HPA study shows poor hygiene practices at mobile vendors
Research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that food, water, chopping boards, cleaning cloths and security wristbands sampled from mobile and outdoor food vendors were contaminated with a range of bacteria including E.coli. This bacteria, which originates from human or animal faeces indicates either poor hygiene, undercooking or cross-contamination in the kitchen.
The report ‘A follow-up study of hygiene practices in catering premises at large scale events in the United Kingdom’ is now published on the HPA website. Over a seven month period in 2010, 1,662 samples were collected from 153 events by Local Authority sampling officers and tested by the HPA for a range of bacteria including Enterobacteriacae, E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
The events where samples were taken included 50 concerts or music festivals, 20 sports events, 39 carnivals, fetes and fairs and 44 ‘other’ events of a type not stated. 8% of food samples were noted as being of an unsatisfactory quality with a further one per cent (seven samples) containing potentially hazardous levels of bacteria including, among others, the presence of Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens. Of the water samples tested, results revealed that 27% contained unacceptable levels of coliform bacteria. E.coli and/or enterococci bacteria (of faecal origin) were found in 8% of samples. Environmental swabs were taken from chopping boards, food containers, serving counters, utensils, work surfaces and other areas. The study shows that chopping boards had the most unsatisfactory levels of contamination with 60% not meeting the required standard.
Overall, 32% of environmental testing swabs were not of the required standard. Bacterial levels twenty times what is considered acceptable were found on 56% of the cleaning cloths tested. Some cloths also tested positive for E.coli and species of Listeria. Some events now require vendors to wear a security wristband for the duration of the event as proof of their authorisation to trade. As these are worn permanently it was considered that there may be some risk of cross contamination. Of those tested 20% of wristbands worn by catering staff were contaminated with Enterobacteriacae, E.coli which are all common bacteria found in the human gut and/or Staphylococcus which lives on the skin.
The report ‘A follow-up study of hygiene practices in catering premises at large scale events in the United Kingdom’ is now published on the HPA website. Over a seven month period in 2010, 1,662 samples were collected from 153 events by Local Authority sampling officers and tested by the HPA for a range of bacteria including Enterobacteriacae, E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
The events where samples were taken included 50 concerts or music festivals, 20 sports events, 39 carnivals, fetes and fairs and 44 ‘other’ events of a type not stated. 8% of food samples were noted as being of an unsatisfactory quality with a further one per cent (seven samples) containing potentially hazardous levels of bacteria including, among others, the presence of Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens. Of the water samples tested, results revealed that 27% contained unacceptable levels of coliform bacteria. E.coli and/or enterococci bacteria (of faecal origin) were found in 8% of samples. Environmental swabs were taken from chopping boards, food containers, serving counters, utensils, work surfaces and other areas. The study shows that chopping boards had the most unsatisfactory levels of contamination with 60% not meeting the required standard.
Overall, 32% of environmental testing swabs were not of the required standard. Bacterial levels twenty times what is considered acceptable were found on 56% of the cleaning cloths tested. Some cloths also tested positive for E.coli and species of Listeria. Some events now require vendors to wear a security wristband for the duration of the event as proof of their authorisation to trade. As these are worn permanently it was considered that there may be some risk of cross contamination. Of those tested 20% of wristbands worn by catering staff were contaminated with Enterobacteriacae, E.coli which are all common bacteria found in the human gut and/or Staphylococcus which lives on the skin.
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