Control activities for health and hygiene requirements in National Police collective catering.

Abstract

The primary aim of this work is to standardize the procedures for the handling, preparation, and distribution of food and beverages in collective catering within National Police structures. Therefore, its purpose is to offer aid for the assessment and implementation of procedures regarding the catering services activities carried out in canteens and bars located within the National Police areas. A checklist was elaborated to establish criteria and methods to verify these activities, to assess and enhance the effectiveness of the control system, and subsequently, to enable the implementation of any corrective measure, with the aim of ensuring the consumption of healthy food and preventing the occurrence of food-borne diseases as a result. The study was carried out in 2022 in 6 National Police canteens located in Central Italy and managed by a contractor for the specific service. These structures serve an average of 300 meals daily, divided into 1-3 ordinary meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The examined canteens reported 3 minor non-conformities, 3 major non-conformities, and no critical non-conformities. This report regards the analysis of detected issues and corrective measures concerning catering hygiene in the Police Force to ensure food safety. To date, no guidelines have allegedly been established for the regulation of the procedures for carrying out the periodical mandatory inspection of collective catering operations. The results of this paper showed a well-controlled management of these activities concerning the hygiene and infrastructural aspects of the food chain.