Community events can be a great way to bring people together, whilst also raising money for a charity or other good cause. However, it is important to ensure that these events are carried out safely, especially where food products are served or sold to members of the public.
Simply by observing some basic food hygiene rules and making sure every volunteer knows what standards are expected of them, members of the public can be protected against food poisoning and other illnesses caused by poor food hygiene. For example, all volunteers should:
• Wash their hands before handling food, as well as before and after handling potentially dangerous food products such as raw poultry, eggs etc.
• Know the correct temperature to store food products at
• Understand the importance of keeping raw and ready-to-eat food products apart, as well as the utensils and equipment used to prepare both of these products
• Wear the right clothing (i.e. remove jewellery, wear hair nets etc.)
It may be a good idea for the head of a team of volunteers to attend a basic food hygiene training course ahead of the community event, so that they can advise and instruct their team properly.
