Food Safety

COOKING/FOOD & DRINK SAMPLING

If you intend to prepare, sample, or cook any sort of food or offer any sample of drink on your stand, you must complete the health and safety form and the food safety pre audit where applicable. Please note unless this is your own product you must purchase this from Excel Hospitality.

You may sample food and drink, but these must be free of charge and in acceptable sampling sizes which are:

Soft and Hot Drinks – 50ml (1.75 Fl oz)
Beers/Ciders or similar – 50ml (1.75 Fl oz)
Wine/Fortified wines/Champagne/Alcopops and similar – 25ml (0.9 Fl oz)
Spirits and similar – 5ml (0.18 Fl oz)

Where food or drink is sampled from the stand in cartons or bottles or other disposable containers/wrapping, the Exhibitor must provide a container of adequate size for the disposal of empty cartons/bottles. The area must be kept clean, tidy and free of debris.

Please ensure that relevant allergen information is displayed when sampling products which contain any of the 14 allergens as well as displaying appropriate signage at stands where there are hot surfaces.

Food sampling
The acceptable sampling sizes for food samples are as follows (this is for your own product, if not your own product you must purchase this from Excel Hospitality):

Bite-sized portions
Individually wrapped items (for off-site consumption only)

Sampling must be carried out in such a way that customers do not touch food that other people will eat, in order to minimise the risk of cross-contamination. The guidance below should be followed:

Food should be placed to be sampled where the exhibitor can see it and therefore supervise customers.
Samples should be clearly segregated from other stock.
It is recommended that samples be offered to customers from plates or small bowls.
If food items are being used to take samples of food from dishes/bowls e.g. using a breadstick to sample a sauce, only items that will not break off into the sample must be used (to prevent customers putting fingers into the food to retrieve broken pieces).
Large bowls or mounds of food for sampling should be avoided, as this increases the risk of people putting fingers into the food.
Customers should not be allowed to ‘double dip’ sampling sticks/spoons/food items.
Bowls, dishes or plates should not be topped up unless they have been properly cleaned before being replenished.
Customers should be directed as to where to place any discarded items, such as stones, from food or sampling sticks/utensils.
Samples must not be offered from the blades of knives.
Where hot drinks are to be sampled, their cups must be fitted with close-fitting secure lids, otherwise the samples must be consumed within the exhibitors stand. A risk assessment should be carried out for such practice.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol is not to be sampled or sold to anyone under the age of 18 years old.
Please complete the Health & Safety form if you intend to sample alcohol.

There must be a personal licence holder present on your stand. If this is not possible the personal licence holder must provide a letter of authorisation for those providing the samples.

Deep fat fryers
Deep fat Fryers are reviewed on case by case basis and must conform with the below guidance.

The deep fat fryer should have a thermostatic cut off switch that will cut out at 200 degrees in accordance with BS EN 60335-2-37:1996 to prevent overheating and subsequent flashover.
A fire blanket must be readily accessible and in close proximity to the deep fat fryer.
A wet chemical fire extinguisher is on hand and in close proximity to the deep fat fryer, which needs to be of a suitable size to deal with the potential fire that could be caused dependent upon the size of the deep fat fryer.
There should be suitable guarding or protective shields when the deep fat fryer is in close proximity to the public or a gangway. The guarding will need to be made of a fire resistant material.
A Fire risk assessment for the operation will need to be sent and approved 28 days prior to the event going live detailing but not limited to all of the above mentioned items.

The fire safety officers will check the stand prior to the commencement of operation and will ensure all the above criteria has been met before the use of the deep fat fryers has been approved.

Deep fat fryers shall be located on stands so as not to endanger anyone in a gangway in case of flashover. They must be provided with thermostatic controls which will cut out at 200°C in accordance with BS EN 60335-2-37:1996, IEC 60335-2-37:1994 (Electric) and BS EN 203-1:1993 (Gas), to prevent overheating of the oil and subsequent flashover. All fat fryers, including table top fryers, shall be guarded with suitable, protective shields when positioned in close proximity to visitors and shall be installed and operated in accordance with the relevant standards

You must also submit a specific stand plan with the location of the fryer as well as a specific fire risk assessment.

