The Specialist Cheesemakers Code of Best Practice

Cheese Retailers

INTRODUCTION

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR RETAIL PREMISES

HAZARDS AND CONTROLS

SERVING

TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF CHEESE

TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN SCOTLAND

TEMPERATURE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

VARIATIONS UPWARDS FROM THE 8oC MAXIMUM

LIMITED PERIODS OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE CONTROL

CHILL HOLDING TOLERANCE PERIODS

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE MATURED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE KEPT SAFELY AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE SOLD BY MAIL ORDER

QUALIFYING FOR ONE OF THE EXEMPTIONS

INTRODUCTION

6.1 A wide range of retail outlets offer cheese for sale. Some may only sell pre-packaged cheese, others may have maturing rooms. This section concentrates on the smaller, specialist retailer providing individual service and offering a varying and often wide range of products together with traditional and specialist cheese.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR RETAIL PREMISES

6.2 Basic requirements are similar to those necessary for cheesemakers. The layout and design of the premises and of equipment should be such that there is sufficient working space to enable staff to perform their duties of cutting and wrapping, and of serving customers, without contaminating the cheese on display or cheese contact surfaces. Readily accessible wash hand basins should be available where needed. Your local Food Authority can advise on this.

HAZARDS AND CONTROLS

6.3 Some traditional cheeses are offered for sale in their natural rind. Some may not be wrapped. The wrapping of some of the mould ripened soft cheese is an integral part of their maturing process. Many specialist cheeses require individual attention during maturation and during the period of final storage until sold. Because of these factors, cheese retailers should be particularly aware of hazards arising from:

• cross contamination due to handling different varieties of cheese;
• cross contamination from other foods on sale, especially raw foods;
• cross contamination from shelves, racks, trolleys or other storage or handling equipment;
• contamination from non cheese handling areas, or from the general environment;
• contamination by pests;
• contamination from customers.

6.4 You can control these hazards by:

• buying cheese only from approved establishments. Always check your supplier has an approval number (see Milk and cheesemaking: The Law for details). You may wish to visit your suppliers to check their hygiene standards at source and ensure that they comply with the SCA’s quality assurance scheme. If you are concerned about a supplier let your local Food Authority know;
• checking that the temperature on arrival is in line with the guidelines set out in Annex D;
• on delivery and frequently thereafter, checking cheese for damage, quality defects,faults, blemishes, texture colour and odour;
• having defined storage areas for particular cheese varieties;
• checking that ‘best before’ dates will give you sufficient time to sell the cheese (such dates are a guide, but if a cheese is over mature before its date do not sell. Conversely, if a cheese is still not mature or ripe by its ‘best before’date it may still be possible to sell after the date, provided you are certain of your judgement. If in doubt, do not sell);
• designing displays to reduce any contamination that can come from e.g., other products on sale, or customers’ shopping bags;
• using 'sneeze screens' to play a part in reducing air borne contamination where necessary. However, it is recognised that displaying cheese behind glass can reduce speed of sales, leading to more time for bacterial growth. A risk-based assessment may lead to the balance of safety dictating that cheese be displayed within reach of the public;
• having clear work and hygiene instructions for handling cheese and other products;
• introducing effective pest control measures and routine inspections by qualified personnel where necessary;
• having written schedules of cleaning procedures for all surfaces and documentary evidence of cleaning. An example of a written cleaning schedule for a retailer can be found at Annex B.

SERVING

6.5 When serving in a retail environment it is important that high standards of hygiene are observed. In particular the following points are worth bearing in mind:

• whole cheese, especially bandaged Cheddar, etc., can be a potential source of contamination. It is therefore advisable to wash your hands after handling whole wrapped cheeses and before handling cut cheeses or cheeses where the rind will be eaten. Removal of the cloth on wrapped cheeses should be carried out away from cut cheeses;
• minimise the risk of cross contamination. Keep separate cutting boards and knives for different types of cheeses where practicable. Clean cutting boards and knives frequently.Wash hands after handling other foods, especially raw foods, and before handling cheese;
• keep cutting and serving areas free of non-food items (e.g., paperwork, customers’bags, etc.);
• wrap cheeses individually in a suitable material - wax paper or other special cheese wrappings are ideal;
• coins and notes are a potential source of contamination and, as it is inevitable that you will handle them, you should minimise your direct handling of cheese when serving in the shop. This can be achieved by handling cheese with the aid of waxed paper and other wrappings. Frequent hand washing is also essential.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF CHEESE

