Q: Should we be using gloves in the tuckshop?
A: The answer is up to you. In Looking After Our Kids the comprehensive food safety resource states;
‘The standards do not require gloves to be used. Gloves will keep your hands clean, but the gloves get dirty! Because your fingers don’t get sticky, it is easy to forget to change the gloves…Gloves should be changed as often as you would wash your hands.’
Q: What formal training does a tuckshop convenor need?
A: There are no formal training requirements for convenors or food handlers. They must have skills and knowledge commensurate with the activities that they perform. QAST has several fact sheets available to members on employment conditions and selection processes. Help with developing a job description can also be found in Management Sense Food Sense.
Q: What is a health audit and how does a tuckshop convenor go about it?
A: A health audit is usually an inspection by an Environmental Health Officer. State Schools contact their local Queensland Health Public Health Unit. Private schools contact their local government environmental health officer.
Q: Are children allowed in the tuckshop?
Many convenors we speak to have an outright ban on children in the canteen and this is often done with the best interests of children and students in mind. However, there are no regulations stating if children are able to or unable to be in school canteens. Consider the possible benefits such as School Based Traineeships in high schools or opportunities for younger children to learn about healthy food in primary schools. Understand the issues (especially safety) and make an informed decision.
Q: A child in the school has a peanut allergy. What should I do?
A: The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) produced guidelines for the prevention of food anaphylactic reactions in schools, with four main steps:
1. Obtain medical information about children at risk
2. Educate those responsible for the care of children
3. Age appropriate education of children with severe food allergies
4. Implement practical strategies to avoid exposure to known triggers
This last step is the most relevant for the tuckshop and practical strategies include:
· Instruct volunteers about how to prevent cross contamination during handling, preparation and serving of food e.g. the careful cleaning of food preparation areas and utensils after preparing allergenic foods.
· Clearly label food and drink containers and any specially prepared meals.
· Remove items with the relevant nut as an ingredient, but this does not apply to those foods labelled "may contain traces of nuts".
· The tuckshop should be aware of any individual management plans for children who are at risk.
The guidelines are available through ASCIA and further information can be obtained from QAST.