Two members of our team, Victoria Flanagan and Dominic Foley recently attended a Safefood networking event that took place at The Spencer Hotel, Dublin. The Safefood Knowledge Network event brought together experts in allergies, human and microbe interaction, environmental health and home hygiene to discuss the most recent research and thinking in the area and explore how to explain these messages to consumers.

It’s fair to say that over the last number of decades the term ‘hygiene hypothesis’ has led to various interpretations. They have led consumers to scratch their heads and through conflicting arguments from the media and online sources, believe that excessive cleanliness is responsible for an increased risk of developing allergies. A total of six highly qualified speakers presented evidence during the networking event, all of which agreed that the hygiene hypothesis is a misleading term and it continues to undermine attitudes to hygiene. They were also in agreement that it hampers progress in understanding how to tackle serious public health issues, especially at such a critical time where antibiotic resistance is threatening our ability to treat infectious diseases.

On this topic of allergens, Dr Audrey Dunn Galvin from University College Cork presented some hard hitting evidence on what she liked to call “the march of the allergens”. Food allergies have increased over the past decade as has the number of patients and parents seeking diagnosis. Her talk highlighted that recent scientific evidence has been accumulated to suggest that allergen-reactive T2 cells play a triggering role in the activation and/or recruitment of antibody-producing B cells, a process which is involved in the allergic inflammation. This is attributed to certain genes and the modern urban lifestyle and food choices that we now have. 10% of the European population have a food allergy. So what is being done to combat this growing statistic? Audrey brought attention to AlleREACT, which has been developed under the aegis of Integrated Approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Risk Management (iFAAM), a European Commission-sponsored research project.

iFAAM is developing evidence-based approaches and tools for management of allergens in food. The project builds on e-Health concepts to allow full exploitation of complex data, and the sharing and linking of data through an informatics platform called ‘Allerg-e-lab’. AlleREACT directly stems from an iFAAM clinical study named AlleRiC which is being conducted in the UK and Ireland (2014-2016).

If you have a food allergy you can take part in the Irish Survey in conjunction with AlleREACT at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AlleREACT_IRL

Surveys such as this will help improve our understanding on the contexts in which reactions to foods occur in the community across Europe. There is a growing awareness about food allergies, reflected by new legislation called the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU No. 1169/2011) on 14 main allergens in restaurants and food venues, and an increase in research. Nevertheless, there are still gaps in our understanding of why adverse reactions to food occur in the community. Future research is needed in dietary and allergen exposures, variability in genetic predisposition and a more in-depth understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that influence allergic disease.

The hygiene hypothesis was also a huge talking point at the Safefood event. There is this paradox between bad and good germs, with the media in many cases instilling fear tactics and misleading information on bacteria and hygiene, to a point where swimming in sewage is seen as a good thing! There is an urgent need to change perceptions and restore public views on microbes and hygiene. It all comes down to our endemic misunderstanding of hygiene and bacteria that live inside us, the microbial world in which we live and its relationship to health and disease. Two very important websites were shared to better educate ourselves with scientific facts. I think it is important to share them here to spread the word that hygiene is the number one public health issue and stronger promotion is needed in our schools, work places and our overall understanding.

https://www.ifh-homehygiene.org/online-learning/breaking-chain-infection-preventing-spread-infections-home-and-everyday-life

http://www.e-bug.eu/ This is a great resource that should be incorporated into school curriculum in order to spread awareness from a young age.

The sun is finally shining, temperatures are set to reach the mid 20’s and the allure of eating outdoors is enticing us all to dust off our barbeques and get cooking!

I have developed a short checklist to ensure that the food you serve is safe, and free from harmful bacteria which could potentially make friends and family sick.

1. Wash your hands

Wash your hands with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.

2. Separate Raw and Ready to Eat/Cooked Foods

Ensure that raw food is kept refrigerated and away from ready to eat/cooked foods at all times. Food being marinated should also be kept in the fridge and covered.

Ready to eat foods (such as salads, vegetables, sauces) and cooked foods should never come into contact with raw food as this causes harmful bacteria to contaminate the cooked food.

For this reason we recommend the lower shelves of the fridge for raw meat storage, and the upper shelves for the storage of cooked or ready to eat foods.

Always ensure that you use different chopping boards/utensils for raw and cooked foods, and always wash your hands after handling raw food.

3. Cook food thoroughly

Harmful bacteria, such as E-Coli and Salmonella, cause food poisoning and these harmful bacteria are killed by cooking. This is why it is vital to cook food thoroughly to ensure that food is safe to eat.

Always check whether meat is cooked by taking a fork and a sharp knife and slice into the thickest part of the meat. The colour of the meat in the center should not have any pink colouring or it needs to cook longer.

Burgers should always be cooked thoroughly and never be served pink.

Alternatively food thermometers can be purchased in most supermarkets and will easily tell whether meat is cooked by probing the meat to ensure a minimum temperature of 75 degrees Celsius. They are a really handy tool to have in your kitchen too!