6.6 Soft or semi-hard cheeses ripened by moulds will almost certainly require temperature control once their maturation or ripening is complete. The important safety factors for such cheeses relate primarily to their acidity and water activity. During the ripening process acidity declines until a point is reached where growth of pathogens such as some strains of Listeria species will no longer be inhibited. Listeria monocytogenes will multiply in the range between 0 to 42^oC. Growth is extremely slow below 5^oC, but could still pose a threat to food safety, particularly if levels of Listeria are relatively high before chilling below 5^oC. It is important that, at least from this point on, such cheeses are chill controlled.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN SCOTLAND

6.7 Scotland has no specific temperature control regulations. However, food must still be kept at temperatures which will not result in a risk to health, in a refrigerator or refrigerating chamber, or in a cool ventilated place.

6.8 Please note, therefore, that paragraphs 6.9 to 6.18 do not apply in Scotland.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

6.9 The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995 apply to retail sales. They specify a maximum chill temperature of 8^oC for foods which, because of their inherent characteristics, require temperature control to prevent the development of harmful levels of harmful micro-organisms or toxin formation. Notwithstanding the 8^oC maximum, they also require such foods to be kept at safe temperatures.

VARIATIONS UPWARDS FROM THE 8^oC MAXIMUM

6.10 The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations allow food manufacturers to recommend that some foods be held at temperatures greater than 8^oC. Such a recommendation must be supported by a well-founded scientific assessment of the safety of the food at the recommended temperature and shelf life. If you are considering such a recommendation for a cheese, you should contact your local Food Authority for advice. Guidance on this issue is available from Department of Health.

LIMITED PERIODS OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE CONTROL

6.11 Consistent with food safety, limited periods outside temperature control are permitted where necessary to accommodate the practicalities of handling during preparation, transport, storage, and service and display of cheese.

6.12 The limited periods are not specified in the Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations but must be consistent with food safety. In normal circumstances, a single limited period of up to 2 hours is unlikely to be questioned. For longer periods some justification, and a hazard analysis based on the principles of regulation 4(3) of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995, would probably be expected.

CHILL HOLDING TOLERANCE PERIODS

6.13 This tolerance allows cheese retailers to display cheeses normally held at or below 8^oC outside chill control for a single period of up to 4 hours to allow for service or display. Such cheeses must not, however, have been displayed previously at a temperature above 8^oC (or a recommended higher temperature as described in ‘Variations Upwards’ above).

6.14 Cheeses displayed outside chill control under this tolerance should at the end of the display period be placed under chill control until they are sold or discarded. Alternatively, they could be discarded immediately after being displayed outside chill temperature control for the tolerance period.

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE MATURED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES

6.15 This tolerance allows cheese retailers to mature and ripen cheeses at temperatures above 8^oC. The exemption does not apply to the requirement to keep soft or mould ripened cheeses at safe temperatures. For a guide to the likely temperatures during maturing and ripening, see Annex D. Maturing and ripening will usually be for whole cheese, but it may also be desirable to allow maturing or ripening to continue once a cheese has been cut, e.g., if upon cutting it is found that the cheese is still not fully ripe. Note that it is undesirable for cheese temperatures to fluctuate because this could affect quality.

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE KEPT SAFELY AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES

6.16 There is a general exemption from the requirement to keep foods under chill temperature control for foods which may be kept safely at ambient temperatures. For example, hard cheeses which can be stored or displayed at ambient temperatures perfectly safely are not subject to the maximum chill temperature. However, you may still choose to hold them under chilled conditions if ambient temperatures are high (see Annex D for recommended temperatures), to maintain quality.

EXEMPTION FOR CHEESE SOLD BY MAIL ORDER

6.17 There is a general exemption from the 8^oC control for mail order foods. However, such cheeses remain subject to a general requirement that they must be supplied by the mail order business at a temperature, or temperatures, not likely to give rise to a risk to health. If cheeses normally subject to chill temperature control are to be sent by mail order it is important to ensure that they are well insulated (e.g., by using frozen gel packs). It is also important for the mail order company to guarantee a safe delivery time.

QUALIFYING FOR ONE OF THE EXEMPTIONS

6.18 Food businesses must be able to show to the satisfaction of Food Authorities that a food, although likely to support the growth of harmful micro-organisms or the formation of toxins, should qualify for one of the above exemptions. Your Food Authority and the SCA can advise.

Specialist Cheesemakers Association    17 Clerkenwell Green    London EC1R 0DP

Tel: 020 7253 2114    Fax: 020 7608 1645    Email: info@specialistcheesemakers.co.uk