The Commercial Team within the Environmental Health Services Division performs a number of different sampling duties including:
- Private water supplies
- Food
- Swimming pools
Why do we sample?
We sample to ensure that the food and water that you consume is safe, in accordance with the appropriate legislation.
There are two main types of sampling;
- Informal sampling (surveillance)
- Formal sampling
The majority of samples are informal. Informal sampling is mainly a surveillance exercise where samples are either purchased anonymously or by agreement with the proprietor. No formal action can be taken if the informal samples are found to be incorrect. Where informal sampling reveals a problem, this can be followed up either by giving advice to the proprietor and re-sampling informally or by sampling formally. Formal sampling can result in legal action been taken.
The number of samples we aim to take is one sample per 1000 head of population, as a minimum. The population of the Huntingdonshire District Council area is approximately 162,500 and therefore, 163 samples should be taken per year. The number of food samples or swabs taken in Huntingdonshire (not including water sampling) in 2003/04 was 222.
Food Samples
Food sampled by officers is submitted to a laboratory to be microbiologically examined.
Who To Contact
However you contact us your request will be passed to someone who will contact you as soon as possible. We aim to establish first contact with users of the service within three working days.
For contact details please see link on right.