monitor, support and enhance obedience to food laws within a food premise. Food safety is a very significant part of not only public health but also in food market development. Some of the intervention measures used in official controls comprise inspections, monitoring, surveillance, verification, audit and sampling in case analysis is to be conducted in the laboratory. Other interventions, which are not included in the official controls, involve education on food hygiene provisions, advice forums, and coaching offered at food premises as well as collecting of evidence and intelligence reports on food hygiene. It is accepted that more than a single kind of intervention could be performed in one visit to the food premise. Besides, it is also acknowledged that the intervention approach could be affected by the outcomes during a visit to the premises. In such instances, Food authorities should note the base for the selected kind of intervention(s) used in the establishment file. This will also serve as useful monitoring objectives, and the kind of intervention used should be the most appropriate. Concurrently, food standards interventions could also form a good system for making sure that food meets the necessities set out in the food standards law, comprising of correct presentation, labeling and marketing so that it does not confuse or misinform (Redman 2007, p. 321). These indicate the intervention measures that can help in resolving food hygiene concerns.
Another intervention is to set legal requirements that all foods must comply with the compositional standards and do not contain non-permitted or unnecessary levels of additives, chemicals or impurities. Each and every food authority has a duty to document, maintain and enforce a food standards interventions program that involves all the formations for which the food authority has food standards law enforcement obligation (Doyle 2004, p. 75). This is another intervention that indicates the measures that can help in resolving food hygiene concerns. For instance, insufficient food safety is a substantial contributor to disease problems in emerging nations. In less industrialized nations, 70% of deaths amongst children below five years old are related to biologically contaminated food. Mycotoxins are widespread and food-related parasites are more common (D’mello 2002, p. 104).
Another intervention is to engage public health officials in the inspection quests and certification of foods viable for human consumption. Food safety is evidently associated with public health and plays a significant role. Therefore, enhancing food safety can result in a positive contribution to not only public health but also export incomes in emerging nations (Trickett 2001, p. 86). However, setting precedence for investments in food safety needs cautious analysis. There are intervention measures that could help in resolving food hygiene issues discussed above. Another viable intervention is to enhance compliance with food regulations – by food business operators. Most of the conceivable interventions let legitimate officers apply their professional decision to use a proportional level of supervisory and enforcement activities to every food business. Interventions should be enforced in a hazard-dependent manner. As such more exhaustive regulation is focused on those food businesses that pose the greatest danger to public health (Donaldson & Donaldson 2006, p. 213). This is a vital provision when considered critically.
Another intervention is the analysis, interpretation, and the calculation of the rates of infections, ratification of features shared by all cases, categorizing links by time, region or persons, making the epidemic curve, evaluating all available data, and evaluating initial theories and reflecting if there is need for further epidemiological or microbiological examinations. This can help in resolving the concerning food hygiene. Another measure is the controlling of the source of the outbreak, mode of spread and safeguarding individuals from risk. Normally, such interventions constitute the structures for making certain that food meets the necessities of the food hygiene law, comprising of microbiological quality, non-existence of pathogenic micro-organisms as well as safety for eating a particular kind of food (Goodman 2007). Another viable intervention measure to resolve food hygiene concerns is that the public health authorities need to record, maintain, and enforce a food hygiene promotional program that targets all stakeholders in the safety and hygiene arenas. This can be done well through intervention ratings (Trickett 2001, p. 143). Additionally, the foodservice strategy should encompass all the particulars proposed by the public health personnel. Precisely, these indicate the intervention measures that can help in resolving food hygiene concerns.
Another considerable intervention to resolve the mentioned food hygiene concerns is the utilization of the public health lobby groups to sensitize the public and ensure that the aspects of food safety and hygiene (starting from preparation to storage) are addressed comprehensively within the community. Most organizations must ensure that all their employees have been given a chance to exercise their health rights.
Conclusion
Food safety is a very important factor in public health. Poor food handling can pose serious health risks to consumers. At Sunshine Wok Chinese Take Away premise, there were several issues that were analyzed that could be detrimental to consumers. Intervention measures described such as compliance with standards, inspections, monitoring, surveillance, verification, audit and sampling in case analysis are to be conducted in the laboratory. Contextually, the analysis of the food premise indicated that there are various factors that could result in food safety hazards as indicated before. There were several issues that exposed to wide-ranging jeopardy of cross-contamination with allergens, bacteria, chemicals as well as physical contamination, which includes dirt and foreign particles. These issues were categorized as personal hygiene, structure and cleaning as well as the general premise condition and food handling equipment. In other contexts, analysis of the structure and cleaning in the premise indicates there was a presence of black mold on some parts of the store walls and accumulation of food remains could be observed between the chip fryer and the Wok Range. Additionally, an assessment of the electric fly killer showed that there were lots of fly carcasses sticking on its bars as indicated before.
References
D’mello, F 2002, Food safety: contaminants and toxins, CABI Press, Wallingford.
Donaldson, L & Donaldson, R 2006, Essential Public Health, Radcliffe Pub., Oxford.
Doyle, M 2004, Intervention Strategies for the Microbiological Safety of Foods of Animal Origin, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Press, Iowa.
Goodman, R 2007, Law in Public Health Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Hobbs, C 1974, Food poisoning and food hygiene, EDWARD ARNOLD Pub., London.
Redman, N 2007, Food Safety: A Reference Handbook, ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA.
Schmidt, R 2005, Food Safety Handbook, John Wiley & Sons. Hoboken, NJ.
Trickett, J 2001, The prevention of food poisoning, Thornes Publishers, Cheltenham, UK.