4. Serve food immediately after cooking

Do not let cooked food sit at room temperature as this allows harmful bacteria to grow. Once food is cooked, serve immediately.

Alternatively you should cool quickly, refrigerate and consume with 2 days.

5. Always keep food covered

Always keep food covered to ensure that flies are not contaminating your food.

I hope that you have found this short checklist useful. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices using the form below or telephone 021 4355917, if you require any additional information.

Regards,

Mairead

Health and well being is a huge trend within the food industry. With so many Irish people embracing a healthier, more active lifestyle, interest in and demand for healthier foods has peaked and it’s growth is likely to continue.

Many food buinesses are responding to consumer demand for healthier food choices, by examining food trends, and giving their food offerings a “healthy makeover” by including superfoods, trialling new cooking methods, and offering healthy choices on their menu’s.

These businesses are likely to benefit from their actions even further in December of this year, when the legislation will change and the calorie content of each menu item must be declared. This will create an environment where the consumer can make a fully informed decision in terms of the calorie content of their choices, and businesses must be prepared in terms of the effect this legislation will have on their business, whether positive or negative. Will the demand for unhealthy options such as breakfast rolls continue, when the customers  see it contains an average of 1,200 calories?

Changing consumer demand coupled with changes to legislation can prevent the prediction of an impending obesity crisis from becoming reality. In some European countries the trend is already flattening off thanks to preventive measures.

The Food Safety Company have developed a new Food Trends and Calorie Posting Course which will provide learners with an understanding of current food trends and how an existing food offering can be tailored to meet consumer demand. Our qualified Nutritionist will offer expert advice on how to enhance the nutritional content of your food offerings, without negatively impacting on flavour or cost.

Our Food Safety and Labelling experts will educate businesses on what they can do to ensure compliance with the upcoming changes in legislation without incurring large costs. Attendees will gain a technical understanding on carrying out menu calorie counts using an FSAI approved calorie counting tool.

Further information on this course can be found by clicking here

Our Health & Safety and Food Safety Consultant, Siobhan Ni Laocha, was recently awarded with the prestigious award of Student Of The Year with the National Hygiene Partnership.

Siobhan joined our team in 2015, with 19 years experience in a range of roles and industry sectors to include project management of food safety, health and safety, learning and development, team leading, quality and process operations.

In addition to this, Siobhan is also experienced in BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, Risk Assessments & Safety Statements, Occupational Health & Safety, Manual Handling, Chemical Safety, Ergonomics, Radiological Protection  and Quality Assurance Audits.

Nutrition, Labelling, Calorie Posting and the “Free From Diet”.

In 2016 it will be a legal requirement to put Nutritional information on all food labels.

We at The Food Safety Company are offering a label review in a smart and cost effective way to enable you to have simple and compliant labels!

Calorie Posting is also on its way, which is a good thing. Do declare calories, promote the fact, inform your customers and allow them to choose. Having Healthy Food is truly a pre requisite for our emerging and discerning customer.

Health is to become the norm! Do declare – Tastes are changing!

We have lost a generation to obesity. We now must educate the public-make consumers more calorie aware!

What are the Growth Drivers for the public?

•  Increased Energy
• Weight Management
• Healthier Diet.

Healthy options are now becoming main stream! “Free From” does not mean a barrier to enjoyment. Consumers are deciding by choice-They still want to have Great Taste, Guilt Free Treats and Smaller Portions. Taste, enjoyment and expectation!

Some Interesting Facts to Consider!

72% of the public are aware of allergen labeling-so this trend of “Free From” is not a one day wonder. Gluten free brands have grown from 30% to 50%.

70% of the world’s population and 16% in the UK are lactose intolerant.

Lactose free does not mean dairy free.

Coeliac disease affects 5% of the population however 15% of the population avoid gluten as a weight management issue-major retailers are cashing in on this trend.

There is a 20% year on year growth in gluten free food products in the United States.

The number of people with allergies has increased by 30% over the past 20 years. There is now a yearly increase of 5%. There are 10 deaths per year in the UK from allergic reactions. Buying power of the “Free From” Customer has grown by 72% over the past five years.

So educate your staff and win customer loyalty!

Food Service Staff will need to be educated on Healthy Options. Food Suppliers also need to be informed. Chefs may need to change there their cooking habits. Is there an opening for a Healthy Cooking Course?

Make it easy – Be sensible!

Use your Allergen Menu on your Website!

 Consumers are really aware and engaged. Use your Allergen Menu on your website-it will drive sales. The Food Safety Company can assist you with your Allergen Menu.

T.G.I Fridays has introduced a color coded healthy menu. Starbucks and Costa have teamed up with Chopped and Pod respectively to offer a healthy choice to their customers. Prêt a Manger now boast 52% of sales are vegetarian foods!

Basically these big players are listening to their customers-what are people looking for when they go out to eat? Remember your eating out customer is mainly in the 18-34 year age group. Make your Healthy Eating part of your marketing message-this is what the customer wants -this is not a fad and smart operators are responding.

