This is not the first time we are reporting on the lack of hygiene standards in supermarkets. But this was one of the most shocking to date. Tesco Lotus Express. How is this acceptable in these current times ? You only need to look at the discolouration of the chicken. It is also in a refrigeration unit that should be used for drinks only.No serving utensils, uncovered, with no dates what so ever. Why is their no hygiene standards here, do we have to wait until someone gets sick? Many Tesco Lotus Express branches sell meat, chicken and pork etc. Pre packed, correctly stored and with sell by dates. The ironic thing is before entering temperatures were checked, hand gel provided for COVID and of course we are all wearing mask ???!! Would you buy this chicken ? How can we stop this very poor standards of sanitation and hygiene ?
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SHA was rolled out in 2020 in Thailand, for all hotels to achieve accreditation for COVID 19 as per the governments criteria to protect the safety of their guests and staff. The key point to remember about this, is that even though it has the words Safety and Health on this, it is actually only COVID related requirements - it does not cover basic health and safety requirements such as fire safety, food and hygiene, fuel and water management , pools and recreation etc. This logo is also very easy to download on the internet and place on your website, which many people have done without actually being certified.We know this because we have been out and about and seen that the obligatory standards are not in place or being met. Or maybe they started off with good intentions, and now even the basic temperature checks and hand gel are not being provided in many establishments. So, if you are using this logo to promote your hotel as having reached the standards required to achieve this accreditation, You must ensure all the standards are in place. Every day. If your hotel has been closed then refresh the protocols with your staff. Now, the next step you need to be focusing on is the health and safety standards in your property. So lets get you started - Safety has never been more important to your business than it is today. If you need help to put the correct health and safety systems in place before you reopen -We can help, drop us a line and we can get you started. Contact us today Let’s face it, these are unprecedented times in the hospitality industry, not knowing when you can once again fully open your doors and welcome back your guests. Salaries have been cut, staff laid off and you still don’t know when your revenue will return. Yet, there is still a budget that needs to be in place for preventative maintenance and the ongoing regular checks, which need to be carried out. You cannot just close the door and expect to reopen within weeks of your first guests arriving without having maintained the internal systems – You may think this will save you money right now, but it will not in the long run. After visiting a couple of our clients closed hotels recently, It was quite shocking to discover just how many hotels have literally just closed the door, laid off staff and clearly no further thought has been given to the ongoing preventative maintenance that still needs to be carried out during this time. From green pools, to no security around anywhere, not a single light on during the evening times – Overgrown gardens – burst water pipes and in one case an electrical fire broke out in the kitchen. Working with these clients, we very quickly advised them some simple procedures they can be doing now in preparation for the reopening, with all their systems functioning. And now they understand what they need to do, how often and why…… Whether your hotel is partially open now or closed, the question you need to be asking is, am I protecting the owners assets? On asking this question to many hotels, the main feedback was that they understood the implications of not doing ongoing maintenance, however their staff are no longer being paid so cannot be expected to come into work and carry out their job as normal. But you can and you must keep some of them employed and paid, even if it is only the engineer- even if it is twice a week that he comes in to check all systems are functioning. Equipment still needs to be turned on – Security should still be based in the property to protect your assets We are reaching out to those of you who need help! Let us help you keep your assets up and running. More results to show you foods defrosting in the display. You can clearly see the pork is still frozen- photo taken at 8am in Tesco Lotus. This was a Saturday morning, most people will not be there until lunchtime, by which time it will already have thawed and look like its fresh. Note the juices in the other photos.... These in a display at Gourmet Market - again they were put into the display frozen, as they defrost and thaw juices will flow into the tray. Customers should be made aware that meat, poultry or fish has previously been frozen. They are not - This can be very dangerous, Even if you do this one time and it is done correctly in the right temperatures- The whole structure of the product loses its natural flavour , colour and moisture. Each time meat, poultry etc is re frozen, it increases its risk of contamination with such pathogens as Ecoli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, clostridium etc. All causing chronic food poisoning. Very curious to know what happens if they do not sell on the same day, they put back in the freezer ? 7/15/2020 0 Comments Fresh and Never Frozen......This is a topic close to my heart and something that bugs me each time I go to the meat counter at the supermarket. However today I was delighted to see this pre packaged chicken bearing this label! Excellent!! It's a label new to you am sure, and why would they need to have this you maybe wondering. Do you know that nearly all meats sold in supermarkets are previously frozen before displayed ? Shocking I know- but if you didn't and you do now- think about choosing shopping elsewhere in the future. If you go to the supermarket early in the morning when they open, you will notice a to of juices in the trays, some maybe still be in the process of defrosting. Whats wrong with this you may ask? Well high risk foods such as meats, poultry and fish should never be refrozen once defrosted, due to their high risk of contamination. Meat, poultry, fish etc are highly risk foods which if not stored and prepared correctly have a high risk of being contaminated easily. Each time you defrost these high risk foods, especially in ambient temperatures, there is a high risk of bacteria forming around the foods- So lets say when you purchase the meat, which you believe and see as fresh, you take it home and freeze it - Prior to you buying it arrived at the supermarket from their supplier, fresh or frozen who knows ? Then it is frozen in their freezers, until it is time to display. So they remove from the freezer and defrost. then you buy "fresh" take it home and refreeze it. Lets look at this for hotels and restaurant who buy in large amounts from other suppliers. Receiving Goods (Meat, Poultry Fish) Why it’s important to check the temperature of meat, fish and poultry on arrival at your hotel or restaurant. Meats, Poultry and fish can be purchased fresh or frozen, portioned or in large pieces, for you to portion later. Any of these are fine, providing you are buying for the correct preparation and storage procedures suitable for your operation. So what are you buying ? If you buy in bulk, it must be fresh so you can portion on arrival and then freeze – You must not freeze first then defrost, then portion pack and refreeze – This is very dangerous and makes it prone to bacteria – How do you know if the product was frozen before it came to you ? It is part of your HACCP procedure for you to check your supplies premises before agreeing a contract with them- Visit them make an assessment of their facilities and view for yourself how they are storing foods- and again- are they receiving fresh or is there another supplier in the chain? Horrifying to think of this I know - But it does happen- so it’s vital you visit your suppliers. And the next essential step is to test the temperature of these foods on arrival. Don’t just test the temperature and log it- Has it been purchased fresh or frozen ? Put a probe thermometer through it and see if it is frozen in the middle. It may be soft on the surface and appear fresh, yet its frozen in the centre. Look for signs of excess water also – this is a clue it is defrosting. If you receive a package with frozen fish and notice excessive ice inside the package- do not purchase- this once again shows it has been frozen and defrosted – when it defrosts water will fill the packet, which then turns to ice once frozen again. Ideally try to buy fresh, and if possible purchase every few days rather than holding a large stock. Not only is this following the correct HACCP guidelines it is protecting the health of your guests and staff – The last thing any of us needs right now is an outbreak of food poisoning – Don’t take your eye off the ball in this area ! |
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