Food sampling

The Food team is responsible for undertaking food sampling to ensure the protection of public health. By carrying out food sampling throughout the year, it ensures that food safety and hygiene is maintained and that current food safety legislation is being followed.

Why food sampling is important

With over 100,000 cases of food poisoning being reported each year, resulting in more than 23 million working days being lost each year because of food poisoning, surveillance on food businesses by way of sampling is seen as an important step in protecting public health.

We participate in activities from national, regional and local sampling programmes as well as taking samples involving: complaints, progress monitoring, inspection and in-house sampling themes.

Why are food samples taken?

The main aims and objectives of food sampling are to:

Identify food that could pose a hazard due to high levels of harmful bacteria
Support the food law surveillance functions of the authority and assist in the identification of food safety legislation contraventions
Assist in the evaluation of food hygiene practices in food businesses and to determine if advice or enforcement action is appropriate in premises where it is suspected that poor practices and procedures exist
Assess the microbiological quality of food manufactured, distributed or retailed in the area

Food complaints submitted to the Food Safety Team are not classified as food samples.

When will a food sample be taken?

Food samples are usually taken in the following situations:

Investigation of food poisoning outbreaks and food contamination incidents
European Community co-ordinated programmes for the official control of foodstuffs
Food Standards Agency co-ordinated sampling programmes
LACORS - Local Authority Co-ordinating body on Regulatory Services / HPA - Health Protection Agency - co-ordinated sampling programmes
Berkshire Food Sampling Group surveys
Home or Originating Authority responsibilities
As part of routine food hygiene inspections to aid assessment of food safety management

Berkshire Food Sampling Group

Wokingham Borough Council is part of the Berkshire Food Sampling Group, which is made up of representatives from all the local authorities in Berkshire, the Health Protection Agency and Wessex Environmental Microbiological Services.

The group meet regularly to discuss sampling themes, results from past sampling and new developments/releases in sampling equipment.