What is reformulation?

It is the process of removing gradually ingredients like salt or sugar once they are not essential to the recipe.

If you love your customer- well then allow them to make the healthy choice.

Display the information by clear and simple labeling and give the Customer a choice!

We at The Food Safety Company are now offering the following one day courses open to the public-

•  Calorie Posting & Nutrition
• Food Costing and Menu Planning

Please contact our office for further details 021 4355917.

A Food Borne Disease is caused by consuming water or food which is infected with a micro-organism that can cause illness in humans. Food Borne Disease is not to be confused with Food Poisoning Bacteria as there is distinct differences between the two. There is many different Food Borne Diseases and the symptoms can range from mild aggravations to potentially life threatening situations. It is considered that there is more than 250 known Food Borne Diseases. They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites and poisonous toxins. Each year in the United States around 3,000 people die from Food Borne Diseases.

The differences between Food Borne Disease and Food Poisoning Bacteria include:

1. A small dosage can cause illness
2. The incubation period is long meaning that many days and weeks may pass between initial infection and the actual appearance of illness
3. Water is often the carrier
4. More of the body is affected by the disease

The names of some of the more well know Food Borne Diseases are:

1. Campylobacter Jejuni
2. Listeria Monocytogenes
3. Weil’s Disease
4. Hepatitis A

Please ensure you have the proper equipment and procedures in place to avoid and eliminate the risk of Food Borne Diseases occurring in both your place of work and at home. We at Mary Daly & Associates provide a range of services which can ensure that your premises has the correct procedures in place to avoid incidences like these occurring.

We also offer a range of training courses which can ensure you and your staff know exactly how to eliminate incidences of Food Borne Diseases occurring. Contact us at any time to find out what we can do for you!

A Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to a certain type or types of food. This is a response to a food type which would not occur in the majority of people. The top 14 allergies include: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Eggs, Sesame, Milk, Fish, Crustaceans, Soya, Gluten, Mustard, Celery, Sulphites, Lupin and finally Molluscs.

Rough estimates suggest that between 4% to 8% of people in the world have an allergy to at least one type of food. It has been known to occur that a single person may have more than one allergy. For instance I personally know an individual who is allergic to Tree Nuts, Peanuts and Gluten. As one can imagine having an allergy can be extremely difficult when eating out. These people cannot simply walk into a restaurant off the street, they will have to ensure that your restaurant or hotel is allergy aware. Meaning that your restaurant is aware of the procedures around handling foods correctly and that your menu caters for their needs.

This is not limited to eating out, all food allergy sufferers have to check the ingredients information on the back of packaged products as well to ensure they will not suffer a reaction from consuming them. This stresses the importance of ensuring your labelling of products is correct and that you have adequate procedures in place to avoid cross-contamination. One such example would be a bakery that bakes gluten-free bread as well, this bakery would have to ensure that all it’s staff are aware and trained on proper handling procedures and the owners and managers must ensure their kitchen has the proper facilities in place to ensure safe baking and storing of these products.

Having a food allergy is a hindrance to a person’s lifestyle and can be life threatening in some cases. Food allergy reactions can include but are not limited to: itchiness, swelling of the tongue, rash, eczema, vomiting, fainting, anaphylaxis and etc. New legislation was implemented last year around Food Allergies but just to put this issue into perspective, adhering to the new food legislation is not just a legal requirement! If you do not adhere to proper procedures you may be endangering the life of your customers.

We at Mary Daly & Associates are running an Allergen Awareness Course this November in Cork. This course is directed towards those working in the food sector from chefs to waiters and those involved in all stages of food production and transport. This course will teach you what you need to know about food allergies in general. It will also advise you as to how your business can comply with the new Allergen Legislation which was put into place last year.

Please contact our office at (021) 4355917 to arrange an Allergen Awareness Course for your business. We can also provide an advisory service for you and your business on a one to one basis to ensure you have the correct procedures and facilities in place to adequately meet your responsibilities and requirements. Alternatively you may email me at: alan@marydaly.ie

Both Peanut and Nut allergies are two of the most serious allergies currently known. The Peanut Allergy is actually the most common form of Food Consumption Death at the moment. There is a distinct difference between Peanut and Nut allergies. A nut allergy is a hypersensitivity to tree nuts which causes an over-reaction of the immune system. This can result in numerous severe physical symptoms.

Tree Nuts include but are not limited to: Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Pistachios, Walnuts, Macadamia Nuts and etc. It is possible for someone to have an allergic reaction to one or a few types of tree nuts but not all. It is advisable however to stay away from all types of tree nuts should you be allergic to any of them. Peanuts differ from tree nuts in that peanuts are legumes, contrastingly tree-nuts are a hard shelled fruit.
Physical symptoms of an allergic reaction to peanuts can include: swelling, eczema, abdominal pain, drop in blood pressure and cardiac arrest. Anaphylaxis can also occur. Having a peanut allergy is considered severe due to its prevalence and harshness of reaction. The most obvious reason a person suffering from a peanut/nut allergy is from an unintentional ingestion but people can also have negative reactions from nut particles in the air. I personally spoke to a peanut allergy sufferer who recently got sick because a bag of peanuts were open in the same room as her. Research on this type of severe sensitivity is divisive and still on-going.

