Case studies and exemplar materials are produced by

individual teachers working as Lead Practitioners for the

Licence to Cook Programme.

N.B this work is based on the Licence to Cook programme; the

resources may have been changed/adapted to suit local needs.

LP author: Barbara Monks

School: Hitchin Girls’ School, Herts

Product: Teacher support
Word document entitled Personal Hygiene scenario plenary
Year group: Any starter cooks

Topics: Personal Hygiene scenarios

Key focus: Plenary to accompany personal Hygiene L2C powerpoint

Description: Three pages providing teacher help and 7 scenarios to cut
up and give to groups of pupils to discuss
Personal Hygiene and Food Poisoning
Introduction to the material
Teaching and Learning uses: Plenary ( or starter) for discussion.
Cut up and use these scenarios alongside the powerpoint about Personal Hygiene rules and
the extra information available (see Word doc: Personal Hygiene Explained).
Give out the scenarios out to different groups in the class – ask the pupils to read the
scenario and discuss the possibility that food poisoning could occur as a result. Go round
the groups asking them to share their story and give feedback.
Note Scenario 1,2 = YES food poisoning is possible Scenario 3 NO – no food poisoning in
this case. Scenario 4,5,6 & 7 = YES, Food poisoning is possible.
Teacher introduction:
Food poisoning causes people to be ill and in some cases it can be very serious.
It is however not something that we have been able to get rid of in our society and yet
Newspapers rarely talk of poisoning from food unless there is an outbreak. Here is a report
from August 2 2008 where the headline is
‘Sharp rise in salmonella case suggests national outbreak’. It goes on to say a potential
outbreak of the deadly stomach bug salmonella is being investigated. It appears to be
related to eating either undercooked eggs or chicken. More than 300 serious cases have
been reported to GP’s, whereas normally only 43 cases would have been reported in the
same period. There may, of course, be more people who have not visited their Doctor.
Most cases appear to have been in the North of England but some in Wales and across the
Midlands. It could therefore be a National chain of restaurants or suppliers to the
restaurants that need to be investigated as to their food handling or storage procedures.
This newspaper article reflects what can happen when a simple hygiene rule is not taken
seriously for example . . . it is possible here that the suppliers of the chicken and eggs do
not explain that the people handling the raw chickens should not then load the cooked
products onto the chilled vans for delivery to stores without thoroughly washing their hands
and changing their aprons.
It is a fact that the number of cases of food poisoning are still rising in the UK
So the big Question is: Does Good hygiene help prevent Food Poisoning?

Group 1 Scenario
You are making a simple meal and the first course uses minced beef and the pudding is
banana split. You shape the minced beef into meat balls and create a lovely Italian style
sauce for them to cook in. You then prepare a fabulous banana split. You did not roll up
your sleeves or remove your watch.

Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . some bits of minced beef
could become lodged in the cuff and wristband of the watch and as a consequence this may
then fall into the cream being whipped for the pudding. The resulting banana split containing
cream is moist and allows the bacteria to multiply without any effect on the taste or looks

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of the dessert. The unsuspecting person who eats the banana split may, of course, become
ill with food poisoning.

Group 2 scenario

As a cook is rushing to make a quiche his sleeve cuff catches in a drawer handle and causes
him to drop a basin of eggs. The bowl of egg shatters and the floor is made wet and
slippery. He clears this up quickly using a mop and puts out s ‘wet floor’ sign to prevent
others from falling. He returns to preparing the quiche and starts the egg mixture again.
The quiche is made is served later that day with salad.

Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . the quiche flan could contain
a fragment of basin that flew off as the basin shattered. Then the cooks hands became
contaminated when he used the mop particularly as in his rush to finish cooking he did not
wash them after clearing the spill.

Group 3 Scenario

You are in a hurry and do not bother to put your apron on before you make quick snack for
yourself and your brother. You make a pizza toastie and use products stored in the
refrigerator that are in date. You clear as you go and serve the toastie immediately.

Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . when you decided not to
wear an apron the tomato puree you used on the toastie stained your brand new white shirt.
The snack recipe was good and tasted very Italian because of the use of mozzarella cheese
and some dried herbs. Serving the pizza toastie quickly helped you and your brother to eat
before your parents got home and after you had done the washing up.

Group 4 Scenario

Your friend works at a restaurant and is going out after her shift. She wears a lovely
glittery bracelet and matching ring and because the supervisor does not notice she keeps it
on during her working hours. She forgot that her new puppy had been licking her hands and
wrists all over before she left home. At work she knows she must wash her hands but she
does not do it properly because she is not thinking about work but more about the party
later.
Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . .the new puppy had licked the
girls hands and jewellery all over before she left home, the jewellery was not removed as
food preparation work started and the girl gave her hands a little splash rather than a
proper wash.

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Group 5 Scenario

A burger bar employs two people to cook and serve beef burgers in the interval of a music
concert. They receive some training about how to check if the burgers are thoroughly
cooked. One of the employees has bad boils on his face an although he follows the
instructions for cooking the burgers he touches his face with his hands and then handles
the buns as he loads the burger with onions and ketchup before handing it to the customer.
Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . training did not cover rules
about not touching cuts or boils or covering them with plasters. The efforts the person
made to follow hygiene rules only focused on whether the burger was cooked and did not
take into account of hands being in contact with the food as toppings and ketchup was
added.

Group 6 Scenario

A Year 11 pupil is thrilled to get a job as a waitress in the local café. She is reliable and on
time for her job and she gets an increase in pay fairly quickly because they are impressed
with her. As the Bank Holiday weekend approaches, which will be very busy, the girl
develops a really sore throat and cold. She drags herself into work so as not to let her
employer down. Most of the day she coughs and sneezes and has to blow her nose a lot.
Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . the girl did not understand
that the nasty bacteria causing colds and sore throats can be spread rapidly via coughs and
sneezes.

Group 7 scenario

A food worker making sandwiches for a well know chain of coffee shop outlets has worked
hard all day producing their bacon lettuce and tomato variety. The last batch to be made
need more lettuce and whilst going to collect more washed lettuce he decides to take the
rubbish bag to the bin. He needs to lift the bin lid to get the rubbish in and move the latch
on the bin to secure the lid afterwards. On return he continues making BLT’s until the last
batch is completed and sent to the café.

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Is it possible that food poisoning could result because . . . the food worker applied all
the hygiene rules throughout the day until the last hour when he forgot to wash hands after
touching the refuse bin and returned to making sandwiches.