a. of the existence, potential prevalence and nature of E.coli O157;

b. of the potential for the spread of infection on farms in a number of ways, including notably from faecal material, and of the consequent need for scrupulous personal hygiene;

c. of the need for care in the use of untreated slurry or manure; and

d. of the absolute requirement for the presentation of animals in an appropriate, clean condition for slaughter. (Para 5.17)

2. All of this must be backed up by rigorous enforcement by the Meat Hygiene Service at abattoirs. (Para 5.17)

4. The Meat Hygiene Service must take forward urgently, with the help and support of Government departments and the industry, the identification and promotion of good practice in slaughterhouses - including specifically in the areas of hide and intestine removal. (Para 6.23)

5. Abattoir workers should be trained in good hygiene practice during slaughter and the Meat Hygiene Service should concentrate enforcement on slaughter and subsequent handling of carcasses. (Para 6.23)

6. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system should be enshrined in the legislation governing slaughterhouses and the transportation of carcasses and meat. Meanwhile, enforcers and the trade should ensure that HACCP principles are observed. (Para 6.23)

7. The Meat Hygiene Service should be given additional powers to enforce at the abattoir standards for the transportation of meat and carcasses between licensed and non-licensed premises. (Para 6.23)

8. Further consideration should be given, involving the industry and consumer interests, to the potential use and benefits of end-process treatments such as steam pasteurisation. (Para 6.23)

9. In line with the approach recommended for more general enforcement, the efforts and resources of the Meat Hygiene Service should be targeted at higher risk premises - especially those abattoirs with Hygiene Assessment Scores of under 65. (Para 6.23)

11. The Government should seek to have HACCP enshrined in the review and consolidation of the vertical EU Directives. (Para 7.32)

12. The Government should seek to have all of the HACCP elements negotiated within the Horizontal Directive. (Para 7.32)

13. The Government should review the application of the Meat Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1994, and the guidance issued subsequently, to clarify the position regarding which premises are intended to be covered by the regulations. (Para 7.32)

14. Pending HACCP implementation, selective licensing arrangements for premises not covered by the Meat Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1994 should be introduced by new regulations. (Para 7.32)

15. The licensing arrangements should include appropriate requirements for the documentation of hazard analysis, labelling and record-keeping to facilitate product recall and temperature control and monitoring. In relation to training, there should be a requirement for all food handlers to have undertaken at least basic food training and for all supervisory staff (and those who run small, one-person operations) to be trained to at least intermediate level. In addition the licence should cover matters relating to the suitability of premises, equipment and hygiene practices to a level equivalent to that required by the 1994 Regulations. (Para 7.34)

16. In relation to the physical separation requirements of licensing:-

a. There should be separation, in storage, production, sale and display, between raw meat and unwrapped cooked meat/meat products and other ready to eat foods. This should include the use of separate refrigerators and production equipment, utensils and wherever possible, staff;

b. Where the use of separate staff cannot be achieved, alternative standards (such as the completion and implementation by the operator of a HACCP or the provision and use of additional facilities eg for hand washing in the serving area) might be regarded as sufficient to permit the award of a licence;

c. Where neither a. nor b. above can be achieved, the premises concerned should not be permitted to sell both raw and unwrapped cooked meat/cooked meat products (although they may be permitted to sell pre-wrapped cooked/ready to eat meat products prepared elsewhere and brought in for that purpose). (Para 7.35)

18. Guidance and education about food handling and hygiene should be included in all food and catering education and training courses and should be reinforced through periodic advertising and awareness initiatives. (Para 8.7)

19. Steps should be taken by local authorities to encourage the adoption of HACCP principles in non-registered premises where there is catering for functions for groups of people involving the serving of more than just tea, coffee and confectionery goods. (Para 8.7)

20. Employers should ensure that food handlers, in particular those working with vulnerable groups and/or in sensitive areas such as nursing homes and day-care centres, are aware of and implement good hygiene practice. They should be trained in food hygiene at least to the basic and preferably intermediate level. (Para 8.7)

22. The Government and local authorities should ensure that there are available suitable and adequate Environmental Health Officer skills and resources to address enforcement and education/awareness issues. (Para 9.16)

23. The Government should consider earmarking local authority funds for these purposes. (Para 9.16)

24. Local authorities should designate an environmental health officer, with appropriate training, experience and expertise, to head food safety within the authority. (Para 9.16)

26. In discussion with relevant professional groups, a standard case definition and a standard protocol should be agreed for testing and defining clinical cases of infection with E.coli O157 and their use promoted in all suspected E.coli O157 food poisoning investigations. (Para 10.20)

27. On completion of investigations, it should be the responsibility of the Consultant in Public Health Medicine (CPHM) to provide the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) with a minimum data set (in the form of a standard proforma) for all general outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease, including food poisoning. (Para 10.22)

28. For large (or otherwise significant) outbreaks a full, written report should be completed and consideration given to its publication. Copies of written reports should go to SCIEH. (Para 10.22)

29. In particular, there should be written, and published, a full report of the Central Scotland outbreak. (Para 10.22)

32. Local authorities and Health Boards should ensure the availability of adequate numbers of personnel with appropriate skills in public health medicine and environmental health, together with the laboratory facilities and resources they will require to meet their obligations for disease control and environmental health. (Para 12.12)