What is the treatment? At the moment the best treatment is avoidance of peanuts altogether, but obviously accidents do happen. When a person suffers a reaction such as an anaphylaxis an epinephrine delivered through an injection.

Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline. It is provided through an injection into a muscle, by inhalation or by injecting it just under the skin. This epi-pen as it is called can and has saved many lives. Previously these were not publicly available like for instance a defibrillator, however with the increase in awareness of not just peanut/nut allergies but allergies in general this is changing. University College Cork is set to become the first University in the world to have Epi-pens on campus for such emergencies. Considering the extreme dangers of anaphylaxis, this is a welcome development.

We at Mary Daly & Associates are running an Allergen Awareness Course this November in Cork. This course is directed towards those working in the food sector from chefs to waiters and those involved in all stages of food production and transport. This course will teach you what you need to know in order about food allergies in general. It will also advise you as to how your business can comply with the new Allergen Legislation which was put into place last year.

Please contact our office at (021) 4355917 to arrange an Allergen Awareness Course for your business. Alternatively you may email me at: alan@marydaly.ie

TACCP (not HACCP!)

The Mary Daly Food Safety Team recently attended an intensive information course on TACCP. TACCP stands for Threat Assessment Critical Control Point. This course was directly informing us about the new danger of Food Terrorism and what we can do to limit its effectiveness.

TACCP has been prevalent in the US for many years and is beginning to gain traction (quite quickly) over here mainly due to the increase in conflicts around the globe from the Middle East to the Ukraine.

The aim of TACCP is to improve the resilience of supply chains to terrorism or other forms of attack. At the moment the threat level from attacks by terrorists is a serious concern. The attacks in Paris and Belgium showcased the immediate danger that Europe itself faces. Ireland has been considered by Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan as not in immediate danger of an attack. However he stressed earlier in the year that Ireland along with its fellow European countries must remain on the alert. The attacks in Tunisia showed that being a neutral country does not mean that we or our citizens are immune to attacks by extremists. What has this to do with Food? Believe it or not but Food terrorism is and has been a distinct possibility. In 1984 a cult in the United States infected a Salad bar with Salmonella, this incident led to over 700 people getting sick, Tyenol tablets were intentionally lace with cyanide in 1982 and this led to the tragic deaths of 7 people. This incident increased the need to reform the packaging of all edible substances. These incidents showed that Food terrorism is not a new phenomenon. In Afghanistan, Allied forces found evidence of plans to attack America’s agriculture. With the increase in unpredictable terrorist attacks every industry and not just the food industry will have to look seriously at the prevention of intentional contamination of its goods. TACCP does not only focus on food safety and the effects on the immediate consumer. TACCP takes into account food fraud i.e. substitution of food ingredients for commercial gain and adulteration of food with the intention of causing harm.

Implementation of a TACCP plan should involve the whole organisation and should include (but not be limited to) representatives from Security, Human Resources, Quality Department, Food Processing Department, Purchasing, Communications.  This multidisciplinary approach is required as the threats accounted for in TACCP may require control from any one of these departments.

When implementing a TACCP system the questions to ask yourself are:

1. Who might want to attack us? e.g. disgruntled employee, animal rights activists, terrorists
2. How might they do it? e.g.  through ingredients, water etc.
3. Where are we vulnerable? e.g.  Physical security? Staff screening? Online systems?
4. How can we stop them e.g. Security patrols, prudent recruitment, online protection (firewalls etc.)

Once these questions are answered a risk assessment can then be carried out to assign a risk level to the threat (A,B,C,D) – If a threat is level A or B then controls must be put in place.

Examples of Controls include:

Prudent recruitment

Access by fob key only

Restricted access of certain areas

Training of staff in FIRST

FIRST is the procedure for training staff in TACCP:

Follow HACCP Plan

Inspect Work Area

Recognise Anything Out Of The Ordinary

Secure All Ingredients, Suppliers

Tell Management Of Anything Out Of The Ordinary

Do you wish to find out more about TACCP or has a customer requested that you implement TACCP. Contact us now to find out more at: 021 4355917. Alternatively you may email us at: info@marydaly.ie.

The negative effects of Russia’s Import Ban on Irish Food Exports

Russian authorities have recently announced that a ban on certain EU Food Imports will be extended until at least August 2016! This is a significant blow to the Irish Food Sector as Irish Agri-Food exports to Russia amounted to over €213 million in 2013 alone. The main foods affected include: dairy, fish and pig-meat. The figures for the first four months of 2015 show that food exports to Russia amounted to just €15.3 million, which is a drop of 80% from the same period last year.

