Qualitaly_112

AUG. SEP. 2019 XIII two dishwashers (commis) for the reorganisation of the kitchen and the stock. The cost for a chef varies from 2,500 to 3,000 euro, up to 4,000 to 6,000 euro; it depends on the structure and the amount of work. A good shift manager earns about 2 thousand euros, for a commis the cost varies from 1000 to 1500 euro. ______________________________ AT PAGE 46 IN THE KITCHEN Ice: an underestimated food We do not think about it, but ice is not just a refrigerant, but a real food and as such must be managed to ensure the health of consumers. This is how By Elena Consonni What could be simpler and more trivial than an ice cube? Apparently nothing, yet even ice deserves more attention than it generally receives. Ice, in fact, is a food and as such must be produced and handled in accordance with certain rules. However, there are not many food business operators who handle ice with due awareness. In fact, international news reports many cases of food infections caused by the consumption of ice and when facing a trip to the less developed regions of the planet one of the first precautions is to avoid ice, unfortunately we do not consider that some problems could occur here in Italy. Ice management is really critical and the WHO (World Health Organization) puts ice among the 5 most important sources of human health problems: in the world (and especially in the countries in the equatorial bands) the problem is related to the drinkability of water, but ice is a potential problem even in Western countries, where the water network is safe. “Of course, the scenarios in the world are many,” explains Carlo Stucchi, president of INGA (National Institute of Ice Food). “In many countries the problem of ice is linked to the health of water. In Italy, ice is produced from mains water, and therefore drinkable, but it is the procedures for obtaining ice that make it a potentially dangerous food.” A few years ago, the Sicily Region opened its eyes to this issue and decided to carry out a series of sample checks on ice, both produced in public places and in establishments specialising in this type of activity. The results were not comforting as they showed the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (in particular Pseudomonas, enterococci and coliform bacteria) in a part of the samples analysed. Following these results, the region has created a working group together with INGA dedicated to this problem, has published checklists and started to raise awareness among food operators. In addition, it has established a plan to control the health of the ice in the three-year period 2019-2021. But we must not make the mistake of deluding ourselves that the problem is located only in this region. “Sicily,” says Stucchi, “has the merit of having been the forerunner. I now hope that the other regions will follow its example and take action to make checks on the ice, currently neglected. ATTENTION TO EQUIPMENT “The management of ice in public places,” explains Stucchi, “is often underestimated, because this product is not considered a food and therefore not given the precautions that are used for any other food served to their customers. Ice is often considered only as a refrigerant, forgetting that it can be ingested and that it comes into direct contact with a food or drink and therefore can become a vehicle of contamination. For this reason, our association is working with FIPE - Italian Federation of Public Businesses - to raise awareness of restaurateurs and premises managers on this issue. The most frequent problem concerns machines for producing ice. Ice is produced by passing water through a refrigerating cell that transforms it into ice. “Unfortunately,” he underlines, “too many times the correct maintenance of the machine that produces the ice is not carried out: the filters are not changed with the due frequency and this can lead to the formation of biofilms, the machine is not cleaned or still the ice is not handled properly (for example it is touched with uncleaned hands) or stored for too long. These incorrect behaviours could be more easily corrected if the ice production were inserted in the Haccp plan of the room, which is difficult to do. A complete Haccp plan should indicate the procedures for proper ice management, as is the case with any other preparation activity carried out in the room.” FROM THE CHECKLIST TO THE MANUAL To help operators improve the management of ice production and handling, INGA, in collaboration with the Sicilian Regional Health Department and FIPE, has developed an operational checklist to be included in the HACCP plan of the premises, to support and guide managers in the proper management