NEARLY ONE-THIRD of pre-packaged sandwiches sold by retailers and caterers are stored or displayed at unsafe temperatures, a study has found.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland found 29 per cent of sandwiches tested were stored above 5 degrees. Of these, five were classified as “unsatisfactory or unacceptable/potentially hazardous” – with four being stored above 8 degrees and one displayed unrefrigerated at 17.9 degrees.
Sandwiches should be stored at 5 degrees or below to stop or slow the growth of bacteria, the authority says.
The study, to assess the microbiological safety of pre-packaged sandwiches, showed that 99 per cent of the sandwiches were satisfactory when tested for the foodborne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and coagulase positive staphylococci.
Authority chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said the survey highlighted an unacceptable disregard for temperature control.
“The onus is on retailers and caterers to ensure pre-packaged sandwiches are refrigerated at the recommended temperature. Equally important, manufacturers must ensure accurate and realistic use-by dates are applied to the sandwiches they make,” he said.
While the incidence of Listeria monocytogenes infection is rare in Ireland there is a high mortality rate (up to 40 per cent) and only small numbers need to be consumed to cause serious infection, the authority said. Those most vulnerable to infection included pregnant women, newborns, adults with weakened immune systems and the elderly.
The study involved the Health Service Executive testing 948 prepackaged sandwiches from retailers and caterers across the State.