These bans are as a result of sanctions implemented by the EU on Russia due to the Russian government’s continued support for a so-called proxy war in the Ukraine. With tensions in the region not abating despite several attempted ceasefires, it looks like these bans could be in place for a long time. Russia has increased its economic war on Europe by adding even more countries to the Import banned list. In Russia itself some ministers have admitted that these imposed bans have actually greatly helped their own domestic food industry. But what does this mean for Ireland?

Agricultural Minister Simon Coveney admitted that the Russian import ban has had a significant negative impact on Irish food exports however he was also quick to point out that our food exports to other non-EU countries is on the rise. Exports to Eastern Asian countries increased by 36% and to Gulf States by 39% in 2014 alone. This means that Irish Food producers have a real opportunity to develop their exports to these areas. A major reason for popularity in terms of food exports is our Green Natural Image abroad. Bord Bia implemented a programme called ‘Origin Green’. This programme basically helps Irish Food Exporters prove and earn our already perceived Green Image abroad. The Origin Green programme is the only sustainability programme in the world that operates on a national scale. The programme brings together the government, the private sector and Food Producers through Bord Bia. This programme enables Irish farmers and producers to reduce their own environmental impact and thus protect Ireland’s extraordinarily rich natural resources.

With Russia’s Import ban negatively affecting our food exports it is vitally important that we utilise programmes like ‘Origin Green’ to maintain our Unique Selling Point abroad. With these programmes we can ensure that we remain competitive with our food exports to new and expanding markets.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued 16 Closure Orders on Food Business’s in July 2015!!

A closure order is usually issued when an earlier Improvement Order is ignored or not acted upon. Alternatively a closure order may be issued if an inspecting officer feels that if food production in these premises continues in the same fashion it will result in immediate and/or grave danger to the health of the general population.
These closure orders can seriously damage a business financially as the business will remain closed until Food Safety Standards have reached a level which meets legal requirements and until the problem itself has been rectified.  The business whether it be involved in production or catering etc may also be negatively affected due to the fact that the FSAI publish online through their own website and Social Media the names of the business’s closed. This negative publicity can severely damage the reputation of the food business.

Under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act 1998, an authorised officer such as an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) has 4 options available to him or her should an inspection of a food premises not meet legal specifications.

1. Improvement Notice:  This notice is issued by an authorised officer if he/she feels that if a certain activity continues it may cause adverse health effects in the future. The officer will provide the food business with the details as to what is wrong and provide them with a time limit as to when it is to be resolved.
2. Improvement Order: This order is issued when an earlier Improvement Notice has not been adhered too or acted upon. The officer will apply to the District Court to enforce the order. The judge may add certain other requirements to the Improvement Order as she/he sees fit. A list of all Improvement Orders are published on the FSAI website and promoted on Social Media.
3. Closure Order: As aforementioned this order is implemented when an Improvement Order has not been adhered too or if the inspecting officer feels that this activity or practice is and will cause immediate and grave danger to the general public. These closure orders are again published online through the FSAI website and through social media.
4. Prohibition Order: This order is issued when an inspecting officer feels there is a serious risk to public health from a specific batch, product and/or item.  The Prohibition Order will prevent the product being sold or produced until it has be rendered fit for human consumption or destroyed. This order can refer to all or some of the activities within the food business.

All these orders will only be lifted if the harmful practice and/or activity identified by the inspecting officer is addressed. However as already mentioned the damage to future sales and your reputation may already be done.

We at Mary Daly & Associates are experts in Food Safety/HACCP and can provide a range of services to suit your needs and ensure that your business operates to the highest food safety standards.

Our detailed auditing service will identify areas of non-compliance, and our consultants are on hand to support and guide you in resolving these issues. This ensures that all issues are identified and resolved in advance of your next audit. Our certified training courseswill ensure that all staff are trained to the required level and are aware of the expectations of them, in terms of food safety. Our experienced consultants can create and maintain a bespoke food safety management system which will cover all the necessary documentation and record keeping required and act as a point of reference for all employees.

Please contact on 021 4355917 / 01 2091904 or visit this link to discover the services we offer and how Mary Daly & Associates can support you
http://bit.ly/1KOMXbz

The Stigma Surrounding Listeria

The presence of Listeria, particularly Listeria Monocytogenes  is a grave concern for many food business operators, particularly those manufacturing or processing raw foods such as milk and cheeses as well as ready to eat foods due the resistant capacity Listeria has of forming biofilms as well as its ability to multiply at refrigeration temperatures. Ingestion of a contaminated product can cause a spectrum of debilitating symptoms, from nausea and diarrhoea to septicaemia and even death, ranking it the 3rd highest fatality foodborne pathogen. Groups most at risk of developing serious complications as a result of ingesting a contaminated food product include the elderly, the young, pregnant women (Listeria can cross the placenta and reach the foetuses brain which has a 30% mortality rate) and those who are immunocompromised. Therefore effective listeria control via implementation of a vigorous cleaning programme is and should be a major priority for food businesses involved with high risk foods as recalls can lead to large economic losses.

