Food Sampling

Food sold from premises in the District is sampled. The sampling programmes are co-ordinated by Essex Food Group, Regional Bodies and LACORS (Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services). The sampling programmes normally include cream cakes, sandwiches, cooked meats and shellfish. Samples may also be taken during routine food hygiene inspections, following a complaint or during a food poisoning outbreak investigation.

Some samples are purchased from shops and catering premises as a customer unknown to the proprietor. Other samples are taken after the officer has identified themselves, where it is necessary to obtain information from the proprietor and to check the storage conditions and temperature.

Samples of food, or sometimes worksurface swabs, are submitted to the Health Protection Agency East of England Laboratory at Chelmsford for analysis to check the microbiological quality and for the presence of food poisoning bacteria. There are various types of microbiological criteria against which we can judge the quality and safety of food. Information about this and how to improve the quality and safety of food is contained in the advisory leaflet which can be downloaded from the related documents section.