Here you will find past newsletters, articles and announcements. If you would like further information about any of the following, please contact us.

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Bactrol Newsletter "The Solution"
(Vol 12 Issue 1)

Part of Bactrol's new premises, during an early phase of construction.

Bactrol's New Production Facility Nears Completion
Work on our new purpose built production facility was begun in the latter part of 1999 and is now nearing completion. The factory, based in Accrington, is almost at the geographical centre of the UK and is ideally placed to distribute our products locally and nationally. The new factory will enable us to keep pace with the upsurge in demand for Bactrol products.

In addition to housing the new manufacturing plant, the factory also features a modern laboratory and office suite. The new facility will allow us to provide an even wider choice of cost effective products and services which will support our customers in their efforts to maintain the necessary standards of hygiene required in today's food industry.

The Flying Season is Nearly Upon Us
Replace the bulbs from flying insect traps every 6 to 12 months unless advised differently by the manufacturer. Even though the bulb may look fine to the human eye, the ultra violet light which attracts flying insects soon deminishes and stops attracting flies, so the bulbs should be changed at least annually.

April/May & October/November are good times to change them as this will give maximum effect during the worst periods.

Protect your Food from the Risk of Flying Glass
Ronfell has pioneered a revolutionary approach to protecting against the risk of contamination in the event of a bulb breaking. The conventional glass bulb is enclosed in a re-usable tough plastic sheath which is sealed at the ends. The system is simple, inexpensive and reliable.

An additional benefit is that the possibilities for flying insects to get into the unit are reduced by its unique design. Cleaning involves a simple wipe with a damp cloth: no more time consuming removal of the diffuser. Bactrol is so impressed with the Ronfell system that we have agreed to distribute them to our customers in the food industry. Contact us for more details.

Training for Supervisors and Managers
At last the penny seems to have dropped. After years of singlemindedly promoting the training of food handlers, food hygiene professionals are now accepting that trained and skilled supervisors and managers are an essential cog in the food hygiene wheel.

Although the majority of trainees attending "basic food hygiene" find the training very interesting and motivational, the fact is that very often when they go back to the work place, they are given little practical support to implement and practise their newly developed skills. This is not due to a deliberate omission on behalf of the managers but to the existence of an often, unidentified void in the management and supervision of hygiene practices. For years the message has been "train the food handlers" - and getting the supervisors or managers trained to a higher level was a regarded as a bonus.

Thankfully there is now an overwhelming body of opinion that calls for training of supervisors and managers. This has got to make sense! It is one thing having properly trained food handlers; it is another thing entirely to create the correct working environment where they can consistently work to the required standards.

The creation of such an environment requires a systematically designed schedule of hygiene policies and procedures. It also requires the correct level of supervision to ensure that the policies and procedures are being correctly implemented and that higher levels of management are kept informed as to the success or failure of the components of the hygiene schedule. Both these activities are of major importance although, depending upon the size and complexity of the operation, they may be combined under one job.

In a nutshell, the management function is to set out what needs to be done how it is to be done. The supervisor needs to ensure that it is being done in practice. There is considerable scope for overlap between the two functions and the exact line between these two functions will be up to individual organisations to draw.

Proper training in the planning, development , administration and supervision of food hygiene is essential if adequate standards are to be cost effectively maintained. In addition to its "Basic Food Hygiene Certificate", the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health also provides training at an intermediate and advanced levels.

For a free discussion on your training needs, please contact us.

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Announcement concerning the 2001 Foot and Mouth epidemic:
(March 2001)

In the light of the Foot and Mouth problem facing farmers and hauliers in rural areas, Bactrol has produced a short technical bulletin which offers advice about disinfecting vehicles and footwear when entering and leaving sensitive or restricted areas. The following are some excerpts from the bulletin, which is available free of charge from Bactrol.

The importance of correct disinfection is emphasised in MAFF's (The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food) fact sheet which gives guidance on how to protect your farm from the Foot & Mouth Virus.

There are three main factors to be addressed when considering disinfection. Firstly, the choice of disinfectant; second, how the selected disinfectant is to be applied in order to ensure that it comes into direct contact with the virus (or areas where the virus might be); and third, how long the disinfectant needs to be in contact with the virus in order to achieve destruction.

The choice of disinfectant product is relatively simple; a MAFF approved disinfectant must be used. (A full list can be obtained from Bactrol or from MAFF's website www.maff.gov.uk.) The application of the selected disinfectant is critical. In order to facilitate destruction of the virus, the disinfectant must come into contact with it. The supplier of the disinfectant should be able to advise on the best way to apply particular products, but it should be noted that if disinfectants are applied to a soiled surface then it is possible that any viruses under the soiling may survive. Gross soiling should therefore be removed by cleaning the area prior to disinfection. It should also be remembered that clods of earth or mud clinging to the underside can also carry viruses may fall off in transit, thereby spreading infection. It is therefore important that these are removed before crossing farm boundaries.

Once the disinfectant is applied then it needs to stay in contact with the virus for a period of time. This time may vary depending upon the choice of disinfectant, and again advice should be available from the supplier. Generally however, once the disinfectant has been applied to the surface, it is not normally rinsed off, which gives the disinfectant plenty of time to destroy virus particles. Nevertheless, care should be taken not to take the disinfected clothing or vehicle through puddles or bogs immediately after disinfection as this could remove the disinfectant prematurely.

Further advice is freely available in the MAFF fact sheet (Foot and Mouth Disease-How to protect your farm) and in the Bactrol Bulletin (Disinfecting to control Foot and Mouth disease,) both of which can be obtained on request from Bactrol.

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Past press releases:

BACTROL LAUNCHES NEW DISINFECTANT CLEANER FOR FOOD AREAS
(March 2001)

Bactrol, the Northwest based manufacturer and hygiene training specialist, has announced the launch of an effective new food area disinfectant which is designed for use on kitchen equipment, process and packaging plant and all food contact surfaces.

Launched in March 2001, Bactrol Equipment Disinfectant contains a well proven anti-microbial agent which is now combined with a non-ionic surfactant that gives improved grease removal characteristics and better, faster wetting. The result is a high performance general purpose cleaner that is quick and easy to use and ideally suited for use in all food handling environments.

Traditionally, manufacturers have achieved these enhanced cleaning properties by the use of nonylphenyl ethoxylates (NPEs) - a form of non-ionic surfactant that can break down into environmentally damaging by-products. However, Bactrol Equipment Disinfectant uses an alternative system, based on alcohol ethoxylates, that breaks down harmlessly into carbon dioxide and water without the production of environmentally persistent toxins.

"Our new food area disinfectant has been formulated to provide a simple and effective solution to hygiene maintenance in food preparation areas," says Bactrol's managing director, Andrew Libberton. "As hygiene trainers and consultants, we work with organisations of all sizes, ranging from major food manufacturers and public sector caterers to the proprietors of small restaurants, shops and hotels. The scale might be radically different, but the basic requirements are the same. People are looking for products that are easy to use, that work effectively first time round and don't need to be left standing for prolonged periods in order to work properly.

"Our new Equipment Disinfectant has been designed specifically to meet these requirements. It gives users an effective and reliable way to maintain a hygienic environment and it is very quick and simple to use, which means peace of mind and minimal disruption to working routines."

Bactrol Equipment Disinfectant is un-perfumed and so will not taint foods, and for maximum convenience, it is available in a range of pack sizes - from 750ml hand sprays up to 1000 litre bulk containers. The product can be applied via hand sprays, foggers, pressure washers and through CIP systems. An automatic dispensing system is also available to help customers achieve both economy and consistency.

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