The British Retail Consortium and the Chilled Food Association (CFA) have published shelf-life guidance for ready-to-eat foods today.
The document Shelf Life of Ready to Eat Food in Relation to L. monocytogenes - Guidance for Food Business Operators aims to help businesses calculate accurate, safe time periods in which to eat foods. The guidance is also designed to help firms meet European Union microbiology rules - in particular, Regulation 2073/2005, which sets limits on microorganisms such as Listeria in food.
The guidance includes real-life examples of how to put the advice into practice. Organisations involved in compiling the document include the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), local government regulatory body Lacors, the Food Standards Agency (FSA), British Meat Processors Association and the Provision Trade Federation.
“We are pleased that such a wide range of organisations participated in developing the guidance,” said CFA secretary general Kaarin Goodburn. “We hope it will provide vital information on how to set shelf-life, what the key pre-requisites are for making ready-to-eat food, and the basic principles of what to look for when selecting ready-to-eat ingredients.”
Liz Redmond, FSA veterinary director, said: “People need confidence in the safety of the food they buy; this guidance adds to the good work already being done by the food industry, CIEH and the FSA to achieve this. I hope businesses and enforcement officers will find this a useful addition to the range of food safety information available to them.”
The guidance is available to download free at http://www.chilledfood.org or http://www.brc.org.uk.