How to achieve optimum food safety and enhance sustainability

Cleanliness is one of the most critical elements of food safety. According to the Food Standards Agency, failure to clean thoroughly is one of the most common reasons why food businesses are prosecuted.

Historically, catering and facilities managers have predominantly used synthetic chemicals across all areas – from food preparation to dining rooms to comply with the necessary regulation for disinfection and sanitation. Today, as businesses strive to reduce their environmental impact and improve sustainability, how can they ensure the products they use are both effective and comply to the same regulatory standards required?

Steve Courtney, Toucan Eco product specialist at UK distributor Robert Scott, explains more.

“When addressing cleanliness as part of food safety, it’s important to understand how to clean effectively. This encompasses everything from cleaning and disinfecting food areas and equipment between different tasks, especially after handling raw food, to choosing the right products that are effective for cleaning and disinfecting.

“Disinfection products must meet the BS EN standards BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697 and be approved as food safe. Businesses should pay particular attention to contact times for efficacy to kill bacteria and viruses and should only use disinfectants on visibly clean surfaces. They don’t work effectively if the surface is covered in grease or visible dirt – this is where you should use a cleaning product first,” he continued.

A sustainable solution

Toucan Eco is one such product that reduces environmental impact and is certified to BS EN 1276, 13697 and UK Biocide Regulations under Product Type 4. The Toucan Eco system electrolyses a combination of tap water and normal salt to create a powerful, food safe and eco-friendly disinfectant cleaner that kills up to 99.999% of germs, including Coronavirus. It’s a low carbon technology that replaces over 80% of synthetic cleaning chemicals, reduces plastic waste, energy and water usage and transportation. And, once installed, operating costs are minimal.

“By switching to Toucan Eco, for every typical five litre plastic bottle you’re saving over 10 litres of water, four million joules of energy, and a quarter of a litre of oil. And, for every ton of plastic, you’re saving about six tonnes of CO2.

“Toucan Eco doesn’t contain any synthetic chemicals or fragrances, 99.99% of the solution is water, and the pH of the solution is a gentle 7.8 to 8.5 so it’s not aggressive like bleach and, as it’s safe, you don’t need protective clothing or PPE,” Steve added.

The proof is in the pudding

The Restaurant Group (TRG) is one of the UK’s biggest hospitality groups with a portfolio of over 400 restaurants and pubs. The Group also operates a multi-brand concessions business which trades in over 45 outlets across 30 brands, principally in UK airports.

In spring 2021, TRG began the roll out of Toucan Eco across 210 sites, comprising 80 pubs and 130 leisure facilities. At the end of 2021, as a result of using the Toucan Eco system, the Group saved 2.7 tonnes of plastic packaging, and 35,000 tonnes of chemical distribution. It’s now being used to hygienically clean all hard surfaces across the 210 sites, using a spray and wipe method on worktops, tables and chairs – anything that staff and customers are encountering – and replaces 11 chemicals the Group previously bought in.

Steve added: “Toucan Eco doesn’t replace heavy degreasers or descalers, although it is effective if used as part of a daily clean, where grease and dirt hasn’t built up. The results that TRG has achieved are proof of the significant environmental benefits and cost savings that Toucan Eco can deliver, while also meeting the necessary regulations for food safety.”

To see how Toucan Eco could work for your business, please visit www.toucaneco.co.uk for more information.