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Good hygiene is important to make sure that the food you serve is safe to eat. And it makes good business sense because good hygiene prevents food poisoning and protects your reputation with customers.
The Food Standards Agency has produced a very compehensive and user friendly website. This covers the main things you need to think about for example when you start a business, including food hygiene, cross-contamination, refrigeration and more general issues.
>CLEANING Effective cleaning is essential to get rid of harmful bacteria in your kitchen and to stop them spreading. The tips in this section will help you to be sure that you and your staff are cleaning properly.
How you can keep track of cleaning.
A cleaning schedule is a good way to make sure that surfaces and equipment are cleaned when they need to be. Work out what needs cleaning every day, or more than once a day, and what needs cleaning less frequently. Your schedule should show:
What needs to be cleaned
Who is responsible for doing the cleaning
How often it needs to be done
How the cleaning should be done
What to do if the person checking the cleaning finds something wrong
You could also prepare cleaning instructions for your staff showing:
What cleaning chemicals should be used
How the chemicals should be used, including how much they should be diluted and how long they should be left on the surface, as recommended by the manufacturer
How the chemicals should be stored (in a special place away from food)
A member of staff should be made responsible for checking that cleaning is being done properly. Cleaning record sheets can help them record what they observe.When they make the check they should write down whether the cleaning has been done properly. If there are any problems they should make a note of what they did to put them right.
>FOOD PREPARATION SURFACES AND EQUIPMENT An effective way to clean is to follow these six steps:
Remove any obvious food and dirt
Use hot soapy water (diluted detergent) to remove grease and any remaining food and dirt
Rinse with clean water to remove detergent and loosened food and dirt
Use a disinfectant to kill bacteria
Rinse with clean water to remove disinfectant (if rinsing is included in the instructions on the label)
Allow to dry naturally, if possible, or dry with a clean disposable towel
Some businesses use sanitisers to reduce the number of cleaning stages (combining points 2 to 4 above).
Remember, it’s important to clean thoroughly and use appropriate cleaning chemicals to help stop food poisoning bacteria spreading. And always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Never just wipe surfaces and utensils with a damp cloth, because you could be spreading bacteria around, rather than getting rid of them.
Disinfecting
You can disinfect using boiling water, a chemical disinfectant, sanitiser, or a dishwasher. If you’re using a disinfectant or sanitiser, check the label to make sure that it’s suitable for the job you want it to do.
A good way to clean and disinfect most catering chopping boards is to put them in the dishwasher.
Remember, it’s best to keep your kitchen clean by cleaning as you go. If you spill some food, clear it up straight away and then clean the surface thoroughly.
Allow time at the end of the working day to thoroughly clean the kitchen so it’s ready for the next day. Surfaces and equipment that come into contact with food are the most important, but don’t forget to clean walls, floors and storage areas regularly as well.
>CLEANING PLATES, DISHES AND UTENSILS Using a dishwasher is an effective way to make sure that dishes, glasses and utensils are really clean. This is because dishwashers use very hot water, which kills bacteria. It’s best to remove any obvious food and dirt before putting things in the dishwasher.
Make sure that your dishwasher is working effectively and using water that is hot enough.
If you’re washing dishes and utensils by hand, follow these steps:
Scrape off any obvious food and dirt
Clean with hot water and washing-up liquid
Rinse with clean water to remove washing-up liquid
Leave to dry naturally, if possible
If it isn’t possible to leave plates, dishes and utensils to dry naturally, make sure you use a clean tea towel and change tea towels frequently (at least once a day).
Remember
Wash the least dirty things, such as glasses, first
Change washing-up water when it gets dirty
Replace dishcloths and scourers frequently
>HANDWASHING If hands aren’t clean they can spread food poisoning bacteria all around the kitchen. But a quick rinse won’t make sure they’re really clean. So it’s important for you and all your staff to know how to wash your hands properly.How to wash your hands properly
Wet your hands thoroughly under warm running water and squirt liquid soap onto the palm of one hand
Rub your hands together to make a lather
Rub the palm of one hand along the back of the other and along the fingers. Then repeat with the other hand
Rub in between each of your fingers on both hands and round your thumbs
Rinse off the soap with clean water
Dry hands thoroughly on a disposable towel
This should take between 10 and 20 seconds.
Remember, you need to make sure that everyone who handles food washes their hands before starting work, after a break, after going to the toilet, after emptying a bin and before starting a new task.
Should I use gloves?
You don’t need to use gloves for good hygiene. In fact, using gloves can actually cause problems, unless you’re careful how you use them.
Remember, you need to wash your hands properly, whether you use gloves or not. If you use gloves, make sure you do the following things:
Wash and dry hands thoroughly before putting on gloves
Change gloves frequently
Change gloves after handling raw foods and before handling cooked/ready-to-eat foods
Throw away gloves that are torn, dirty or contaminated (don’t leave them on work surfaces)
Throw away gloves when they are taken off for any reason
If you stop preparing food to do something else, such as answering the telephone or taking money from a customer, always take off your gloves and put on a fresh pair before starting to handle food again
Never re-use gloves
>WHERE ARE THE BACTERIA HOTSPOTS WHERE I WORK? Often bacteria can collect in places that you might not expect. But anything that is touched by food or people’s hands could be covered in bacteria. In many food businesses the bacteria hotspots include:
Fridge/freezer handles
Tap handles
Telephones
Work surfaces
Chopping boards
Bin lids
Can openers
Equipment that is difficult to clean, such as slicers and food processors, can also be a hiding place for bacteria. So it’s important to clean these things regularly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean equipment.
Cloths used to clean dishes and surfaces, and tea towels, can also spread bacteria. Make sure you wash and dry them thoroughly and replace them regularly, particularly when they are worn or damaged. Use paper towels or disposable cloths wherever possible.
Remember, how you deal with waste is an important part of keeping food preparation areas clean. You should clear away waste in food preparation areas as soon as possible, and have it collected regularly from the premises. This is important because waste can contain bacteria and attract pests.
>CLEANING TERMS Contact time
How long the cleaning chemical needs to be left on the surface or equipment you are cleaning. It’s important to get this right for the chemical to work effectively.
Detergent
A chemical used to remove grease, dirt and food, such as washing-up liquid.
Dilution rate
Most cleaning chemicals are concentrated, so you need to add water to dilute them before they can be used. The dilution rate tells you how much water to use with the chemical. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and get the dilution rate right. Otherwise the chemical won’t work effectively. Remember, using more disinfectant and less water than recommended on the label won’t make the disinfectant more effective.
Disinfectant
A chemical that kills bacteria. Check that surfaces are clean of grease, dirt and food before you use a disinfectant. Chemicals that kill bacteria are sometimes called germicides, bactericides or biocides.
Sanitiser
A two-in-one product that acts as a detergent and a disinfectant.