WASHING FACILITIES

It is the responsibility of each exhibitor or concessionaire to assess the extent of their operation and ensure that adequate, suitable and sufficient washing facilities are provided in conjunction with their operation.

The washing facilities required are determined by factors such as the public health and food safety risks posed by the operation, the scale of the operation, types of food, equipment used, types of serving container (disposable/reusable) etc.

Where the sharing of facilities is proposed, exhibitors/concessionaires must liaise with each other and the organisers prior to the event, in order to ensure that the overall provision of facilities adequately services all exhibitors/concessionaires when operating at maximum capacity.

Where a hand wash sink is required, it should be dedicated solely for hand washing, easily accessible at all times and unobstructed. Hand-washing facilities should not be further than 3 metres from any preparation area is recommended that facilities for hand washing, food washing and equipment washing (where appropriate) are labelled as such with a suitable notice affixed adjacent to each facility, to ensure that each one is used exclusively for its intended purpose.

ExCeL Regulations do not permit Exhibitor’s using their own staff or any other non-approved persons to carry out any plumbing or connections to the main utilities within the Exhibition Hall. If you require water supply/waste facility, please contact ExCeL on +44(0)20 7069 4400 to prevent paying the surcharge before the order form deadline.

Food Legislation
All food businesses must comply with current (UK & EU) food safety legislation, details of which can be found using the following links: www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/food-hygiene. All exhibitors carrying out food operations should be registered as food businesses with their local authority (UK). This should be completed 28 days before ‘food operations can take place. Speak to the organiser or venue if in doubt.

Food operations include at least one of the following activities:

Selling food
Cooking food
Storing or handling food
Preparing food
Distributing food
Supplying food for sampling

Food Information Regulations (FIR)
Food information legislation now applies to all food sold or sampled at events. Please refer to www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/guidancenotes/labelregsguidance. Note: FIR came into force from December 2014 relating to allergen information on food packaged for direct sale, for unpackaged food and food sold loose. If you need clarification of your responsibilities under FIR, please contact your Local Authority Environmental Health Department, the venue or organiser.

All food served open, unpackaged or loose must have been checked for allergens, and written evidence of the allergens contained within the food must be available. Signage should be in place to direct customers on how to obtain this allergen information.

Enquiries from customers regarding the content of food may be related to allergies and intolerances. As some food allergies e.g. nuts, can be life threatening, it is therefore very important and a legal requirement that accurate information is given.

FOOD SAFETY

All articles for human consumption, whether for eating or drinking within the Exhibition Hall or which are dispensed or given away must be the Exhibitors’ own product. It is essential that all Exhibitors wishing to prepare and dispense food and drink at the Excel comply with the Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 and the Weights & Measures Act (intoxicating liquor) Order 1998. If you intend to cook or sample any sort of food or drink on your stand you must complete the relevant sections within the Health & Safety Information and return to Operations 4 weeks before the event. Please note you cannot sell Food and Drinks.

The minimum specifications are brought to the attention of the Exhibitors as follows, but it must be noted that these should not be regarded as a substitute for the full Regulations. Various Free Food Safety Guides are available from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) at the address shown in the Contractors Contact Page of this manual. For further advice or information about Food Safety at the show you can contact the Environment Services Department.

Stands will not be permitted to process or serve food if they are in poor hygienic condition or pose an imminent risk of contamination to food or an imminent risk to health e.g. pest infestation or cross- contamination.

Stands/kitchens/food preparation and dispensing areas must be in good order to ensure they can easily be cleaned and maintained in a hygienic state of repair. All surfaces likely to be used during the event should be non-porous and easily cleanable.

The list below, although not exhaustive, defines the key controls expected by venues where external contractors, event organisers or exhibitors are serving food within the confines of the venue. This is intended as a guideline and is based within the working parameters of food safety legislation as referenced earlier:

DELIVERY

Records showing delivery to site, including an assessment of the vehicle suitability and state, and temperature records where appropriate (refrigerated 1-5°C, Frozen -18°C or colder (In Scotland frozen temperatures must be between -18°C and -23°C).
Once delivered, products should be moved to a suitable storage area ensuring a suitable temperature is maintained.

