How can food safety be improved?
As the owner of the food business do complete a formal course in Food Safety and Food Hygiene even if it is just a basic course, to begin with. It is so important to have this knowledge so that you can pass it onto your staff.
Kitchen Hygiene
- Have a regular weekly cleaning program.
- Dishwashing machines should operate at a minimum temperature of 77 degrees centigrade.
- Refrigerators should operate at 4-degree centigrade or below.
- Warming counters should operate at a minimum temperature of 65-degree centigrade.
- A hand basin should be available for staff to wash their hands between tasks.
- No animals should be allowed in the food preparation area.
- Surfaces that come into direct contact with food should be cleaned after use.
- Chopping boards should be cleaned, particularly following the preparation of raw foods.
- All food storage containers should be sealed and airtight.
Food Safety
- Foodstuffs should always be checked before use to ensure that they are fit for consumption.
- Always monitor use-by dates on foods and ensure that food stocks are consumed on a rotation basis, otherwise known as ‘stock rotation’.
- Never use crockery that is chipped or cracked because this provides a place for bacteria to breed. Damaged crockery should be wrapped in newspaper before disposal.
- Only freeze foodstuffs once. Food, when thawed, should be cooked, refrigerated or discarded.
- To avoid cross-contamination (which occurs when harmful bacteria cross from one source to another and continue to multiple) staff should always wash their hands between jobs, and knives, chopping boards and benches should be cleaned after foodstuff is prepared.
- Raw and cooked foods should be stored separately in the refrigerator and freezer.
- Raw meats should always be stored below cooked meats or foods.
- All foodstuffs must be stored at least 75 cm above the ground to allow proper ventilation and easy access. This procedure may also assist in deterring dust mites, cockroaches and vermin from infecting products.
- All foods should be maintained at the required temperature, whether frozen, refrigerated or in a food warmer, etc.
- Foods cooked but not consumed must be chilled to 4.4 degrees centigrade in under 4 hours.
- Stockpots should never be left cooking overnight and any stock to be retained for further use should be chilled to 4.4-degree centigrade or less in under 4 hours.
- Foods should be kept in the refrigerator and removed only when necessary.
How can food safety be improved?
In order to keep your food outlet clean and the food you serve safe, it is necessary to put food safety and kitchen hygiene management procedures in place.
Want to know more about food safety and kitchen hygiene? For a very low investment why not purchase a copy of:
‘How to Be Food Safe’ eGuide and
understand and comply with health and safety food standards, to ensure the food you are selling is safe for your customers.
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