Food Sampling Policy
Information on our policy
Food Safety officers undertake various routine sampling on a regular basis detailed in the team’s food sampling policy.
These activities are usually coordinated surveys as part of either LACORS, PHLS or The South West Sector Food Liason Group. In adiditon we also undertake our own food sampling surveys. Samples of food or the environment (swabs) are submitted to the Health Protection Agency's or Public Analysts laboratory for analysis to check the microbiological quality (and to ensure that there are no food poisoning germs in the food).
Some of the samples are purchased from shops as a regular customer unknown to the proprietor and includes evening sampling. Recent surveys include: cooked meat, sandwiches, poultry and take away meals..
On other occasions the officers from the food safety team will identify themselves to the premises in order to take the samples, obtain further details, and check the storage conditions and temperatures.
