Surveillance projects

Purpose and definitions

The purpose of the project was to determine whether the country of origin of the meat in unpackaged food products offered is disclosed to the customer in writing, as specified in the Decree 154/2019 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The project was implemented as a joint surveillance project between Kotka Environmental Health Care and Hamina Health Supervision during 2022. The Kotka surveillance unit carried out inspections in its own surveillance area, i.e. Kotka and Pyhtää, and the Hamina surveillance unit, respectively, in its own surveillance area, which covers Hamina, Virolahti and Miehikkälä.

The inspections were carried out in connection with planned inspections, as part of the Oiva inspection of the site. Oiva inspections are carried out at supervised food premises at regular intervals. Each inspection is assessed with grades, which are Excellent, Good, Needs to be corrected and Poor. After the inspection, the food premises receive an Oiva report, which must be displayed for the customer, for example at the entrance to the restaurant.

Country of origin refers to the country where the animal was raised and must be stated for beef, pork, goat, sheep and poultry meat, including minced meat. The country of origin must be stated regardless of whether the food contains a lot of meat or only a little. The meat used may have been fresh, chilled or frozen.

The country of origin does not need to be declared for meat from other animal species or if meat products are served or the food is made from meat products or raw meat products. Meat products include, for example, various cold cuts and sausages. Raw meat products refer to fresh meat, including minced meat, to which, for example, spices or additives have been added.

The country of origin of meat used as an ingredient in a meal must be indicated as follows: “Country of origin: (name of EU country or non-EU country)”. If the country of origin of the meat is not known to the exact country, the expression “EU” or “non-EU” is used, for example. The country of origin of the meat can also be indicated at the place of service with the Hyvää Suomesta sign.

Items inspected

The project inspected 59 different catering locations: five cafés, 13 lunch spots, 30 restaurants, five pizzerias, two mobile food vans, three service center canteens and one course center kitchen. A total of 15 re-inspections were carried out during the project.

Results

CapitalThere were 20 assessments regarding the declaration of the country of origin, meaning that the origin was declared in these serving places in accordance with the regulation.

Good19 catering establishments received the rating. The rating was calculated from excellent to good, for example, if the country of origin information was missing from some dishes, the product information signs had been renewed and the country of origin had been forgotten in this context, the country of origin information was missing but the deficiency was corrected during the inspection, the origin information was incorrect but the matter was corrected immediately, the declaration had been forgotten on the day of the inspection, but otherwise it is declared normally, the country of origin may have been declared on the lunch menu but not on the á la carte menu, or the declaration was unclear and illegible.

To be fixed-rating was given to 19 serving locations. The reason was completely missing or incorrect country of origin information, which was not corrected during the inspection visit.

BadOne catering establishment received a rating of -. The reason for this was that the issue had already been pointed out in a previous inspection, but had not been corrected.

17 catering establishments were inspected in Hamina and 42 in Kotka. Taking into account the different inspection volumes, the results were clearly better in the Hamina inspection unit's control area (Table 1).

Some types of catering establishments, such as mobile food premises and service houses, were included in very few cases, so the distribution of results cannot be assessed for them. However, it would seem that lunch places received the most Excellent ratings in relative terms. In turn, the most Needs Improvement ratings were given to cafés. Restaurants were inspected the most in quantitative terms and the ratings were distributed more evenly, although most of them had at least minor points to make in the declaration of the origin of the meat.

Thinking

The final conclusion of the project is that there are still shortcomings in declaring the country of origin of meat. It is worrying that even after repeated inspections, the matter was not in order in a few places of service.

The verification of information on the origin of meat will continue as part of the inspection visits to food premises. If any deficiencies are detected, the supervisory authority will take the necessary measures in addition to providing guidance to eliminate the deficiencies from the operation.

In the Hamina control area, fewer sites were inspected, but the control results were better. In Hamina, food operators had been given written instructions after the entry into force of Decree 154/2019 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The preparation of written instructions seems to be an effective means in addition to control.

Background to the project

Between 2015 and 2018, there was a listeria epidemic in Europe caused by frozen corn, which sickened 47 people. Nine of those who became ill died. In 2018, the customs laboratory found Listeria monocytogenes in frozen fruit and vegetables imported into Finland. Up to 20% of the vegetables contained small amounts of Listeria monocytogenes.

In 2019, the Kotka Environmental Health Service Unit carried out a joint project with the Hamina Health Supervision to investigate the hygienic quality of smoothies made locally from at least partially frozen fruit. No listeriosis-causing bacteria were detected in the samples taken. This time, the joint project investigated the handling and hygienic quality of frozen vegetables served in cold salads.

Listeria monocytogenes and its occurrence

Listeria monocytogenes is a common bacterium found in soil and natural waters. Because it is common, it can easily be transferred to vegetables, milk and fish, for example. Listeria is sensitive to heat, so uncooked foods can act as a carrier for it. Listeria is very resistant to cold and, for example, freezing does not kill bacterial cells.

