Storage of perishable food
To ensure safe food is available commercial food operators must ensure their products are stored in a safe manner. The temperature danger zone is the temperature range between 4? and 60?C. Within this temperature range, bacteria grow quickly and the more bacteria that are present, the more
quickly food degrades and the more likely it is to cause a foodborne illness. In warmer weather food will remain safe for shorter periods at these temperatures.
The correct procedure for heating pies displayed for sale is to rapidly bring their temperature to greater than 60?C either in an oven or a microwave, and then place them into a pie warmer that has been preheated to enable the pies to remain in storage at more than 60?C. Any food stored in the temperature danger zone must be discarded after two hours.
The recent survey of Stratford premises providing hot pies and other preheated small goods for sale was carried out between 0400 and 0800 hours on a weekday morning to ensure operators were using appropriate methods for heating pies prior to placing them in the pie warmer.
Of the premises inspected four complied with the requirements, a further two (Spirit Stratford and Northern Dairy), quickly implemented controls to meet the requirements.
The premises covered did not include cafes and restaurants apart from Casa Pequena which was open at 0600 hours. A further survey will be conducted. As a result of the concerns expressed by various food premises operators, this will include all premises selling hot food within Stratford and Midhirst. It is hoped that an improvement in standards will be found.