Storage

A suitable area for storage of goods with equipment to hold at the appropriate temperatures e.g. fridges/freezers/cooler boxes.
A cleanable storage area, free from rubbish, well lit, adequately ventilated and protected against infestations.
Raw foods should be stored in a separate area where possible, or alternatively below ready- to-eat foods to prevent risk from cross-contamination.
Refrigeration temperatures must be measured with a suitable, calibrated probe thermometer and recorded daily.
All foods must be stored off the ground.

Preparation and display

An area constructed in such a manner that it is cleanable, well lit, free from rubbish, ventilated and in good repair.
All equipment must be kept clean and in good repair.
All preparation and work surfaces must be smooth, impervious and easily cleanable.
Adequate bins with closely fitting lids to ensure proper storage of rubbish.
Suitable, clean protective clothing for all staff engaged in food handling.
Appropriate means of food handling e.g. tongs or similar where food is not wrapped.
Good personal hygiene practices should be observed at all times.
Any food preparation area should have a supply of hot water, liquid soap for hand washing and disposable paper towels.
Raw and cooked foods should be handled in separate areas or at separate times to avoid cross-contamination.
Food should be defrosted thoroughly in a monitored environment before preparation and cooking. Hot or cold food holding.
Prepared food served hot should have reached a core temperature of 75°C (82°C in Scotland) and hot held at 63°C or above until served.
Food served cold should be stored at between 1-5°C.
Temperature should be recorded to show due diligence.
Core temperatures should be taken with a disinfected probe thermometer every 2-3 hours.
Hot food should be discarded after 2 hours, or before if it deteriorates.
If cold food is to be stored out of temperature control or in the event of a refrigerator breakdown, this can only be done for one period of up to 4 hours, after which time food should be discarded. This must be recorded and closely monitored.

All food on stands must be protected from risk of contamination likely to render the food unfit for human consumption, injurious to health or contaminated in such a way that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be eaten in that state. Any food which is unfit for human consumption must be kept apart from any other food and labelled ‘unfit food’.

FOOD TEMPERATURES

Generally, foodstuffs which need temperature control fall into the following categories:

Dairy products.
Cooked products (containing eggs, meat, fish, milk & milk products.
Cereals, pulses, vegetables etc.
Smoked or cured ready to eat meat or fish.

Prepared ‘ready to eat’ foods, e.g. vegetables, salads, coleslaw, mayonnaise.
Uncooked or partly cooked pastry and dough products.

Some of these products may be preserved or prepared in such a way as to relax the need for temperature control. Temperature controls are required for all foods without which might support the growth of harmful bacteria or formulation of toxins. Foods which need temperature control for safety must either be Hot (at or above 63°c) or Chilled (at or below 8°c). If you are planning to prepare or serve any of the above items, then you need to make sure that you comply with the Food Temperature Regulations. For further information contact HSE for free booklets, or Environmental Services for Food Safety queries.

GENERAL FOOD HYGIENE

Food Preparation falls into 3 categories with a different level of requirement for each category. The basic requirements are as follows:

Category A – Open Food Preparation and Processing
This category covers all food that is prepared or put together from raw ingredients onsite and/or cooked or processed onsite. It covers all food which are handled, prepared or processed at the show.

A sink with constant piped supplies of hot water and portable cold water is required for the cleaning of work utensils and equipment, and also cleaning and preparation of foodstuffs. Kettles are not acceptable. For larger operations it is advisable to have at least a double bowl sink so the cleaning of foodstuffs can be kept separate from the cleaning of utensils. Where there is a notable amount of food washing (i.e. in salad preparation) an additional sink should be provided solely for the purpose of food washing.
A hand basin with a supply of hot and cold water and a supply of soap, clean towels or paper towels and a nail brush. Generally, hand washing facilities should not be more than 3 meters away from any preparation area.
All hot water supplies must be instantaneous and constantly available.
Surfaces which come into contact with food must be sound and easy to clean (e.g. have smooth, washable non-toxic surfaces) – floors must be smooth impervious and readily cleanable.
Closed containers must be available for disposal of waste food and other waste (liquid & solid). These must be emptied and cleaned regularly.
Hygienic storage must be available for all foodstuffs to avoid as far as practicable any contamination. Raw foods must be kept separately from cooked foods.
Food handlers must wear suitable clean and appropriate protective clothing and must follow good personal hygiene practices. Any cuts or wounds must be covered with a waterproof dressing

