Catering at Public Events Organised by Staff within the University Policy

Policy statement

The University of Dundee recognises the risks to health from incorrectly prepared or stored food served at public events organised by staff within the University and will take all reasonable measures to reduce these risks.

Definition

A public event is a formal gathering of people to fulfil a specified function. This also includes charity or fundraising events where baked goods are prepared at home and sold to raise money on University property. It does not include informal or social gatherings of staff within the workplace when staff may bring in food either prepared by themselves or purchased.

Arrangements

Health and Safety responsibilities are detailed in the University Health and Safety Policy. Essentially, health and safety tasks can be delegated to staff, but the responsibility for ensuring these tasks are properly undertaken remains with the delegating manager. Ultimate responsibility resides within the University Court.

Guidance

Contracted catering for formal events

The member of staff directing the event should ensure no-one suffers ill health as a result of eating or drinking incorrectly prepared or stored food at the event. This duty can be fulfilled by using Campus Catering, University Residences. If Campus Catering are not used then the staff member should ensure the Catering Contractor is meeting acceptable standards. This can be achieved by appointing a competent contractor using Checklist 1, and monitoring their performance before, during and at the end of the event using Checklist 2.

Checklist 1 – Competency

• Check Contractor is registered with Environmental Health Department, Dundee City Council
• Ask Contractor for a copy of their H&S policy that includes the name of the person responsible for overseeing a food safety management system based upon the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Care Points (HACCP)
• Ask Contractor for a copy of their House Rules for training, personal hygiene, cleaning, temperature control, cross contamination prevention, pest control, waste control, maintenance and stock control as detailed in CookSafe, Food Safety Assurance System, Food Standards Agency, Scotland
• Ensure Contractor inspects venue in advance to identify specific hazards and to explain how these hazards will be controlled

Checklist 2 - Monitoring

• Check food is delivered in a suitably hygienic and safe method, and is stored correctly (i.e. covered, stored in fridge)
• Check staff are wearing suitable and clean clothing and shoes, with long hair tied back
• Check food preparation area is clean and tidy during use, and at the end of the event
• Check waste is stored correctly

Bake sales

Wherever possible a suitable contractor who meets the above conditions should be used for catered events, however it is accepted that this may not be desirable for some charity or fundraising events such as bake sales.

The member of staff directing the event must be present during the bake sale and must ensure that corridors are kept clear and that all furniture, tables, chairs and packaging are removed promptly afterwards. They must ensure that Safety Signs and Fire Exits remain clear and that Fire Doors remain closed and unobstructed. They must be aware of emergency procedures and should ensure they are in direct contact with key University staff and have a note of First Aiders and emergency contact numbers.

Regardless of the source, it is essential the person directing the event takes all reasonable steps to minimise the risk as of anyone suffering ill health as a result of eating or drinking incorrectly prepared or stored food at the event. To fulfil this duty the staff directing the event should ensure the following steps are followed by those preparing the food:

Acceptable items for bake sales

• Tea breads/loaves
• Cakes (except cheesecake or cream filled)
• Biscuits
• Tray bakes
• Muffins (except cream filled)
• Sweetie bars/tablet
• Cupcakes (except cream filled)
• Pies not requiring refrigeration
• Sugar icing and jam fillings

Not acceptable for bake sales

• Cheesecake
• Creams or custards
• Cream fillings in any of the following:
  • cakes
  • cupcakes
  • muffins
  • doughnuts
• Frosting or fillings made with cream cheese
• Anything containing meat, fish, poultry in any form
• Sandwiches
• Anything requiring refrigeration

Personal hygiene

• Follow good personal hygiene for food preparation as outlined on the NHS choices website
• Always wash your hands before handling ingredients and at regular intervals whilst making cakes
• Wear clean clothes that will not give rise to contamination of food, for example; pet hairs, woollen fibres, loose buttons etc
• Before preparing food, remove jewellery such as rings which may harbour dirt or bacteria and may also fall into food.
• If you have a cut make sure you cover it with a waterproof dressing
• Do not attempt to prepare food for consumption by others if you have:
  • sores, boils, septic lesions or any other type of skin condition
  • an acute cough or cold
  • Symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhoea in the last 72 hours

The kitchen

• Make sure work surfaces, bowls and utensils are thoroughly cleaned before preparing food
• Never use work surfaces, equipment or utensils for raw foods and then for cooked foods without cleaning and disinfecting them first.
• Do not allow pets into the kitchen as they present a risk of cross-contamination
• Be aware that minute amounts of food allergens can cause allergic reactions to develop in a predisposed person so always clean down thoroughly if any food allergens have been prepared in the kitchen recently

Ingredients

• Make sure ingredients are of good quality
• Do not use food that is out of date, for example past it’s 'use by' or 'best before'.
• Keep ready to eat foods, for example cakes and biscuits away from raw foods, such as raw meat and poultry
• Handle food as little as possible
• Do not use raw eggs in the preparation of a ready to eat product, for example as an ingredient for icing

Safe storage of food

• Keep food covered as products must be protected from contamination
• Products should be placed into a clean, food grade container, preferably with a tight fitting lid
• Make sure any vehicle used for transportation is clean and does not present a risk of contamination to foods

Labelling of food

• Cakes and biscuits that are sold unpackaged at a one off event are not subject to the Food Labelling Regulations 1996
• Cakes and biscuits sold in boxes may well be subject to the Food Labelling Regulations 1996
• If cakes and biscuits are labelled then the following information must be offered:
  • Product name; and
  • List of ingredients (in descending order of weight)
• If products contain irradiated and/or genetically modified ingredients then this needs to be declared

Allergens

When baking food for a charitable event on a one off basis you are not required to be registered as a food business and as such don’t have a legal obligation to provide information to consumers in respect to food allergens included as ingredients. However, the University recommends that anyone managing a charity event, should consider the risks, in order to secure the safety and wellbeing of any potential consumer.

Best practice would be to have signage/details of any ingredients in items offered for sale that may give rise to an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis in a predisposed person. A list of common food allergens and products that may be used in the production of cakes and biscuits is listed below:

• cereals containing gluten (wheat, barley, rye & oats)
• eggs
• nuts (including oils and as ingredients e.g. marzipan)
• sesame (oil, halva, etc.)
• lupin (found in flour)
• sulphur dioxide & sulphites (preservatives E220 - E228)

Be aware that minute amounts of food allergens can cause allergic reactions to develop in a pre-disposed person and for this reason always clean down thoroughly if any food allergens have been prepared in the kitchen recently.

Serving food

• Use tongs or other utensils to serve the food, not your fingers (or those of your customers)
• Use disposable plates or napkins to serve food

Leftovers

To avoid leftovers reduce the price 20 minutes before the close of your bake sale. If you have leftovers be sure to wrap them securely, and if you are not eating them, dispose of them in the food waste.

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