Sampling must be carried about every 2 months, 6 environmental and 2 food swabs which are then sent for analysis, requiring a minimum of 5 days to conclude if Listeria is detected or not. Teagasc have been involved in a Listeria monitoring programme which involves analysing the trends of approx. 61 businesses gathered over the past 2 years, and contact the food business directly if trends show a significant increase/decrease compared to previous results in order to find out the root cause. General prevalence’s are in agreement with the EU average however, with food samples being higher than environmental samples.

Having said that, not all Listeria is pathogenic i.e. disease causing, but since there hasn’t been an approved test to differentiate between pathogenic and non pathogenic strains its presence is assumed as pathogenic. The areas of production most associated with providing ideal conditions for growth of Listeria and are therefore most frequently tested include the wash room, drains, processing room, tables, vat and trolleys. The main sources of contamination would be through the environment as well as insufficient cleaning regimes due to harbourage site or ineffective disinfectants/sanitizers. A point was brought up that if a food business is building an extension or is under construction for any length of time, it is imperative to create a physical barrier from the productions site, as well as ensuring all personnel involved are aware of the strict hygiene SOP’s the production site has in place.

The take home message is that even if effective control measures are established to minimize the presence of Listeria, it will not prevent its presence but rather reduce the risk of a product becoming highly contaminated, thus reducing the risk of people becoming sick. Most businesses think the aim of swabbing is not to find Listeria, whereas it is actually more beneficial to find it so precaution measures can be put into place to ensure that L. monocytogenes does not exceed 100 cfu/g in products placed on the market during their shelf-life, as required by Commission Regulation 2073/2005.

For further information email info@marydaly.ie or telephone us on (021) 4355917

The Asian Market – What Ireland has to offer

The Asian Market is the single largest economic driver in the world, having the fastest growing population worldwide serving home to 6/10 people in the world. This rapid expansion in population of 44 million people per year over the past 10 years has resulted in more citizens being classified as middle class, changing dietary patterns and higher demands for foods rich in protein, vegetables, meat and dairy as well as the quality of food. The global demand for diary is set to increase by 2% every year and accounts for 70% of all imports into the Chinese market, with bulk powders such as infant formula playing a pivotal role in the export industry particularly for Ireland who are the largest exporters of infant formula in the world, making a profit of $16 per tin of formula in China.

€650 million worth of food and beverages are currently exported to China on a yearly basis but as extra demand in other foods such as seafood is set to be 17 million tonnes per annum there is still a massive opportunity for Ireland to increase its exports, as we produce 10 times more food than required for our population. Diversification into other immerging markets such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam are also potential strategies as it is predicted that 80% of future demands for meat will come from Asia, Africa and South America, with the average person nowadays consuming 43.1kg of meat per annum. Indonesia is currently the 4th largest buyer in the world but is set to by-pass current leaders such as Japan in the next 10 years.

This is a huge opportunity for Ireland, particularly as our dairy production is set to increase by 50% in the next 5 years alone due to the uplift on the milk production quota, leaving us with an additional 2.75 billion litres of milk. 85% of all food produced here is available for exportation to 128 countries resulting in exports to grow to €5.5 billion by 2020, creating 15,000 jobs both on and off farms. 18,000 farms in Ireland account for our milk production and 45,000 account for beef farms, with 20,000 farms audited per year giving us a competitive advantage as regards food safety. Ireland is also the only country in the world to conduct carbon assessments on an annual basis – with 90,000 farms having been assessed to date in accordance to the ISO standard.

Other advantages Ireland has to offer include water availability, supply chain traceability systems, weather and grass feed systems. Our reputation is everything as is emphasised by the “Origin Green” programme and we have the proof to back it up as Ireland along with Canada are ranked as number 1 in the world with regards food safety, additionally we were the first country in the EU that was able to trace back all of our meat during the horse meat scandal. We can also offer competitive advantages primarily on price, quality and sustainability which we are world leaders in. Lastly, we are one of the strongest in the world regarding research in dairy genetics and continued development in scientific practices to maximise our efficiency.

Having said that, global challenges pose a threat to all economies as we need to increase our food production worldwide to 60% by 2050 to sustain the continuously growing population that are living longer and requiring higher demands in food quality and safety. Ireland are fortunate that we have organisations such as Teagasc and Bord Bia that aid us in maintaining our integrity of our food chain and providing crucial funding for research, along with “Origin Green” which puts us right up there as a serious competitor in the battle of feeding our world with safe and high quality produce.
The above facts and figures were obtained from various guest speakers at the Asia Ireland Forum.

For more information please contact us at info@marydaly.ie

Over the years most of us at some stage will have administered first aid treatment.  For some it may have been as simple as putting a sticking plaster on a cut and for others it might have been knowing what they had to do when a colleague had a seizure at work, or maybe you came across an accident.

Recently in the media we saw how Michael Lyster was saved by his wife as she performed CPR on him when he went into cardiac arrest.  She had attended a first aid class and from what she learnt she saved his life.  It is a life skill that each and every one of us should learn. But why do we need it in work?  Legislation for safety, health and welfare at work has been revised to ensure our safety in the workplace.  This is why you will find that many people attend trainings to comply with the legislation. But not only just to comply with legislation, these courses are needed because some day at work you might literally have someone’s life in your hands!!!

