FOOD HANDLING: NEW REGULATIONS LIKELY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 6

FOOD HANDLING: NEW REGULATIONS LIKELY

PUBLIC HEALTH

[By a Political Correspondent of “The Press.”]

Wellington, July 15.—Every effort is being made by the Health Department to raise standards of hygiene in catering establishments throughout New Zealand. Regulations to provide for cleaner handling of food are now being considered by the Government and are likely to come into force soon. It is the aim of the department to increase cleanliness in hotels, restaurants, public cafeterias, and other eating houses by a common-sense appeal to proprietors and by forming classes of hygiene for employees. Trials which have already been conducted in the Auckland district have met with great success. Deterioration in Food Hygiene Investigations which have been made by “The Press” show that although New Zealand is already much more advanced than many countries in its standards of food hygiene, there has been a definite deterioration during and since the war years. 'Hiis, of course, has been caused mainly by staff and material shortages. Although the staff problem is still acute, the department feels that it can achieve its aims through a campaign for cooperation. The proposed regulations do not include a great number of new provisions but definitely tighten up and make more specific those already in force. It is the department’s wish to -obtain an intelligent response from both employer and employee; but if this is not forthcoming every power is given to prosecute offenders. One of the main points of the new regulations makes necessary all eating utensils in public eating houses to be sterilised. Another aim is to cut out all personal contact in the handling of food. Prohibitions will include the piling upon one another of plates containing food, smoking by employees in kitchens or serveries, dry sweeping of floors while meals are being served and carrying of knives, forks and spoons in pockets. Every eating establishment will have to provide adequate washing facilities for employees, and employees will be required to use them. From investigations they have already made, Health Department officials are confident that both employers and employees will, co-operate in the cleaner food campaign. ' , Trained Instructional Staff Methods of handling food hygienically will be taught by lectures, demonstrations, and films. It will be the duty of health authorities in each of the 12 health districts throughout New Zealand to make a trained instructional staff available, although it will be the responsibility of local city and borough councils to enforce the regulations. This system of training food handlers is an innovation in New Zealand. “For years this country has been well in advance of most in the field of food hygiene, but we still have a lot to learn from the United States and Canada.” said a Health Department official. “It is bur aim that proprietors of every eating establishment in the country have all facilities to keep staff and equipment clean. We hope, where necessary, to raise the standard of buildings, but realise that because of present building problems this will take time.” Another health official said: The possibility of spreading disease in any establishment handling food depends upon the suitability of the equipment provided and upon the knowledge,

common sense, and conscientiousness of the employees. Good food handlers are an asset to their employers. Bad ones are a menace not only to the concern they work for, but also to patrons.” It is pointed out that the regulations already in force cover most of the essentials for the clean handling of food, but that these will be consolidated by the new proposals. In 1921 regulations under the Health Act, 1920, for the registration of eating-houses by local authorities were announced m the Gazette. Many eating house proprietors are apparently ignorant of the terms. The regulations state in part: It shall be the duty of every proprietor of an eating house, and of every person responsible for the management of an eating house, to carry out the following provisions:— He shall not employ any person on the premises .who. is suffering from a communicable disease. He shall secure that every person engaged in the preparation or serving of food shall keep his clothing and person clean. He shall not permit clothing to be kept in cupboards or like places in which food is stored.

He shall ensure that all utensils used in the preparation, service, or consumption of food are effectively cleansed after use. Any utensil from which all traces of food or foreign matter have not been removed or which has not been rinsed in clean hot water, shall be deemed not to be effectively cleansed. He shall not permit any utensils to be used which have been so damaged as to render effective cleansing difficult. He shall ensure that wall-surfaCes liable to contamination and floors and all benches, shelves, or other fittings used in the preparation of food, in every kitchen and m the appurtenances of every kitchen are effectively cleansed each day. He shall not permit any unwholesome or decayed food, or any material liable to render food unwholesome or unpleasant, to remain in any cupboard or receptacle for the storage of food. He shall ensure that milk, cream, and butter are stored apart from other food. He shall provide receptacles for the storage of uncooked vegetables, and shall ensure that no other food shall be stored in such receptacles. He shall provide that all garbage and refuse matter is removed from the eating house at least once in every 24 hours, and for that purpose shall ensure that all such garbage or refuse matter is placed with*out avoidable delay in the receptacle® provided therefor, and that such receptacles are not needlessly left uncovered. He shall ensure that every room in which food is served to the public, and all furniture in such room, is effectively cleansed every day, and that the tablecloths and other table furnishings used in such room are clean. ' He shall ensure in any kitchen, and any place in which food is prepared for consumption, and any place in which the utensils used in the preparation 'and serving of food are cleansed, that every person working therein shall have not less than 40 superficial feet of floor space clear of all furniture, fittings, and stored goods. “Campaign Based on Common Sense" Cne problem which is causing concern to the health authorities to-day is the difficulty of replacing crockery. Cracked dishes are definitely unhygienic. Racecourse refreshment rooms and coffee stalls will be among the many public eating establishments at which the cleaner food campaign will be directed. “I know that the staff shortage is still presenting a problem, but I feel confident that with a campaign based on common sense we will be able to raise the food hygiene standards of New Zealand considerably,” said an official. “We want this done by cooperation not by force, but we will prosecute when it is necessary.”