Sampling programmes carried out by environmental health officers in Malta

Abstract

From the experience obtained, it is evident that sampling programmes needs a lot of time to be carried out and may take hours to be finalized. The whole project is to examine the importance of the sampling programmes and the need to be carried out. It must also show how affective these are and if changes are being forced to take place through the implementation of such programmes. Sampling programmes are an important part for an Environmental Health Officer since it monitors mainly the activity of food distribution around the island. This work will show up what happens if something wrong is detected and what procedures are taken in order to get the problem under control. This project will point out how samples are elevated, the size of the sample, their importance, the equipment used and many more factors. The objective of this project is to know the steps that need to be taken, any precautions or any misleading factors that may influence the result of the samples carried out. This project helped me to learn more about the importance of sampling programmes and the effects put on the general public. It will also analyse if the number of sampling programs carried out annually are enough, if there is the need to increase the number of programs or if there is the need to focus on a limited number of samples. It will explain how the sample size should be adequate to allow, if necessary, repeat analysis and any regulations regarding this issue, such as the; EC Regulation 2073 of 2005 as amended by EC Regulation 1441 of 2007 on the microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. The project will also contain the amount/ quantity of sample needed for analysis, how the division of samples is done. Besides the parameter/s to be tested the project will show and explain the purpose of the investigations which are carried out continuously by the Environmental Health Directorate.