Since the tightening of legislation, statistics have shown a reduction in the number of accidents at work and better outcomes for those who do fall ill or are injured.

In the guidelines on “First Aid at Places at Work” it clearly outlines the importance of training staff and also how many people you need trained in your place of work (available from the HSA).  This is decided by doing a risk assessment but generally it recommends one trained Occupational First Aider per fifty employees, you need also to consider the people who visit your premises when risk assessing.

An Occupational First Aider is someone who has completed the 3 day FETAC/QQI course for first aid in the workplace.  This is a very comprehensive and enjoyable course that provides hands on experience as well as theory based information.  At the end of the course participants will complete a practical and written exam and successful candidates will be certified with a FETAC Level 5/ QQI certificate.  This cert is valid for two years and at that stage a refresher course is required – this takes only one day.

Another very interesting course to do is an Emergency First Aid course.  This is a one day course that covers all the basic everyday emergencies that you are likely to come across.  Not everyone in the workplace needs to be Occupationally First Aid trained and this is a good alternative for those who are not required to have the full course but who do need basic first aid knowledge.  One day is enough to go through all the basics and this again is certified and the certs will remain valid for two years.

We feel that a high quality of training is the key to our success and we pride ourselves on our highly trained staff, the comprehensive notes we provide and very comfortable and convenient venues we use.  All of our staff have the relevant qualifications to train and certify you up to the latest requirements recommended by the HSA.

Please see table below or visit the following link for upcoming course dates: http://marydaly.ie/training-schedule/

If you would like to register for our Occupational First Aid or Emergency First Aid courses then simply contact us at 01 209 1904 or book online on our website.

Coeliac Disease is a prolonged autoimmune condition that is prompted by gluten which is found in wheat, barley and rye. Coeliac Disease is a permanent intolerance to gluten.

This disease affects more females than males and research has estimated that 1 out of every 100 people in the world is affected by this condition. There is such a lack of knowledge on the condition that even medical professionals frequently misdiagnose the symptoms and over 90% of coeliacs are actually unaware that they have the condition. Ireland has one of the highest numbers of coeliac sufferers in the world. People who suffer from Coeliac Disease can be affected in many different ways. Symptoms include severe chronic reactions but also may have no visible or physical reactions but it may be causing serious damage internally without the sufferer even knowing. Other symptoms can include depression, chronic stomach pain, cancer, diabetes, thyroiditis and osteoporosis etc.

The most effective treatment is total avoidance of any foods that contain gluten and indeed ensuring that food preparation does not become contaminated with gluten. For instance if a bakery has incorrectly cleaned a tray and then bakes gluten free bread on it, it is contaminated and will make a coeliac sufferer sick. Therefore the need to educate and inform the general public and those dealing directly with creation and delivery with food and drink is extremely necessary. Basically if a chef or other food producer is unaware of the issues surrounding coeliac disease they may be inadvertently poisoning and damaging the health of their consumers. To provide an example of the pain of lack of knowledge may cause, one studies respondent described the pain as ‘if someone sliced her stomach open with a knife’.

As aforementioned, 1 in every 100 people suffers from Coeliac Disease and that is just one food related condition. As one can see the need for knowledge on allergens by individuals, chefs and all food handlers is extremely necessary in order to ensure the health and well-being of the general public.

BSE or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy has again caught public attention with an isolated case confirmed on a farm in County Louth on the 11^th of June.

BSE is a disease that damages the brain and central nervous system and eventually leads to the death of adult cattle. An unknown fact about BSE is that an infected animal may not show any symptoms for between four to six years. Some of the symptoms can include disorientation, clumsiness and aggressive behaviour towards other animals and indeed humans. BSE only affects animals; however a human disease called Creutzfedlt-Jakob-Disease (CJD)  may be linked to BSE.  Some individuals who developed CJD in the United Kingdom are known to have consumed BSE infected meat products.

The first case of BSE occurred in the UK in 1986. This disease spread to Ireland and resulted in over 22,400 animals being killed with a cost to the Irish Government of €23,800,000 by 1996 alone. It is believed to have spread by cattle consuming contaminated meat and bone meal. As a result of these outbreaks, the State introduced a strict scrutiny of cattle fatalities throughout the entire country. A number of measures have been put in place to reduce the risk of BSE spreading and affecting the cattle population in Ireland. These include:

1. A Cattle Movement Monitoring System, which tracks the location of all animals in the entire country.
2. Pre-examination of cattle by a veterinary inspector, ensuring that only healthy animals are slaughtered for human consumption.
3. Screening of all suspect cattle using an approved test.
4. On-going audit by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on the effectiveness of controls.
5. The exclusion of all meat and bone meal products from the animal.

