Food safety Policy for community cooking
This guidance provides food safety information and guidance for Nature Base volunteers and staff wishing to prepare meals/food at home for the community. This can include preparing or donating meals for individuals, community groups and local organisations.
Food provided for community groups must comply with food law and be safe to eat.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA ) confirms ‘You may not need to hold a food hygiene certificate to provide food for charity or community groups. However, you need a suitable level of knowledge to make sure that you handle food safely’
These guidelines seek to further that knowledge and meet the ‘suitable knowledge’ required to provide food during Nature Base sessions and workshops.
Food Temperature
Food that needs to be chilled, such as sandwiches should be left out of the fridge for the minimum possible time, and never for more than four hours.
After this time, any remaining food should be thrown away or put back in the fridge. If you put the food back in the fridge, don't let it stand around at room temperature when you serve it again. It should be eaten as soon as possible.
Where applicable a picnic bag with ice blocks can be used on site to keep food cool, this should be monitored to check the temperature remains cool and if not food discarded.
If you know the group that you are cooking for, ask about any allergy requirements they may have before preparing their meals. This can be done during sign up to sessions.
If you are cooking for a community group session, you can provide allergen information by labelling food containers and/or providing a note for each item. Group participants can be advised on sign in/register or prior/during the cooking process.
Cooking for someone with a food allergy or intolerance can be worrying if you’re not used to doing it. You can plan a safe meal by:
asking what they can and can’t eat
making sure you keep allergens separate from other foods to avoid cross-contamination
double-checking the ingredients lists on prepacked foods for allergen information
checking the ingredients with the person who provided the food, if it was donated
avoiding adding toppings or garnishes to dishes which might otherwise appear allergen-free
cleaning work surfaces and equipment thoroughly to remove traces of anything you might have cooked before.
There are often good substitutes available for ingredients that someone may need to avoid. Don’t hesitate to ask for help and suggestions for ingredients from those with a food allergy that you are cooking for.
Food that needs extra care
Some foods are more likely to cause food poisoning than others. These include:
raw milk
raw shellfish
soft cheeses
pâté
foods containing raw egg
cooked sliced meats.
If you plan to serve any of these foods, consult the FSA website Foods which need extra care (Opens in a new window)section in the Safer food, better business guidance.
Meal containers
If you wish to provide food in containers, it is important to select appropriate food grade packaging. This is packaging intended for multiple uses, such as Tupperware or takeaway boxes. This will make sure that the transported food is safe and its quality is maintained. For example, packaging materials may be required to be liquid repellent to prevent leaks, or to stop paper becoming soaked through. Without this type of packaging, chemical contaminants or germs could transfer onto the food. Well-fitting lids will also minimise any hygiene or spillage risks.
It is safe to re-use glass and plastic containers, as long as they are free from chips and cracks. Make sure containers are thoroughly cleaned to prevent cross-contamination with germs, allergens and physical contaminants. If they are dishwasher safe, a dishwasher is preferable for cleaning due to the high temperature it reaches. Containers should be washed thoroughly in hot, soapy water if a dishwasher is unavailable.
The 14 regulated Allergens
In the UK, food businesses must inform you under food law if they use any of the 14 regulated allergens as ingredients in the food and drink, they provide. When cooking on site it is important to advise a parent/carer of what ingredients are in the food, or/and highlight the list of ingredients for people to check.
When cooking at home for a community group or bringing food on site, it is important that the group are advised of any of the ingredients where the 14 allergens are present.
Food law identifies the following 14 allergens as the most potent and prevalent:
celery
cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, rye, barley and oats)
crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters)
eggs
fish
lupin
milk
molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
mustard
peanuts
sesame
soybeans
sulphur dioxide and sulphites (at a concentration of more than ten parts per million)
tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts)
When cooking outdoors, the same approach to food hygiene and safety should apply.
Washing hands or using gel. Using clean equipment that has been washed thoroughly at home. Also be mindful of cross contamination on hands, surfaces and equipment. Having sufficient hand washing near your cooking area and a spray to wipe down surfaces where appropriate.
If the group are involved in the cooking – then the team should remind and mirror good hygiene practice throughout the session. Make the group aware if someone has an allergy to ensure the whole group are aware of not cross contaminating food areas. Keeping ingredients in separate cooking areas.
This information has been taken from the UK based Food Standards Agency (Referenced by Government of Jersey) to support Nature Base Food Hygiene and Safety Standards are applied during cooking and preparation at and for our sessions:
Full details can be viewed here:
https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-safety-for-community-cooking-and-food-banks
Those preparing food should also make reference to the Food Safety (Jersey) Law 1966, available to view here: https://www.jerseylaw.je/laws/current/l_9_1966