Hygiene

                                                       

Hygiene

Hygiene is the science and practice of preserving health and is one of the most important subjects for all persons working in the hotel and catering industry to study, understand and practice in their everyday working lives. The subject is broken down into three areas: personal, food and kitchen hygiene.

Personal hygiene

Germs or bacteria are to be found in and on the body and they can be transferred onto anything with which the body comes in contact. Personal cleanliness is essential to prevent germs getting onto food.

○ hands must be washed frequently and always after using the toilet; food should be handled as little as possible;

○ bathing must occur frequently;

○ hair must be kept clean and covered in the kitchen; it should not be combed handled near food;

○ nose and mouth should not be touched with the hands;

○ cough and sneeze in a handkerchief, not over food; people with colds should not be in contact with food;

○ jewellery, rings and watches should not be worn;

○ smoking and spitting must not occur where there is food;

○ cuts and burns should be covered with a waterproof dressing;

○ clean clothing should be worn at all times and only clean cloths used;

○ foods should be tasted with a clean spoon;

○ tables should not be sat on;

○ only healthy people should handle food.

Kitchen hygiene

Cleaning

Cleaning can be defined as the application of energy to remove dirt, grease and other soiling. Cleaning is essential to food safety as well as being a legal requirement for food business.

Why cleaning is required.

      1)      It reduces the risk of food spoilage and food poisoning.

      2)       It removes materials and food that could provide harbor and nourishment for pests.

      3)      It helps the prompt identification of pest infestation.

      4)      It prevents the physical contamination of food.

      5)      It assists in maintaining a comfortable working environment which is safe and attractive,assisting in  promoting economical and effective working methods.

      6)      It reduces the risk of accidents to customers and staff affected by the work.

      7)      It promotes a quality image to customers.

      8)      It assists in reducing maintenance costs, reduces damage to equipment.

If cleaning is not carried out properly, various problems can be raised. Such as,

○ customer complaints;

○ loss of reputation;

○ food poisoning and food-borne disease;

○ loss of sales;

○ legal action;

○ increase in food waste;

○ contaminated and tainted food;

○ corrosion and premature replacement of equipment;

○ incorrect use of chemicals which could damage equipment, floors, walls and food preparation surfaces.

 Six basic steps of cleaning.

      1)      Pre-clean: removal of loose oil by wiping, scraping, rinsing or soaking.

      2)      Main clean: loosening the remaining soil by use of detergents.

      3)      Intermediate rinse: removal of soil and chemicals.

      4)      Disinfection : reduction of the remaining bacteria to a safe level.

      5)      Final rinse: removal of the disinfection.

      6)      Drying: natural- air drying Physical-using disposable paper towels or a clean dry cloth.

 Cleaning schedules

Following details should be included when preparing a cleaning schedule.

○ all items and surfaces to be cleaned;

○ the persons responsible for carrying out the tasks;

○ when the cleaning must be done;

○ the methods of cleaning and standards required;

○ the time required for each cleaning process;

○ the chemicals, materials and equipment needed;

○ the safety precautions to be taken and the protective clothing and equipment to be worn, such as goggles      and gloves;

○ the signature of the person who carries out the task;

○ the signature confirming that the work has been checked;

Food hygiene

                                            

                                 

Food poisoning

Food poisoning can be defined as an illness characterized by stomach pains and diarrhea and sometimes vomiting, generally developing within one to 36 hours after eating the affected food.

Reasons of food poisoning

      ·         Ignorance of the rule of hygiene.

      ·         Carelessness, thoughtlessness or neglect.

      ·         Poor standards of equipment or facilities to maintain hygienic standards.

      ·         Accident.

Food poisoning can be prevented by:

      ·         High standards of personal hygiene;

      ·         Attention to physical fitness;

      ·         Maintaining good working conditions;

      ·         Maintaining equipment in good repair and in clean condition;

      ·         Adequate provision of cleaning facilities and cleaning equipment;

      ·         Correct storage of foodstuffs at the right temperature;

      ·         Correct reheating of food;

      ·         Quick cooling of foods prior to storage;

      ·         Protection of food from vermin and insects;

      ·         Hygienic washing-up procedure;

      ·         Food-handlers knowing how food poisoning is caused.

      ·         Food-handlers carrying out correct procedures to prevent food poisoning.

Chemical food poisoning

Certain chemicals may accidentally enter food and cause food poisoning.

How to prevent of chemical food poisoning

      ·         Using correctly maintained and suitable kitchen utensils;

      ·         Obtaining foodstuffs from reliable sources;

      ·         Care in the use of rat poison.

Bacterial food poisoning

Food contaminated by bacteria (germs) is by far the most common cause of food poisoning. Cross-contamination is when bacteria are transferred from contaminated to uncontaminated foods via hands, boards, knives, surfaces, etc.

How to prevent bacterial food poisoning

○ ensure food is obtained from reliable sources.

○ handle foods as little as possible; when practicable use tongs, palette knives, disposable plastic gloves, etc;

○ ensure utensils and works surfaces are clean and sanitized;

○ use cloths impregnated with a bactericide which fades in colour when no longer effective;

○ pay particular attention when handling raw poultry, meat and fish;

○ wash raw fruits and vegetables;

○ clean methodically and as frequently as necessary; clean as you go;

○ keep foods covered as much as possible;

○ have boards and knives coloured for particular foods, for example red for raw meat, blue for raw fish, yellow for cooked meat.

○ take particular care in thorough reheating of made up dishes.

Types of food poisoning bacteria

      ·         The salmonella group- causing food poisoning because of large numbers of bacteria in the food.

      ·         Staphylococcus aureus – causing food poisoning due to poison (toxin) production in the food.

      ·         Clostridium perfringens – causing food poisoning due to large numbers of bacteria producing toxins in the intestines.

Contamination

Bacterial and virus contamination comes from people, animals, insects, raw food, rubbish, dust, water and the air.

Chemical contamination may come from pesticides or cleaning fluids.

Physical contamination may be from dirty clothing or from touching the food or from a used plaster lost from a finger.

Cross contamination

To avoid cross contamination it is important that the same equipment is not used for handling raw meat and milk products without being disinfected. To prevent the inadvertent use of equipment for raw and high risk foods it is recommended that where possible different colours and shapes are used to identify products.

Yellow                  - food preparation areas

Green                   - food and beverage service

Blue                      - general purpose

Red                       - toilet areas Cutting boards and knives:

White                    - dairy products

Grey                      - bread

Green                   - fruit

Brown                   - vegetables

Red                       - raw meat

Yellow                   - cooked meat

Blue                       - raw fish

Safety

                      

The dual responsibility of employers and employees at work is to ensure that the premises and equipment are safe and that they are kept safe so as to prevent accidents.

Rules for using chemicals

○ always follow makers’ instructions.

○ always store in original containers. Decanting a chemical means you may lose its name and classification.

○ keep lids tightly closed.

○ do not store in direct sunlight, near heat or naked flames.

○ read the labels. Know the product and its risk.

○ never mix chemicals.

○ know the first-aid procedure.

○ always add product to water, not water to product.

○ dispose of empty drums immediately.

○ dispose of waste chemical solutions safely.

○ wear the correct safety equipment.

○ Prevention of cuts and scratches

○ the correct knife should be used for the appropriate job;

○ knives must always be sharp and clean;

○ handles of the knife should be free from grease;

○ choppers should be kept sharp and clean;