During food preparation in our hospital, there are strict requirements and rules regarding hygiene and safety. These requirements and rules are legally defined in the Hygiene Code for food. Institutions are required to demonstrate that they provide patients with safe food. These rules are designed to prevent patients and staff from becoming ill from eating the food. Several times a year, the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority visits our hospital to make sure we comply with these rules.
Food from the Hospital
What do the strict regulations and requirements mean for you as a patient?
Temperature of the meal
According to regulations, hot items are to be at least 60°C when you are served and cold dishes at a maximum of 7°C.
Absence during mealtime
If you are absent when cold meals are being served, you can get the cold meal later from the service assistant. If you are absent when hot meal are being served, you can still get the hot meal at any time of the day.
Dairy and dairy products
The dessert and any other dairy products that are served during meals, may not be saved after the end of the meal, not even in the refrigerator. This is the case because, once these products are served, the temperature rapidly rises to above 7 ° C. They can be consumed safely within 2 hours of serving. If you choose a dairy product (milk or buttermilk) when the beverages are served, you can best drink it as soon as possible.
Fruit
Hard fruits, such as apples and oranges, may be kept on your nightstand. Soft fruits, such as peaches and grapes, must be kept (with a sticker with your name and date) in the patients' refrigerator. After three days (including 'day of opening') these products are removed. Fruit without a sticker will also be removed.
Juice cartons
After opening, juice cartons must be stored in the refrigerator, with your name and date of opening. After three days (including 'day of opening') they are removed. Juice cartons without a sticker will also be removed.
Prescribed snacks from the Dietetics Department
For the snacks below, the following retention periods apply:
- packages of nutritional drinks: unopened - according to expiration date;
opened - 2 hours;
- shakes, energy-enriched custard, quark, yoghurt and fruit drinks - 2 hours;
- hot and cold snacks such as croquettes, herring, cheese cubes - 2 hours.
Bringing in foods
To prevent food poisoning, there are also few rules for foods brought in by your visitors.
Types of foods
The general advice is: It is preferable not to bring risky foods with you. Risky foods include soups, meat and meat products, fish and shellfish, raw vegetables and dairy products. Foods such as fruit, cookies and some kinds of baked goods e.g. cake) go off much more slowly and are therefore less of a risk.
Instructions
If you still want to bring risky foods, the following instructions apply:
- Observe the 'best used by' (THT) or "use-by' date (TGT) for packaged products. Buy a product that is at least good for another few days. Keep it in your refrigerator until just before you go for the visit.
- Add date of purchase yourself to undated fresh produce. Products which are not wrapped and have no THT or TGT date may be stored for no longer than two days. These types of products (such as raw vegetables or fresh sliced meats) should therefore be bought on the day that you come to visit and should be stored in your refrigerator until your visit.
- Keep raw and cooked products separated in your refrigerator. This can be done by wrapping them in household or aluminum foil or storing them in sealed dishes or refrigerator boxes.
The trip to Isala
Keep the products cool during transport to Isala. This can be done by using a cooler or insulated bag in which you can also carry frozen foods and by placing a cooling element with the products.
During the visit
Make sure you immediately put the food you brought in the available patient refrigerator on the ward (unless the products are consumed immediately). Proceed as follows:
- Write your name and the date the product was placed in the refrigerator onto the product. Once the product is opened, the date of opening must also be made a note of. Products that do not bear the name and data will be removed when the refrigerator is checked by the service assistant.
- Look at the storage schedule that is hanging on the refrigerator for how long various products may be kept.
Liability
Isala is not liable for food that is brought in. If you eat a home-cooked meal in the hospital, you must sign a form for this. You will be given this form by the service assistant.
Contact
Do you have any questions or do you want to know more after reading this information? The service assistant in your department will be happy to help you.
For suggestions and questions, please call the Food Safety Division at +31 088 624 71 25 or
+31 088 624 53 28.
This information is also available in Turkish, Arabic/Moroccan, German and English. Please inquire about this at the department.
