Food Samples

The Environmental Health and Consumer Services Section has an extensive food sampling programme which covers a wide variety of products. In any given year around 200 samples are taken and sent for laboratory analysis.

Usually, the type of product selected for sampling and what it is tested for are agreed as part of a national or Greater Manchester wide survey. Coordinated samples with other partners provides more comprehensive information and allows comparison, which can be helpful in identifying any local problems.

Samples are also taken in response to complaints from consumers, or as part of local or national investigations into the safety or quality of a particular product.

Foodstuffs sampled by Environmental Health staff are examined for the presence of bacteria that can cause food poisoning such as salmonella, staphylococcus, E.coli 0157, listeria  monocytogenes, etc. Ready-to-eat foods, which would be eaten by the consumer without further preparation or cooking, have featured prominently in our sampling programme because any contamination of the product will have a direct effect on the person eating it.

Recent sampling programmes have looked at ready-to-eat salad vegetables, freshly sliced cooked meats, food from takeaways and sandwich bars and poultry products. Regular bacteriological checks are also carried out on the milk produced at the three on-farm pasteurising plants that operate in the borough.

Food products sampled by Consumer Services staff are analysed to ensure that the quality and composition of the product complies with relevant guidance and legislation.

Recent sampling surveys have looked at the use of genetically modified ingredients in food, the substitution of expensive brands of spirits with inferior brands, the meat content in meat and potato pies and the levels of added water found in chicken breast meat.

Where problems are identified, follow-up action will be taken, either in the form of advice on production methods/practices/controls, withdrawal of the product from sale, or formal action where it is appropriate.

See Food Complaints.

If you want any further information on any of our services we can be contacted by: