Pie-warmers carry ‘safe’ bacteria

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 2

Pie-warmers carry ‘safe’ bacteria

, Warming cabinets, vhichl have become popular in; Jiotels, snack bars, and other < {institutions for retaining heat in savouries, meat pies, i and sausages, were described, as "incubators for thermo--: phile bacteria” at a seminar, on food hygiene yesterday. Dr John Sumner, senior, lecturer in food technology, at Lincoln College, told a! ’seminar in Christchurch that samples of meat pies tested •Jn the college laboratories! after being brought from •warming cabinets revealed a "bug count” of a million per; gram. But there was good news for savoury-eaters. The particular type of bacteria ■which thrives in the warm-j •jng cabinet temperatures is basically not very poisonousgnd need not cause any concern. said Dr Sumner. Although thermophiles are Jisually harmless, there are other bacteria which can cause food poisoning |poil food.

Possibly the most common I ’food poisoning organism is ! galled staphylococcus, aureus, which grows in food and secretes a poison into it.j According to Dr Sumner,; -about 40 per cent of healthy; adults are harbouring the; 'organism in their noses and .throats, and most food poi--soning outbreaks are caused’ !by direct contamination of cooked food by hands soiled with secretions from the nose, mouth, or cuts in the i skin. i Dr Sumner said that food • poisoning outbreaks were in 'most cases attributed to the food service sector — meals eaten at home accounted for only about a quarter of the -outbreaks. One reason why food poisoning was so common today in the so-called "developed countries”, where standards of hygiene were reputed to be high, was that many people ate communally. This meant that many ' institutions had canteen fac-

ililities which were “totally -'inadequate” to serve the uhuge number of meals deI manded. ; "This in turn necessitates . precooking, followed by reheating of foods — a system i which is vulnerable to abuse I by food handlers, resulting •■in microbial build-up,” said I Dr Sumner. J; Dr Sumner listed 11 ’-hygiene rules for food ' handlers to prevent food ; spoliation and food poisoni.'ng: 1. Wear clean overalls and (, head coverings. Longsleeved jumpers should ’ not be worn under , short-sleeved overalls. ’ 2. Wash hands before start-, ing work, after every break, and always after visiting the lavatory. ‘ 3. Keep fingernails clean ■; and short. ! 4. All lesions, boils, etc., on the hands, arms, face or neck must be covered with a waterproof dressing. 5. Do not smoke or chew gum in the production rooms. 6. Do not eat meals in the production rooms. 7. Do not lick fingers when handling food or wrapping materials. 8. Do not sneeze over food. Always use a clean handkerchief. 9. Keep shoes and outdoor clothing in cloakrooms and lockers, not in production rooms. 10. Never bring pins or needles into production rooms. 11. Keep yourself clean and tidy. Keep your working area clean and tidy. The one-day seminar was . arranged by the Christchurch Technical Institute in association with the Department iof Health. Lincoln College, and the Christchurch City Council. About 50 food handlers attended.