Handling Raw & Cooked Turkey: health risk?
Discussion
I think this is perhaps the best place to post about this, it's more of an odd situation that the chefs at work are oblivious to.
One of the dishes at work today was turkey kebabs, chunks of turkey cooked on a skewer with some pieces of green pepper between the turkey chunks.
I arrived in the serving area to see the chef using his tongs to put a load of raw turkey kebabs on the griddle. He then used the same tongs to serve a cooked kebab to me - a kebab which was already cooked and stored in another container, but he took it out of there, placed it on the griddle next to the raw ones to reheat, then on to my plate.
I asked him if he was aware of food cross contamination. His response, with the typical Gallic shrug, was "This is poultry, not pork!" I was genuinely stunned.
I complained to the catering manager and she was oblivious too. I now wonder what kind of practices they have in the kitchen where we CAN'T see them.
Is it me, or are there genuine health risks from cooking/serving in such a way?
One of the dishes at work today was turkey kebabs, chunks of turkey cooked on a skewer with some pieces of green pepper between the turkey chunks.
I arrived in the serving area to see the chef using his tongs to put a load of raw turkey kebabs on the griddle. He then used the same tongs to serve a cooked kebab to me - a kebab which was already cooked and stored in another container, but he took it out of there, placed it on the griddle next to the raw ones to reheat, then on to my plate.
I asked him if he was aware of food cross contamination. His response, with the typical Gallic shrug, was "This is poultry, not pork!" I was genuinely stunned.
I complained to the catering manager and she was oblivious too. I now wonder what kind of practices they have in the kitchen where we CAN'T see them.
Is it me, or are there genuine health risks from cooking/serving in such a way?
5potTurbo said:
I think this is perhaps the best place to post about this, it's more of an odd situation that the chefs at work are oblivious to.
One of the dishes at work today was turkey kebabs, chunks of turkey cooked on a skewer with some pieces of green pepper between the turkey chunks.
I arrived in the serving area to see the chef using his tongs to put a load of raw turkey kebabs on the griddle. He then used the same tongs to serve a cooked kebab to me - a kebab which was already cooked and stored in another container, but he took it out of there, placed it on the griddle next to the raw ones to reheat, then on to my plate.
I asked him if he was aware of food cross contamination. His response, with the typical Gallic shrug, was "This is poultry, not pork!" I was genuinely stunned.
I complained to the catering manager and she was oblivious too. I now wonder what kind of practices they have in the kitchen where we CAN'T see them.
Is it me, or are there genuine health risks from cooking/serving in such a way?
Phone the Food Standards department or whatever at your Local authority and wait for what they say (well, hopefully the raid!)One of the dishes at work today was turkey kebabs, chunks of turkey cooked on a skewer with some pieces of green pepper between the turkey chunks.
I arrived in the serving area to see the chef using his tongs to put a load of raw turkey kebabs on the griddle. He then used the same tongs to serve a cooked kebab to me - a kebab which was already cooked and stored in another container, but he took it out of there, placed it on the griddle next to the raw ones to reheat, then on to my plate.
I asked him if he was aware of food cross contamination. His response, with the typical Gallic shrug, was "This is poultry, not pork!" I was genuinely stunned.
I complained to the catering manager and she was oblivious too. I now wonder what kind of practices they have in the kitchen where we CAN'T see them.
Is it me, or are there genuine health risks from cooking/serving in such a way?
Better still give us the number and I'll call. Careless, lazy, b
d... 'chef', not you of course. I dread to think about some of the st that goes on in public kitchens.Pints said:
I think there's much panic here over not much.
As you say, it's probably been going on for years in almost every catering industry, and both of us are still very much alive.
While most of us have resilient enough immune systems to not get ill from this kind of thing, there are many (primarily children and old people) who could end up VERY ill if the raw turkey meat is contaminated in some way. It's something that certainly needs to be addressed.As you say, it's probably been going on for years in almost every catering industry, and both of us are still very much alive.
I'd definitely bring it up as a health and safety at work issue with senior management.
Crossover in busy commercial kitchens is inevitable. Imagine you're cooking and plating 40 covers of the dish you mentioned.
The chef wipes his raw turkey hands on his towel or whites and then goes to plate up a salad with his hands. He uses the same towel to wipe his hands again.
He then uses the tongs as you mention and cross-contaminates a second time. He then moves a pan which is about to boil over for another chef. And on and on.
I agree they shouldn't be doing it but policing it in a practical way is difficult. I dread to think what some of the practices in kitchens are really like.
P.S. the response from the catering manager is a joke.
The chef wipes his raw turkey hands on his towel or whites and then goes to plate up a salad with his hands. He uses the same towel to wipe his hands again.
He then uses the tongs as you mention and cross-contaminates a second time. He then moves a pan which is about to boil over for another chef. And on and on.
I agree they shouldn't be doing it but policing it in a practical way is difficult. I dread to think what some of the practices in kitchens are really like.
P.S. the response from the catering manager is a joke.
5potTurbo said:
Response just received from the catering manager by email: "Our chefs are very serious about their cooking. We have fresh meat delivered daily."
Oh, well - that's OK then....
How much is that dolt paid? He should be appropriately rewarded for having such a gift for missing the point.Oh, well - that's OK then....
Ir reality though wont the heat from the grill have killed any nasties thst crossed over?
It is an interesting one as when doing a BBQ I\ tend to have tongs for raw meat and different tongs for cooked meat, but if turning the meat regularly on the BBQ whe do you change from raw meat tongs to cooked meat tongs?
It is an interesting one as when doing a BBQ I\ tend to have tongs for raw meat and different tongs for cooked meat, but if turning the meat regularly on the BBQ whe do you change from raw meat tongs to cooked meat tongs?
21TonyK said:
One set of tongs, just hold over the heat to sterilise between "flips"
Between flips or when not in use I actually stick my tongs and fork into the grill where the tips that actually touch the meat are are in constant contact with the heat of the coals. A lot of food safety is common sense. The person the OP observed didn't seem to possess any.
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