Listeriosis is particularly common in high-risk groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis can occur as a febrile intestinal infection or as a more serious form of the disease with a high mortality rate.

Escherichia coli bacteria

Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and animals, and when present in food, it indicates fecal contamination. Some strains of E. coli can cause serious intestinal infections in humans. Like listeria, E. coli bacteria can withstand freezing but are sensitive to heat.

Project implementation

The purpose of the project was to investigate how frozen vegetables (e.g. corn, peas, peppers, beans, baby carrots, onions, various herbs and spinach) are handled in food premises and what the hygienic quality of the food products made from them is. The project monitored the handling of the products before they were offered or sold, as well as the conditions during their offering or sale.

Samples were taken from salads containing frozen vegetables that were eaten as is, cold, offered or sold. Approximately 25 samples were planned to be taken from cafes, lunch places, restaurants, pizzerias, shops and catering establishments, between 7 June and 10 December 2021. In addition, preparations were made to take repeat samples if poor results were found.

The samples were sent to the laboratory of Kymen Ympäristölaboratorio Oy. It was agreed that the samples would be examined initially. Listeria monocytogenes -presence of bacteria in 25 g of food and Escherichia coli -number of bacteria/g of food. A quantitative listeria analysis was agreed to be performed if findings were made. If necessary, the samples could be frozen before testing.

Listeria monocytogenes The limit value for bacteria was < 100 cfu/g.

Escherichia coli For bacteria, the concentration should be < 100 cfu/g for the result to be considered good. A concentration between 100 cfu/g – 1000 cfu/g is sufficient and, correspondingly, > 1000 cfu/g is poor.

Sampling sites and samples

Samples were obtained from six restaurants or lunch places, six in total. Three of the samples were pasta salads, one rice and salmon salad, one vinegar-marinated salad, and one plain corn. All products were served at the buffet table.

The frozen vegetables included in the samples were peas (2 pcs), corn (1 pc), pea-corn paprika mixture (2 pcs) and vegetable mixture (1 pc). Of the above, both frozen peas were domestic, the pea-corn-paprika mixtures and corn were Hungarian and the vegetable mixture was Belgian.

Processing of frozen vegetables in food premises

The storage temperatures of frozen products were in order in all the inspected sites, i.e. -18 °C or below. The project inspections revealed that in perhaps only one case out of six, frozen vegetables were steamed before use. In one case, the product was thawed with hot water, in another under running water, in a third the frozen product was marinated while frozen, and in a fourth it was mixed with hot pasta. In one site, the salad had been prepared the day before and those present were not aware of how the vegetables had been processed.

According to the Food Hygiene Regulation, perishable foods may only be served once, for a maximum of four hours, and the temperature must be no more than + 12 °C. The conditions related to serving are mostly in order. In one food premises, the temperature of the salad had risen to + 14 °C, and in another, the serving time was a little too long, over five hours.

Results

No Listeria monocytogenes or E. coli bacteria were detected in any of the samples tested, meaning all samples were assessed as having good hygienic quality. The results for all samples tested were as follows:

• Listeria monocytogenes not detected in 25 g of food (in-house method, VIDAS LMX)

• E. coli < 10 cfu/g (method NMKL 125:2005)

Reflection

The number of samples in the project was very small. Although health inspectors visited several catering establishments to take samples, only about one in five were able to take a sample. The main reason for this was that very few food premises use frozen vegetables for cold salads. Fresh products are preferred in the summer and some have switched to using, for example, canned corn, precisely because of the listeria risk. Salad tables in many catering establishments had been taken out of use due to the corona pandemic.

The Finnish Food Authority recommends that people in risk groups and those preparing food for them heat and, if necessary, cool frozen vegetables before serving them. Many frozen vegetable packages also have instructions for use, including domestic products. For example, boiling for two minutes or steaming thoroughly is enough to destroy listeria.

Considering the shortcomings in the handling of frozen vegetables, it seems that the products were safe in principle. Customs continues to take samples of products imported into Finland, and companies that manufacture and have frozen vegetables manufactured carry out self-monitoring, so that products contaminated with microbes may not even end up on the market. However, due to the small number of samples, no conclusions can be drawn.

The end result, however, is that the correct use of frozen vegetables is not entirely clear even in food premises. Special attention will be paid to this issue during future food control inspections.

For more information, please contact: Environmental Health Planner Jenny Holm, email jenny.holm@kotka.fi, tel. +358 40 726 4163

The Kotka Environmental Health Service Unit and the Hamina Health Supervision inspected public toilets in the municipalities of Pyhtää, Kotka, Hamina, Virolahti and Miehikkälä between May and September 2019. A total of 45 toilet facilities were inspected, including toilets at beaches, gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers, cafes, a motorway rest area, an outdoor recreation area, a theater, a train stop and a summer event.

The toilets inspected included flush toilets, dry toilets and baja houses. The inspections focused on, for example, the cleanliness of surfaces and the general cleanliness of the premises, the availability of toilet paper, waste containers, hand washing points, and considerations for people with disabilities and children, such as the availability and cleanliness of changing mats and pots.