These control procedures, and more besides, have ensured that BSE cases remained solitary outbreaks, just like the latest occurrence in Louth this month. These procedures have been so successful that Ireland became the first European nation to be allowed back into the United States beef market following a sixteen year ban. Ireland also recently received an award from the World Organisation for Animal Health recognising Ireland’s BSE free status.

This latest case may have been a setback in terms of our beef export market and may also have had a negative impact on our reputation with our new markets in Japan, China and the United States. However, this is not an outbreak and is considered an isolated incident and officials have stated that it will not affect trade with new and emerging markets.

The important point to note is that the procedures put in place to reduce the risks of the spread of BSE in Ireland are working and the cases that do appear are thankfully just isolated incidents. These procedures therefore need to be adhered too and enforced, in order to ensure the safety of our food produce and to continue the growth of the Irish Food exporting market.

“Artisan” products have exploded in recent years and has quickly become a fast growing niche market in the food enterprise sector as a result of consumers becoming more demanding for local high quality produce, but what is it really?

Following attending the Food Symposium in UCC last week, some very stimulating  points about a definition to pinpoint its true meaning arose – such as understanding, respect, knowledge, craft masters, intuitive, taste, environment.  One particular phrase that stuck regarding the artisan industry was “building an identity within an identity”.

With Ireland being the leaders in sustainable agriculture, it’s no wonder graduates from courses such as the diploma in specialty foods run by UCC are becoming more and more popular. Graduates from the diploma have gone on to open their own businesses such as Seymour’s Biscuits, Bórua farmhouse cheeses and Ayle Farm, but only represent a fraction of the unique products hitting our markets and shelves.

The FSAI recently published a new guidance note (29) regarding guidelines on the use of specific marketing terms and proposes that the word “artisan” can only be used if:

1. The food is made in limited quantities (less than 1,000 kg or litres of food per week on average) by skilled craftspeople.
2. The processing method is not fully mechanised and follows a traditional method.
3. The food is made in a micro-enterprise at a single location (employs fewer than ten persons).
4. The characteristic ingredient(s) used in the food are grown or produced locally where seasonally available and practical (within 100 km of the manufacturing/food service establishment).

As much as we as consumers love to see  “artisan”, “traditional”, “farmhouse” and “natural” on products, it is no wonder regulation around usage of the terminology must be stricter to prevent misleading and fraudulent products that take away from the true meaning of produce brought to us directly by highly skilled and knowledgeable local craftspeople.

For more information please feel free to contact us.

Certified Online Training designed to the FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Irelands) training framework

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) state that it is a legal requirement that all staff involved in a food environment are trained and the responsibility for training of staff lies with the proprietor of the food business.  Training certificates should be kept on file and available for inspection by your Environmental Health Officer (EHO), Department of Agriculture or The Sea Fisheries Protection Association (SFPA)

Level 1 Training provides learners with the food safety training to qualify them to work with food and must be completed by all staff every 2 years. This includes all service staff, kitchen porters, and food handlers. Chefs that have previously received Level 2 or Level 3 training must supplement their training every 2 years with Level 1 Food Safety Training.

Level 1 Food Safety Training is a 2 hour course, designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to safely work with food. This short covers the basics in food safety, and includes such topics as personal hygiene, temperature control, cleaning, pest control, HACCP and cross contamination, closure orders, food poisoning and food poisoning bacteria.

A licensed trainer from Mary Daly & Associates can deliver this course in-house, to groups of up to 15 staff or alternatively your staff can avail of our new on-line training course, which means that learners can receive training at a time/place that is convenient for them.

Our online training course was developed to Level 1 on the Food Safety Authority of Irelands (FSAI) training framework and has been developed following 25 years of face-to-face training experience.

You can find our on-line training course by clicking here!!

http://marydaly.ie/onlinetraining/

We had an interesting incident last week, where a child with a known nut allergy, visited an Asian Restaurant with another twelve year old child and ordered food. Her Mother was shopping nearby at the time.

When the Parent called to collect the children, she then asked the attendant were there nuts in the dish that was sold to the child. The attendant assumed that she was referring to the sauce that was poured over the dish and said no. She did not communicate to the attendant that she was enquiring as her daughter had an allergy to nuts.

Subsequently the child suffered a severe reaction and required medical attention.

It is imperative that customers clearly inform restaurant staff if they suffer from allergies. Food Business Operators cannot be responsible for reactions if they have not been informed in the first place.

Once informed the Chef can prepare a suitable meal without the allergen or simply inform the customer that it is not possible at that point in time to cater for him.

It is imperative that all food businesses place appropriate signage in a location that is clearly visible to the Customer.

A sample sign should read as follows:

“We are an allergy aware business, we understand the needs of the allergic customer and we operate a food safety management system with trained staff to control major food allergens and other foods which our customers may wish to avoid. However some of our menu items contain nuts, peanuts, seeds and other allergens or ingredients which you may wish to avoid.   Please speak to Mr. /Ms…………………….. The duty manager who will help you make a suitable choice.”

Please feel free to contact our office if you require any further information on allergen procedures or policies, we would be delighted to answer your query.