Hygienic Sandwich Production

Introduction

This page explains how sandwiches should be prepared and labelled to ensure they are safe to eat and the consumer is given the correct information.

Sandwiches often contain ingredients which allow bacteria to grow. It is therefore very important for them to be prepared and stored under hygienic conditions.

Following the guidelines below should help to ensure the safety of the sandwiches you produce.

Ingredients

Check packaging is intact. Do not accept ingredients if you think any damaged packaging may have affected the contents.
Check the date codes and do not accept any products that are out of date.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
Fresh vegetables should be rinsed with fresh chlorinated water prior to use. They should be checked to remove foreign bodies such as soil and insects.

Storage

If raw, cooked and ready to eat foods are stored in the same refrigerator, place cooked and ready to eat foods above raw food at all times.
Food in the fridge and freezer should be covered or stored in suitable containers with lids in order to prevent contamination of the food.
Canned food once opened should be stored in suitable, clean and washable containers with fitted lids.
Date code ingredients once they have been removed from their original packaging to ensure effective stock rotation.

Personal Hygiene

Good standards of personal hygiene are very important for the safe preparation of sandwiches. In particular hands should be washed after:

handling raw food
handling waste food and rubbish
using the toilet
sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose
using cleaning materials

Preparation

Thoroughly clean and disinfect equipment and preparation surfaces before starting work. Continue to clean and disinfect during preparation to reduce the risk of contamination.
Sanitizers such as 'Dettox' or 'Milton fluid' are recommended as they help reduce bacteria to safe levels and are food safe.
Use separate preparation boards and knives for raw and cooked/ready to eat foods.

Packaging, Display and Service

Wrap sandwiches in food safe packing before display to avoid contamination from handling during service and to retain their freshness.
It is recommended that sandwiches are stored chilled at all times. If sandwiches are not refrigerated they should be thrown away after 4 hours or at the end of the service period whichever is the earlier.
Wherever possible use utensils or packaging when serving the sandwiches to avoid direct contact with hands, which may be contaminated, e.g. by handling money.

Temperature Control

All prepared fillings should be stored in a fridge until needed.
Small quantities of fillings should be taken out as required.
Generally foods stored in the fridge and cold display units must be kept below 8 degrees centigrade. Frozen foods should be kept below -18 degrees centigrade.
Temperatures of fridges and freezers should be monitored and recorded on a regular basis to ensure they are operating effectively.

Sandwich Labelling

Sandwiches made by a retailer or caterer for sale on the premises where they were made/packed or from a vehicle or a stall operated by the same person need to be labelled with:

Name of the food
A list of all additives (including those in the bread)

All prepacked sandwiches sold from premises other than where they were made/packed must be labelled with the following information:

Name of the food
A full list of ingredients in descending order by weight (this includes bread)
A 'Use-by' date in the form of day/month or day/month/year
Advice on storage
The name and address or registered office of either the manufacturer, or in the case of a retail brand, the retailer

There are prohibitions and restrictions on the use of certain claims on labels (e.g. relating to energy values, vitamins, minerals, nutrition and cholesterol). More detailed advice on these points is available on request.