{"id":3935,"date":"2014-10-30T12:53:04","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T12:53:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vwa.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3935"},"modified":"2025-05-12T10:17:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T10:17:59","slug":"let-them-eat-cake-food-safety-for-charity-cake-stallholders-and-bake-off-enthusiasts-foodsafety-allergenlabelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vwa.co.uk\/blog\/let-them-eat-cake-food-safety-for-charity-cake-stallholders-and-bake-off-enthusiasts-foodsafety-allergenlabelling\/","title":{"rendered":"Food safety for charity cake stallholders and Bake Off enthusiasts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just what is the Great British Bake Off\u2019s secret ingredient? This year’s final attracted an audience of 13 million viewers \u2013 an astonishing number when you consider that long-running soap, Coronation Street only attracts around 9 million regular viewers. And it seems that fans of Bake off are not confined to the human race; I read in the Metro <\/em>that a ginger moggy called Roger is obsessed with the programme and races downstairs as soon as he hears the theme tune!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Home baking reminds us of a bygone age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most probable reasons for the programme\u2019s success is nostalgia. Bake off reminds us of treats that our mothers and grandmothers used to make for us when we were younger; and that we feel we would like to make, if only our lives weren\u2019t so hectic. There is also the fascination attached to the \u2018showstopper\u2019 creations and, of course, everybody loves a good competition \u2013 you\u2019ve only got to look at the rise and rise of Strictly, X-factor and Masterchef for proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost certainly a combination of the recession and the popular programme was responsible for fuelling a boost in sales of home bakery products in recent years. Buns, cakes and scones are always a popular feature at school fetes and charity fundraisers. And Macmillan Cancer<\/a> Support gets the country involved in the \u2018World\u2019s Biggest Coffee Morning\u2019 every year, encouraging people and companies to sell coffee and homemade cakes for the charity. In fact we joined in ourselves this year and raised over \u00a3200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food hygiene rules if you’re making and selling cakes for charities or school fairs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We all know that professional bakeries are subject to stringent food hygiene and food labelling regulations, but if we\u2019re baking cakes at home to be sold on a stall, do the same regulations apply? The answer to this question is \u2018no\u2019, unless you are baking for a charity which is registered as a food business. Nevertheless basic food safety knowledge is important to keep the risk of food poisoning to a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, always wash your hands before starting to bake, remove jewellery, tie back hair, wear a clean apron and ensure that all surfaces, bowls, utensils etc. are clean. It\u2019s also important, especially if you\u2019re baking for people who are elderly or very young, not to use raw eggs in anything that won\u2019t be thoroughly cooked \u2013 an example of this is mousse or certain types of icing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cakes that contain cream and cheesecakes need to be stored in a refrigerator before taking them to the venue. As with other types of prepared food, you should take extra care to ensure that they are covered and kept away from raw food, especially meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cakes should be stored in a dry, clean, sealable container \u2013 that rusty old biscuit tin simply won\u2019t do, even if it looks \u2018vintage.\u2019 The same container can be used to transport them to wherever the fair or coffee morning is taking place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once at the venue keep cream cakes in the fridge for as long as possible and only keep them on display for a short period of time. Wash your hands as often as possible and use a cake slice or tongs to serve your cakes, rather than your fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long a cake will stay fresh really depends how it is stored and also on the sugar content. Since sugar is a preservative, the greater the sugar content, the longer the cake will last. Keeping cakes in the fridge will also prolong their life, although the flavour might suffer slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preserving safety when selling jam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the subject of preservatives, several people like to sell homemade jams on charity stalls or at other community events. Again, unless the charity is a registered food business, you are not governed by regulation. However, once again, basic food hygiene practices should come into play. If you are selling your jam in jars that have been used before, make sure that they don\u2019t have any chips or cracks, have good, tight-fitting lids and have been sterilised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A word about allergies and labelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people who are allergic to a particular ingredient will ask you if your products contain it, and whilst you don\u2019t have to label the food you\u2019re selling on your stall, it would be a good idea to make reference to those products which do contain allergens. The 14 main allergens that must be identified on labels are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n