This is an admitted fact that food poisoning is a major issue all over the world and in UK as well, due to non-effectiveness of food hygiene in fast food industry. (P. Coleman et. al. 2005)
Hamburger, chicken nuggets, pizza, French fries, sandwiches are main contents of fast food. (Freeman, A. 2007) Fast food is highly processed, which is prepared using standardized fixed ingredients and production techniques. Fast food is deeply fried in hydrogenated oil (or Trans fat), which leads to high cholesterol rates and heart attacks. It is point to be noted that fast food does not require cutlery. There are McDonald, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, KFC, Domino's pizza are big fast food chain in UK.
Freeman article" Fast food: Oppression through poor nutrition," is very lengthy document, which discuss fast food definition, historical back ground, business aspects its scope, financial point view, private and government level funding, health and safety issues are deeply discussed in his article. (Freeman, A. 2007)
(Worsford, D. et al. 2007) Discusses that high standards, food hygiene and food safety are main objects for successful businesses. This is observed that a consumer perception of food hygiene is a major element to choice of restaurant. Survey (MORI 2005) has been carried out in six European countries included Spain and France, which revealed 84% consumers would not return to unhygienic food restaurant even they served good quality and even better price food.
UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) discusses that more then 50% restaurants and catering establishment broke food health and safety laws. (FSA, 2001)
Food laws are enforced in UK through local authorities, the government bodies of the counties and district government. (FSA, 2001)
The UK Survey of Hygiene Standards in food Premises 2005 (FSA, 2006a) reported that, in an overall assessment of hygiene practices, procedures and controls, 13% of food premises surveyed had major non-Compliances of law.
(Worsford, D. et al. 2007) Jenny Morris policy officer, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has opinion that UK consumer would be able to exercise choice about where they eat, not only based on menus, but also conscientious about restaurants that are maintaining good food hygiene (hatchet, 2004)
(Howard, M. et. al. 2008) stated that comparison between commercial and home-based food preparation shows general awareness of the risk of food-borne disease, which was elevated in the commercial food handlers. These two factors might be expected to militate towards positive food hygiene behaviour in general public.
Food-borne illness is an important disease in western countries, 70895 cases reported in UK. (Health Protection Agency 2005) The effect of training and the promotion of positive hygiene message might reasonable might be reasonably be expected to increase food handlers, perception of food borne illness risk and created awareness. (Howard, M. et. al. 2008) and finally he concludes that food hygiene training and working in a positive food hygiene environment appears to promote good food hygiene behaviour.
(Basrur, et. al. 2003) Discuss that food business premises are inspected regularly in USA and Canada than in the UK, that means food business inspected 2 or 3 time in year but in UK food premises are inspected one time in 12- 18 month, which is not sufficient to measure good food hygiene condition. Chartered institute environmental health (CIEH) and (EHPs) environmental health practitioners have emphases on food hygiene condition UK. (Worsfold, D. 2007)
(Coleman et al. 2005) According to the World Health organisation (WHO), the medical costs for foods borne infection in UK and the Wales estimated in 1996 at between 300 million pounds and 700 million annually (WHO 1999). (Coleman et al. 2005) more discuss that to reduce the number of food poisoning in general public, introduced legislation Food Safety Act 1990, (Coleman et al. 2000) due to this Act food premises registration and food hygienic training are mandatory for all food establishments.
During the preparation of food surfaces in kitchens have been affected with bacteria(s) that can remove through detergent-based cleaning, or in conjunction with thorough rising. (Cogan, T.A et. al .2002) During handling of chickens, artificially contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis PT4, the organism was widely spread to hands, cloths and food-contact surfaces. (Barker, J. et. al. 2003) More discusses that hygienic conditions was achieved through detergent cleaning but this is not properly hygienic effectiveness in different surface such as like chopping board etc.
(Michael, T. 2004) Dr. Michael, T. Howard is a lecturer in environmental health at King's College London specializing in environmental health law and compliance strategies; he suggested that there is no specific underling philosophy for food hygiene law in UK. It describes the philosophy of self-regulation, which underlies UK occupational health and safety law. He further discusses recent and continuing developments in food law. According to him self-regulatory systems is more appropriate and effective in controlling food safety management failures, the common cause of food borne diseases. He further added that main reasons for the absence of clear philosophical basis for food safety law are historical.
Occupational health and safety law in the UK is based upon the principle of self-regulation. This was created in the report of the Robens committee (Robens 1972) and resulted in the health and safety at work, etc. Act. 1974.
Workplace injuries (HSE 1999) are caused by human error rather then physical workplace characteristics (Michael, T. 2004)
(Michael, T. 2004) European Union (EU) regulations 2002 [Regulation (EC) No. 178, 2002] laid down the general principles and requirements of food law. These rules are apply to all European Union members countries with the responsibility for ensuring food safety within food business premises.1995 the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations (S.I. 1995 No. 1763) apply requirement for hazard analysis, which goes further more up. According to (Michael, T. 2004) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP) is compulsory for all food business concerned. HACCP systems need to be fully applicability to all food business (Howard 1998).
HACCP (Hazard and Critical Control Point system) provide structure for objectives assessment of "what can go wrong" and requires control to be put in place to prevent problems. HACCP is a system that provides food safety management system. That means its principles apply in logical and common sense approach to food control. (Mortimore, S. 2001)
(Coleman et al. 2005) food hygiene training is important to ensuring food handlers are aware of the risk endemic to certain sectors of the industry and they implement appropriate good hygiene practice at workplace. He further adds that food poisoning in the UK as define by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological safety of Food (Public Health Laboratory Service 2003), have increased in recent year. (Council of the European Communities 1993) and the UK Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 require that food providers/caterers adopt a proactive and systematic approach to ensuring food safety with the introduction of a suitable management control systems.
(Ragona, M. et. al. 2008) According to her food safety regulations are particularly interesting because of the variety of impact on different economic actors. Food safety norms are relevant to variety of policy areas, like health trade and the environment.
(Samuel, K.M. at. el. 1995) Fast food industry can also improve their operations by using techniques and tools similar to the ones used in the manufacturing environment. People are impressed by the high standard of cleanliness and consistency of service in fast food restaurant. (Blackburn, 1992) discusses that importance of extending the concepts of just in time (JIT) during white-collar activities.
(Michaels, B. et. al. 2003) Different test regarding cleaning were performed on apple, cucumber and lemons using water wash, produce brush, produce cleaner, produce cleaner with paper wipe towel that was found superior to all previous methods tested. He further added that experience shows increased effectiveness over similar treatments or controls. (Hobbs, BC. et. al. 1978) in the restaurant fast food service, a separate sink is necessary. Fresh fruit and vegetable must be washed in fresh water before use. He discuss in case of sprouts, repeated washing does not seem to reduce bacterial. (Mohle-Boetani, JC. 2001)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
The main purpose of this research is to look into the food hygienic condition presently at fast food industry in UK up to extend that how, we can improve food hygienic condition. How we can change traditional food hygienic condition to modernizing latest level? So we can improve hygiene standard in fast food industry.
For this purpose research and all voluntary process, following research method will be adopted.
Qualitative research method will be used.
Data will be collect through interview, questionnaires, form and other contracting source from the employees and customer of different location to evaluate the real picture of food hygiene in UK.
Secondary data will be compared.
Furthermore, to comply with the validity, reality of the research a research strategy will be helpful to collection of data to get the possible great accurate and correct result from this research.
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