According to the Food Act (1367/2011), food premises with more than six customer seats must have sufficient and properly equipped toilets for customers to use. In turn, facilities operating under the Health Protection Act (763/1994) must, according to the law, conduct their operations in a way that aims to prevent the occurrence of health hazards. It is recommended to record the cleanliness and other maintenance of toilets, for example, in a self-monitoring plan.

Beach toilets

The toilets at almost all 24 beaches inspected were clean. Public beaches in the control areas generally use dry toilets and baja houses. In the absence of a water supply, it is challenging to arrange hand washing. Hand sanitizer is available on some beaches. Beach toilets are also occasionally subject to vandalism, such as spreading paper intended for drying hands. Only very few beaches have taken into account users with reduced mobility and diaper changing points have hardly been arranged. Generally, there are waste bins on beaches, but they are not necessarily located in connection with the toilets; lidded waste bins are recommended in or near the toilet facilities.

Contaminated swimming water is a great way to spread viruses and microbes that cause stomach diseases. Pollution of swimming water can be prevented by providing swimming water users with clean toilet facilities and the opportunity to clean their hands after using the toilet. Running water and soap and drying hands on paper or a roll of towels after washing are the best ways to remove dirt from hands. Hand sanitizer alone is not enough to kill pathogens.

Restrooms in grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, shopping malls and cafes

A total of 13 customer toilets in grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and cafes were inspected. All of these sites were flush toilets. Some deficiencies and defects were found in the toilets, with the exception of the toilets in restaurants and two shopping centres. Complaints had been received about the toilet in one grocery store to the Environmental Health Service, but it was clean at the time of the inspection.

The deficiencies observed were mainly related to inadequate cleaning and waste containers or the frequency of their emptying. Soap had often run out from some dispensers. Some structural defects were also noted, such as a hole in the toilet door. A urine odor was observed in two locations. Almost a third of the toilets lacked a toilet seat suitable for people with reduced mobility, a diaper changing station, and a potty. However, if a diaper changing station and/or potty were available, they were observed to be clean. In one café location, the number of toilets was assessed as insufficient for the function.

Disposable paper towels were most commonly provided for drying hands. In addition to paper towels, many facilities also had air dryers. In four toilets, customers only had air dryers. In one facility, there was a roll of paper towels.

Other toilets inspected

In addition to the above, the toilets at the motorway rest area, outdoor recreation area, assembly area, train stop and summer event were inspected. All of these were flush toilets, except for the toilets at the summer event, which were bajajas. Defects were only observed in one toilet, which was slightly untidy. The flush toilets had paper, paper and a roll of towel, and in one location there was an air dryer for drying hands. In the mobile toilets at summer events, hand sanitizer dispensers replace the hand washing station, which were available.

Reviewing the results

Environmental health supervision units occasionally receive complaints about inadequate cleaning of public toilets. Overall, about a fifth of the toilets inspected had problems with cleaning, which was a better result than expected. However, it should be noted that the inspections related to the project were mainly carried out in connection with other inspection activities during office hours, when cleaning-related problems are usually more pronounced at other times, such as weekends. On beaches, the cleaning and maintenance of toilets is mainly the responsibility of municipalities. On other sites, cleaning is often outsourced from the actual operator, for example a shopping centre or restaurant, to a cleaning company. Cleaning is not sufficient in all sites during peak times.

The maintenance of the structures themselves is typically the responsibility of the property owner. Repairing and renovating sanitary facilities requires resources. However, the surfaces must be intact so that the facilities can be cleaned and used hygienically.

Washing and drying hands after using the toilet and, for example, before eating is an effective way to reduce the spread of pathogens and thus illnesses such as influenza and stomach diseases. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and rinsing thoroughly removes dirt, germs and viruses from hands. Drying hands on disposable paper or a roll of paper towels is the most hygienic way. Fans spread germs and viruses from hands into the air if hand washing has not been done carefully enough. Germs spread particularly well through wet hands. Hand sanitizer effectively destroys germs from clean skin, but its effectiveness is reduced on dirty skin.

People with disabilities or families with children are not taken into account everywhere in South Kymenlaakso. At beaches, the environment is often already challenging for wheelchair users, for example due to differences in height and soft sand. A diaper changing station was missing from all beaches and a few other inspected locations. In about half of the food stores, restaurants, gas stations, shopping centers, cafes and other inspected locations, excluding beaches, people with disabilities and children were taken into account.

Measures

Monitoring of the appropriateness of toilet facilities will continue in South Kymenlaakso in connection with other food and health protection inspections. If necessary, operators will be given instructions and advice or a request to put things right. Operators are advised to report any deficiencies they notice to the property owners so that they can be corrected. The adequacy of cleaning must also be monitored and, if necessary, the cleaning interval should be shortened. In addition to the toilet facilities themselves, attention will be paid to how the matter has been taken into account in self-monitoring.