Qualitaly_117

JUN. JUL. 2020 XIII containing aluminium should not be used. Not all plastics go well with very fatty foods. For fried foods, straw paper - although widely used - is not the optimal solution. Since 1973 it has been forbidden in Italy to use recycled paper for pizza take-away cartons: it is a damp and greasy food and could easily extract residues of ink from recycled paper. Pizzerias should therefore make sure that the cartons they use are made only with virgin cellulose. There are also conditions that accelerate the migration of substances. “Heat,” stressed Pironi, “is one of them, so in take-away or home delivery dishes, which are packed while still hot, great attention must be paid to the problem. Fortunately, however, in these very containers the contact time is relatively short, because the consumption of the food takes place shortly after the purchase of the product. And the contact time is another parameter that influences the migration”. ATTENTION TO HYGIENE Another aspect to consider is maintaining the appropriate storage temperature. “Here,” she stressed, “we leave the topic of suitability for food contact and enter into that of food hygiene, which must be maintained even during transport in conditions that do not develop a dangerous microbial load. The containers chosen must therefore allow the maintenance of the hot (above 65°C) or cold (below 10°C) bond during the entire journey from the point of preparation to the final consumer’s home, until the last meal delivered”. In this case it is important not only the primary container, the one directly in contact with the food, but also the secondary one, the one used for deliveries. “All these containers,” said Pironi, “must be sanitised frequently, as the official protocols also report. It is therefore advisable to choose materials that, in addition to preserving the temperature during transport, can be sanitised”. Among the containers that can be used are thermal bags or expanded polystyrene containers. THE ENVIRONMENTAL THEME In addition to food safety, there is also the issue of environmental protection. The DIR. (EU) 2019/904 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5.6.2019 aimed to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and human health and to promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials. The Directive provides for a quantifiable reduction in the consumption of disposable plastic products by 2026 compared to 2022. “These products,” explained Pironi, “also include those for food intended for immediate consumption on the spot or for take- away, generally consumed directly in the container without further cooking operations. This law has yet to be implemented in Italy with a special decree. However, the replacement cannot be immediate because it is necessary to identify alternative materials that guarantee the same technological performance as plastic and that do not give problems of migration”. Today there are already on the market alternative materials to plastic based on starch or produced by microorganisms that can be used (as such or with waterproofing coatings) even for ready meals. The declaration of conformity issued by the manufacturer must also be observed for these materials. In the debate that followed the conclusion of the lesson, a critical issue to solve emerged: the out-of- home sector is still unaware of the complexity linked to the correct choice of packaging and often - especially if it relies on delivery platforms - does not have the possibility to choose the most suitable material to pack its dishes and to request the technical specifications. A training activity, together with discussions with packaging consultants and suppliers in order to identify the best solutions could help to overcome this obstacle. SINGLE-DOSES TO REDUCE THE RISKS IN THE DINING ROOM Although it is not an obligation, protocols recommend the use of single- doses so as not to have to sanitise every time objects that are on the table such as condiment containers. Choosing the right format and therefore the appropriate packaging can be useful to reduce the risk of COVID transmission even in the room. National and regional protocols recommend paying particular attention to the handling of objects that usually pass “from table to table” from one service to another, or remain on the table, passing from one group of patrons to another. The “Interim guidance on SARS-CoV-2 containment and food hygiene in food service and catering” requires that all items used for a service be properly sanitised before they are made available to new customers. Alternatively, they suggest disposable products. This solution can be used both for condiments brought to the table at meals - oil, vinegar, salt, pepper sauces... - but also for breakfast time in hotels, which cannot be managed at the buffet, and therefore for honey, jams, sugar.... The protocols at the moment do not oblige to use single-dose containers, but the procedures for sanitising objects that pass from table to table (those are required) may not be simple for objects such as bottles for oil or salt shakers. These containers may not be hermetically sealed and traces of sanitiser could contaminate the liquid contained, which could still absorb unpleasant chemical odours. The same may apply to jam jars or sauce bottles. Putting on each table a number of single-dose containers commensurate with the number of people seated at the table, the problem of sanitisation is obvious and, if one or more packages were not touched by the diners and were still hermetically sealed, they could be sanitised without running the risk of contaminating the product, taking care to rinse the sanitising product well. ______________________________ BOX THE QUALITALY BRAND SINGLE- DOSE PROPOSALS Seasoning line: / 0-4 4 +))* 3 9 = The sauces: ? 7 . . - 2 proposals 0-4 ! ______________________________ AT PAGE 44 AT THE TABLE Progressive catering An exploration between continents and an examination of what is happening across the border shows how much can still be done in this area. Beyond the authorisations granted by the public administration, new experiences can be lived under the roof of a restaurant. While time erases the recent past. And the sector is preparing for the great change by Riccardo Sada Non-traditional, out-of-the-ordinary, unscrupulous and avant-garde. There are terms that sound good in English but that in Italian frighten, disorient and mislead. To say that