Sarah McNamara, Author at The Food Safety Company

Author: Sarah McNamara

Takeaway in the time of Covid

In these challenging times takeaway is most hospitality businesses only option due to a lack of outdoor space. Takeaways have their own obstacles such as a lack of revenue generation in comparison to full table service or the wider group of competitors in recent weeks. Below are a few novel ways of competing while increasing […]

Outside Dining in the time of Covid-19

This is a fast and affordable way of accommodating more people at an establishment in an effort to offset the loss in sales from government regulations. Many businesses failed to treat outdoor seating areas as an extension of their interior seating and instead saw it as it has always been, a few chairs put out […]

COVID-19: Tips for using and maintaining café and restaurant PPE

This article was submitted by Alliance Online Ireland. With cafés and restaurants in Ireland allowed to re-open, many have had to quickly adapt to new rules for using PPE. In this article, John Girvan, from catering experts Alliance Online Ireland, shares some essential tips for using and maintaining your PPE. Last month saw the long […]

Need to serve food to reopen your pub?

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected nearly every business, but the public houses are still under the strain of enforced closures. To keep business going and prevent mass permanent closures some pubs have taken the initiative to serve simple food to the value of €9 per person. The Food Safety Company has been working with […]

Recommendations for Care Homes

The Covid-19 pandemic is an extremely difficult time for everyone but the elderly population has been particularly affected. ‘This can be seen in the statistic that 79% of all deaths from Covid-19 were in the over 75 age group in Ireland’. Minister Mary Butler who has responsibility for older people issued a report on how […]

Are Dark Kitchens the Future?

The phrase ‘Dark Kitchen’ has been popping up in recent years but with the recent COVID-19 pandemic this phenomenon has taken on a life of its own. A ‘Dark Kitchen’ is a kitchen only used to supply takeaway food with no option for sit in dining. As takeaways represent a staggering 1.45 billion to the […]

Useful Return To Work Policy

Return to Work Form If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (common symptoms include; temperature of 38oC or above, a new persistent cough, or shortness of breath or breathing difficulties) you must not come to work. You will need to restrict movements, including staying at home from work, if you do not have symptoms but you […]

Coronavirus Policy (COVID-19)

Coronavirus are a family of viruses that cause respiratory illness including the common cold, seasonal flu, SARS and MERS. COVID-19 is a new strain. The coronavirus is spread in sneeze or cough droplets; 1. Directly, for example coughing & sneezing directly on foods. 2. Indirectly, for example contact with an infected surface. The symptoms The […]

Food Safety in Bakeries

In the following post I will outline and explain the main dangers to food safety within a Bakery setting. Bakeries tend to be low risk in terms of food safety as most ingredients used do not support the growth of food poisoning bacteria. However, where eggs, butter and milk are involved there is potential for […]

The Enforcement of Tobacco Regulations

The Food Safety Company is aware of the increasing number of inspections of Smoking Areas. We have been advising our clients on acceptable perimeter walls and roofs for many years. Lately, we see an increased vigilance on behalf of the Environmental Health Officers in this area of Tobacco Control. These outdoor spaces are very valuable […]

The Food Safety Company

Mary Daly is Managing Director of The Food Safety Company, the leading Food Safety Consultancy and Training Company in Ireland. As a former Army Officer, she gained immeasurable experience in catering for large numbers both at home and overseas. Safety and Food Security were paramount in her earlier career. In 2000 she established The Food […]

Too Clean or Not Clean Enough? The Hygiene Hypothesis Myth

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 […]