This is an EHO’s worst nightmare

EHO Story 📩

Over the past year, I have travelled around France quite a bit.

I love France. I love the small villages, wandering around the markets, and of course the wine!

But there is one thing that always strikes me when I am walking around these markets.

Cross-contamination.

At so many market stalls, you will see raw meat and raw sausages laid out right next to ready-to-eat foods. Cooked hams, cured meats, pâtés, pâté en croûte. All side by side, all sharing the same space. Honestly, this is an EHO’s worst nightmare!

I took the photos below while wandering through one of these markets, because it perfectly shows what I mean.

From a food lover’s point of view, perhaps it looks amazing.

From a food safety point of view, it makes me wince.

Raw meat does not need much encouragement to contaminate other foods. Drips, splashes, shared surfaces, and even physically touching! Once bacteria from raw meat reaches a ready-to-eat product, there is no cooking step to make it safe again.

It is one of those situations where perhaps for the public everything looks fine, but really the risk is sitting there in plain sight.

Food Safety Tip ✅

Segregation is one of the simplest ways to prevent cross-contamination.

• Wash hands thoroughly between tasks
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods physically separate at all times.
• In a refrigerator, store raw meat at the bottom
• Keep all food covered / packaged and labelled when not being prepared
• Use separate equipment, utensils, and surfaces
• Clean and disinfect surfaces, equipment, and utensils between handling raw and ready-to-eat foods

The Serious Lesson

Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, but it is also easy to prevent. Clear separation and effective controls protect customers and your business. Small changes in layout and handling can make a big difference to food safety.