Category B – Open food Service – using disposable or no utensils/crockery and involving no food processing
This category covers food that has already been prepared or requires minimum preparation and no cooking. It covers foods such as spreads, dips, ice cream, yoghurts/desserts etc – anything which is open and handled. As the food is handled it is important that there is a ready supply of hot water available with a supply of soap, clean tea-towels or paper towels.

Surfaces which come into contact with food must be sound and easy to clean (e.g. have smooth, washable non-toxic surfaces) – floors must be smooth impervious and be readily cleanable.
Closed containers must be available for disposal of waste food and other waste (liquid & solid). These must be emptied and cleaned regularly.
Hygienic storage must be available for all foodstuffs – to avoid as far as practicable any contamination. Raw foods must be kept separately from cooked foods.
Food handlers must wear suitable clean and appropriate protective clothing and must follow good personal hygiene practices. Any cuts or wounds must be covered with a waterproof dressing of a contrasting colour to the skin.

Category C – Pre-wrapped/Low Risk Foodstuffs
This category includes non-perishable open foods such as crisps, nuts and biscuits as well as pre-wrapped food and pre-contained drinks.

No washing facilities are required on these stands; however, it may be useful to have some disposable cloths to deal with any spillages, and a covered waste bin for discarded packaging.
Hygienic storage must be available for all foodstuffs.
Food handlers must follow good personal hygiene practices. Any cuts or wounds must be covered with a waterproof dressing of a contrasting colour to the skin.

Food Safety Management System (HACCP)
A Food Safety Management System should be in place for all food business operations and should be commensurate with the work activities taking place. Food Safety Management Systems should be built around HACCP principles. HACCP is a tool to identify and control food hazards.

HACCPs – the principles

The requirement to compile HACCPs documentation was incorporated into legislation in the UK in January 2006 under the Food Hygiene (England) regulations 2006. HACCPs (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) is a tool for the monitoring and recording of a Food Safety Management system.

The HACCP principles consist of the following:

Identifying any hazards that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.
Identifying the critical control point at the step or steps at which control is essential to prevent or eliminate a hazard or to reduce it to acceptable levels.
Establishing critical limits at critical control points which separate acceptability from unacceptability for the prevention, elimination or reduction of identified hazards.
Establishing and implementing effective monitoring procedures at critical control points
Establishing corrective actions when monitoring indicates that a critical control point is not under control.
Establishing procedures, which shall be carried out regularly, to verify that the measures outlined in the above paragraphs are being acted upon; and
Establishing the documents and records commensurate with the nature and size of the food business to demonstrate the effective application of the measures outlined in the above paragraphs.

No matter what the nature or size of the business (an exhibition stand is a business), owners/operators have to ensure that they have a sound food safety management system in place.

FOOD & DRINK RETAILING

CATERING

There will be sufficient retail outlets open on the boulevard throughout the build, open and break periods at ExCel. All articles for human consumption, whether for eating or drinking within the Exhibition Hall or which are dispensed or given away must be the Exhibitors’ own product. Other than in respect of samples permitted, no articles of food or drink may be given away other than from the official caterers.

The sale of Food or Drink from Exhibition stands for consumption onsite is not permitted. Food, drink or confectionery may be sampled (free of charge) in small quantities.

HOSPITALITY

All hospitality or customer entertainment on ExCeL premises must take place on your stand, in enclosed areas do not open to the public. Any food and beverages consumed must be obtained from ExCeL or their agents other than exhibitors own products.