Investigating safe egg use in the catering industry: A pilot study to estimate the nature and extent of adherence to government guidance

Abstract

Despite a 1993 ACMSF Report on Salmonella in Eggs, which offered specific guidance for caterers, outbreaks of Salmonellosis still occur, are frequently associated with the catering industry, and in many cases eggs have been implicated as the source of infection. Using a case study approach and multiple sources of data collection to achieve reliable results, this study assessed a random sample of 100 catering managers for their understanding of and adherence to government guidance. Establishments were randomly selected from four “high‐risk” sectors: function catering, nursing homes, restaurants, and sandwich outlets. Results indicated that there was little awareness of food safety risks associated with eggs and that recommended good practice was not widespread. This was evident in all four sectors and especially in sandwich outlets. Possible reasons for and the implications of these findings are discussed, including the lack of specific advice on safe egg use in the current Basic Food Hygiene Certificate and recommendations for research into effective means of communicating safety messages to caterers.

Citation

Taylor, E. (2004), "Investigating safe egg use in the catering industry: A pilot study to estimate the nature and extent of adherence to government guidance", British Food Journal, Vol. 106 No. 10/11, pp. 808-818. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700410561405