Responsibility for control and monitoring of vending machines

Hello All, Happy New Year for everyone!!

I have a client that has vending machines. He puts the vending machines in some of is clients.

In my opinion my client is the owner of the machines, it is his responsability doing the registers (temperature, hygiene...). Do you have the same opinion?Who should do the registers my client or the clients of my client? (is it confuse?)

He puts snacks, drinks and he wants to put also sandwichs of ham, cheese, sausage. I think that he should have the temperature till 5ºC on the vending machines?Do you agree with me?

I need some help with this subject, is the first time that i have a client with this business.

Thanks to all.

Best Regards

Andreia

Same for you Andreia!

I think it will depend on the contract your customer has with his clients.

Are the machines purchased by the client who is providing a location for the machine? then they should take care (monitoring and correction) that the machine works. If it is not their property, then they should check (monitor) it is working as expected, but any failure should be corrected by your customer.

Remember food safety is a chain, everybody has to do something but responsibilities should be clarified.

Regards,

FSSM

Hello FSSM

Thanks to your fast reply.

I know that the machines are property of my client.
So, your oppinion is that the registration of temperature, and hygiene is responsability of the client of my client?

My client goes, to his clients weekly to restore the snacks, and drinks stocks (and in the future sandwich).

Is his responsability (of my client) if some product has the validity exceeded?

And what about the temperature of the machines, dou you agree with 5ºC?


regards

Andreia

Dear Andreia,

IMEX, the first line of attack by authorities in case of a problem is usually the “person” responsible for lastly distributing the product to the consumer. (He / She / It) may not like it but such is life. Legally, my guess is that the next defensive phase may be complex depending on any sub-contracts, insurance etc. This is one particular reason why large retailers do so much “due diligence”.

Yr other query is presumably a question of product / packaging / claimed shelf-life (?) and, quite possibly, local regulations also.

Rgds / Charles.C

Andreia

This will depend on local regulations and the contract which the customer signs but in general, the following is reasonable.

The company who rents the equipment would be responsible for ensuring the equipment is maintained and capable of storing the products at the correct temperature.

If that company was responsible for filling the machine, then they would be responsible for stock rotation.

In the UK there is a Food Industry Guide to Good `Hygiene Practice: Vending & Dispensing which is a useful reference point. It gives the following guidance:

'It is good practice to have a digital display fitted to chilled food vendors and to record the temperature each time the vendor is replenished'

This could be recorded on a record card for each machine. You should also check the temperature of the food and this can be easily completed with an infra red thermometer.

You need to ensure that the food is at the correct temperature before loading into the vending machine as they are not designed to chill foods so proper temperature control during distribution is also critical.

At the contract stage it would help to provide information to the customer on the proper use of the vending machine which would include a suggestion for the customer to visually check the temperature on the digital display every day and contact the vending company if the temperature is high.

Hello,

I think the best thing is my client fulfill the registers of higiene and make an agreement with his client, in order to register the temperature of the machines.
I thing is the best way, don't you?

Thanks for the replies. :)


Regards

Andreia

Agreed on Andreia. The end client will have the sole responsibility of ensuring the right temp of the vending machines, although with the assistance of your client.

Our canteen has (rented) vending machines for night shift use and I made sure they were added to the HACCP plan and treated the same as the refrigerators we supply for packed lunches.

Is his responsability (of my client) if some product has the validity exceeded?

Yes, I agree with Ken´s post, your client would be responsible for stock rotation, and so for validity exceeded.

And what about the temperature of the machines, dou you agree with 5ºC?

Dear Andreia,

Yr other query is presumably a question of product / packaging / claimed shelf-life (?) and, quite possibly, local regulations also.

Rgds / Charles.C

I think 4°C is in the safe side, but as Charles.C points out, it also depends on other variables. Maybe the most important, local regulations, in terms of who is responsible for what.

Regards,

FSSM