Posted By Mark McFarlane Our organisation has a Charity Committee which organises fundraising events during the year for our chosen charity. One forthcoming event involves staff being asked to bake cakes/make food and bring it in for staff to eat. Could anyone confirm where we would stand if this caused anyone to get food poisoning?

Posted By Stephen J W Clegg. Have you seen this before? "These cakes may contain nuts" What would happen if a person were to have a reaction to the cakes??? First Aid? and, who would they sue (he says cynically). Regards Steve.

Posted By Nigel Singleton BSc Even though it is for charity, you will be covered by the Food Safety Act and the subsequent General Regulations. You have a duty not to provide food that is injurious to health in any way shape or form, and also to provide basic food hygiene training for your food handlers at a level suitable for the task they are performing. If you cannot prove 'Due Dilligence' which is food safety for reasonably practicable then you would be guilty of an offence if you caused food poisoning.

Posted By J Knight Hi, We have faced this same problem, as we have fundraisers based at 17 sites around the country, and we have been offered very practical advice from our Lead Authority. Avoid uncooked high risk foods, such as fresh cream and meringue, and stick a warning about food allergies where it can be seen. Cakes in general are low risk and there is very little likelihood of anybody actually becoming ill, provided high risk ingredients are avoided. Butter cream is low risk, as is icing. Although the food hygiene regs do apply, the intention of the legislation is not to outlaw baking cakes for fundraising, John