Creating a safer and healthier foodservice industry is everyone’s responsibility all the time but with the evolving coronavirus situation personal hygiene and food safety are more important than ever.
Any person who works in a position where they come into contact with food or food preparation surfaces and equipment, such as benches, kitchen utensils and cutlery, must follow the necessary rules and regulations.
Personal hygiene is essential to minimise risk, many people might carry harmful bacteria on their bodies without even knowing about it and can unwillingly contaminate food.
Top Shelf Concepts has created a simple guide to personal hygiene practices all food handlers should follow:
- Washing your hands: When starting work, handling raw meat or money, sneezing or going to the toilet. This should be done thoroughly with water and soap. Business owners must provide special stations to be used exclusively for washing hands, preferably out of reach from the food preparation areas. Current guidelines advise washing for at least 20 seconds.
- Never prepare food for others when ill: Supervisors must always be advised if a staff member is feeling unwell, that person should be sent home straight away and should not be in contact with the food whatsoever. With the current coronavirus situation employees are advised to stay home if they have any symptoms and to call their Doctor or the coronavirus helpline. Self-isolation may be required.
- Keeping clothing and protective equipment clean: Dirty clothing is one of the leading causes of cross-contamination in the kitchen, changing or hanging aprons when leaving the kitchen is important, especially when handling raw meat.
- Making sure clothes are always clean and kept in a dry place is an important step to ensure the safety of your food. Protective equipment is generally designed to be used once and should be disposed of immediately after being used.
- Wiping perspiration: It is important to do so with a clean cloth and then wash your hands straight away. Avoid touching your face at all times and especially while preparing food.
- Jewellery, and nail varnish: must be kept to a minimum, wedding bands should preferably get disinfected before starting work. Nail varnish or fake nails can be easily chipped off, contaminating the food you are preparing, therefore, it is better not to wear any.
- Hair: It should be tied back, and facial hair should be preferably kept short to avoid it falling onto the food.
- Avoid bad habits-never smoke near food preparation areas and wash your hands and face afterwards. Chewing gum while preparing food is extremely prohibited as it increases salivation with small particles having the propensity to land on the food.
Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. Take your part by following the steps described, together businesses can create a more responsible and safe industry that provides excellence for its customers.
For more information about Top Shelf Concepts visit https://topshelfconcepts.com/
