Hygiene & Honey

Notes from NFBKA meeting on 18th March 2010 given by lecturer from Brockenhurst College

CONTAMINATION

• Biological - very low risk in honey
• Physical - foreign objects (e.g. bees!)
• Chemical - cleaning products, paint
• (Allergens - peanut products etc.)

FOOD POISONING

• 90% is bacterial:

Salmonella - 20,000 types

Clostridium - in soil - survives heat - autoclave/pressure cook to kill

Staphylococcus - e.g. MRSA

Bacillus Cereus - found in rice

Campylobacter

Listeria

Typhoid

E.Coli

• Moulds
• Chemicals - copper, aluminium, mercury - make sure you only use cleaning chemicals before or after honey preparation - not DURING.

PREVENTING FOOD POISONING

• Store food out of "danger zone" - 5 - 60 C
• Keep high risk food at room temperature for the shortest time
• Preserve - pickling, smoking, curing, vacuum packing, irradiation
• Store dry foods correctly
• Thorough cooking - at least 70 C for 2 minutes
• Heat processing
• Exclude human carriers

PROTECTING FOOD FROM CONTAMINATION

• cover food
• avoid handling
• separate raw and cooked food
• good housekeeping
• practice personal hygiene
• careful refuse disposal - black bin bags are covered in rat repellant
• eliminate pests

PERSONAL HYGIENE

• Jewellery - remove
• Clothing - wear a clean apron
• Cuts and sores - blue, waterproof plaster regularly changed
• Hand washing

Be sure to read the Honey Regulations