Wellbeing Class - Food handling and Hygiene Issue - AIBU

If the items being crafted were meant for human consumption then you are not overreacting or being at all unreasonable - hand washing & non-sharing of items is simple basic hygiene (even pre-SARs Covid).

I've recently attended craft courses for non-food things and the studio I attend avoids sharing equipment, materials etc between students and is keen on sanitising.

Maybe I'm too fussy, but I dislike it even in a restaurant when the server puts his/her hand over the top of the glass or cup to move it from the tray to the table - don't really fancy drinking from a glass that’s had someone’s fingers all over where my lips are supposed to go! Thank goodness for straws.

I think you are right,it does not sound as if the tutor had been on a "Health and hygiene",course.
We are particularly keen on hygiene in my house after I contracted a very nasty bug many years ago when teaching. All I could think I had done was hold a child's hand and probably go near my mouth. We always had different coloured cloths for different jobs and the children were given their own set of baking tools and ingredients.

I agree and having worked with patients who are undergoing Cancer treatment they are even more so , as the risk of infection can heightened, Also why did they supply clothes that had obviously been used why not J.clothes which can then be disposed off after each session the icing could have cut into chunks for each person and if more was required they can be giving another chunk. TBH I wouldn't worry about the ladies granddaughter as she probably handles loads of stuff in school.

Think you are absolutely correct not to participate if the hygiene standards are not to your liking. Hope you manage to convey your anxieties privately to whoever is in charge.

Sounds like a recipe for food poisoning. Dirty cloths wiping tables where food is prepared is very unhygienic.
I would have opted out too.

That is disgusting practice! I wouldn't have taken part either. I definitely don't think you were overreacting.

We are only just coming out of a pandemic so I would expect them to have provided gloves for food handling, individual portions for each person to work with and definitely clean cloths. And maybe clean the work surfaces with soap and water/antibac spray. That would be for anyone participating but even more so for those who may have compromised immune systems.

There are definitely a few infringements of food hygiene and yes the tutor should have a hygiene certificate but clearly has not. I would report your concerns to the head of the Education Centre and to your local Foods Standards Agency.

Thank you everyone for validating my feelings! I just wondered why the other 5 attendees were completely happy with the set-up.

I have just read your post Kateykrunch and can only say, what a load of dirty pigs. I would have just walked out, totally unacceptable. All the very best with your cancer treatment, it sounds as though you are doing all the right things.

notgran

I have just read your post Kateykrunch and can only say, what a load of dirty pigs. I would have just walked out, totally unacceptable. All the very best with your cancer treatment, it sounds as though you are doing all the right things.

notgran, thank you, I am getting there x

When I was having cancer treatment I was ultra careful as treatment makes you vulnerable to infection.
The set up you describe appears to break every rule about hygiene, I would have left and probably contacted the organisers to make a complaint.