Food Hygiene

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Food hygiene

Food hygiene refers to the method or system of keeping foods safe to eat with the sole objective of preventing food contamination and protecting the health of the customers. Food can transmit diseases from one person to another as well as serve as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food poisoning. In other words, food hygiene practises specify safe ways to handle, store, prepare, serve and eat food.
Food should be prepared in clean surroundings by clean people, in order to avoid the spread of communicable diseases and poisoning. Everyone who handles foods needs to make sure they follow good food hygiene practises to ensure that the food they handle or serve is safe to eat. Guidelines for good food hygiene are as follows:

(a) personal hygiene
Some germs can stay alive on our hands for up to 3 hours and can be spread to all the things we touch including food. Some hands should be washed regularly throughout the day especially after visiting the toilet.
Fingernails should be kept clean and short as dirt can easily lodge under the nails.
Cover all cuts, burns and sores; change dressing regularly and pay attention to any open wounds on hand and arms.
If you are I'll, especially with any gastrointestinal problems, avoid handling foods for others.
Do not cough, sneeze or spit near food and avoid touching the nose, teeth, ears and hair or scratching when handling food.
Watches, rings and bracelets should not be worn when handling food as food particles can lodge into them and spread germs.
Cover your hair properly while cooking
Wear apron that is light, absorbed and clean while cooking.

Hand washing techniques
Simple rinsing your hands under cold water is not hand washing. Listed below are hand washing techniques:
Always use warm water. It is better to wet your hands before applying soap as this prevents irritation.
Rub your hands together vigorously for about 15 seconds, making sure both sides of your hands are washed thoroughly, around the thumbs, between each finger and around and under the nails.
Rinse your hands with clean water.
Germs spread more easily if hands are wet, so dry them thoroughly.

(b) Kitchen hygiene

Keep worktops clean in order to prevent cross-contamination of food, which would increase the risk of food, which would increase the risk of food poisoning.
Always wash workshops before commencing food preparation. Wipe any split food straight away.
Wash chopping boards thoroughly with hot water and soap.
Dirty damp clothes are the perfect place for bacteria to breed. Wash kitchen cloths and sponges regularly and leave them to dry before using them again.
Knives, spoons and other utensils should be washed thoroughly and the utensils drained until dry.
Keep all food cupboards clean, tidy and dry.
Kitchen dustbins are clear breeding grounds for germs, so empty them regularly. Use a lidded bin and a bin liner. Tie up the rubbish bags before removing them to avoid food waste spilling onto the floor.
Make sure there is adequate ventilation when cooking to remove smoke and fumes.

(C) Handling food

Keep raw and cooked foods apart at all times. In particular, keep raw meat, fish, poultry and other raw foods away from cooked and ready-to-eat foods (such as salads, bread and sandwiches).
Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly especially if they are going to be eaten raw.
Keep perishable high-risk foods such as meat, fish, eggs and milk products under refrigeration.
Make sure food is cooked thoroughly so as to kill any germ on it.
Make sure frozen food is completely defrosted before cooking.

(Next post: Food preparation
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