Environmental health and food safety
North Tyneside Council’s Environmental Health team are an important resource in identifying and investigating cases and outbreaks of, especially, foodborne infections, including food poisoning.
In 2022 there were 378 cases of foodborne and environmental infections which were notified to the Food Safety team during the year, these included cases of legionnaires disease, listeriosis and hepatitis, as well as more common food poisonings and parasitic infections.
North Tyneside food safety team received 243 food hygiene and food standards complaints in the period 2022. All complaints were investigated in a timely manner and action taken where appropriate. Consumers concerns varied and related to discovery of extraneous material in food and hygiene issues reported after visits to food establishments. Complaints regarding food standards included labelling issues, false claims regarding the nature, substance or quality of food and the origin of ingredients as well as illegal health claims.
There were 503 food businesses inspected during the year as part of a programme of food hygiene and food standards interventions. Most businesses were found to be compliant with food safety legislation however 5% / 2% of the businesses were found to be non-compliant. The deficiencies found at the non-compliant businesses ranged from cleanliness, structural defects, and cross contamination risks. Enforcement action was taken against a proportion of the businesses to secure compliance, this included hygiene improvement notices to implement food safety management systems and emergency closures of businesses with water supply issues.
North Tyneside food safety team conducts a food sampling programme. In 2022 741 samples were obtained from 124 food establishments. Most of the samples were taken for microbiological examination and results are used to monitor the hygiene and food safety standards at food premises often in conjunction with programmed inspections. A significant number of microbiological samples are part of national and local coordinated studies.