Food Safety

Temperature Control

As with the nature of any food business, the threat that exists regarding food poisoning either to yourself or to customers is real. You need to be aware that bacteria survive and may multiply under certain temperature conditions, they can typically double in number every 10 to 20 minutes. In order to reduce contamination of food you must be able to cook food properly, store it correctly and clean the work environment frequently.  Examine deliveries for any damage, contamination and also for the correct temperature All fridges displays should read a temperature of higher than 0°C to less than 5°C Recommended that you record temperatures two times a day Any chilled food that has been opened should be labelled with a three day use-by date When storing cooked food and raw food, place the cooked above the raw to prevent cross-contamination

Food Hygiene

Avoid the following around food. Never:  Eat or chew any food in a food preparation area Pick your nose or scratch your head Cough or sneeze over food (if you do make sure to sneeze or cough into the inside of your elbow) Handle food when you have just touched your face, nose or head Safe food handling:  Utensils that are used for serving food should be touched only when necessary Store raw and ready-to-eat products separately Do not allow these products to come into contact with one another Use separate utensils for raw and ready-to-eat products Be aware of the food allergens that exist in your work environment Use a colour coding system for different types of food for both preparation and serving Be aware of the proper ways to store different types of food e.g. frozen items should be in the freezer at over -18°C When appropriate package and label food e.g. opening tomatoes, remember to reseal and place a label on them with the open date and use-by date

Food Hygiene

Chemicals:  Be aware of all the different chemicals used in the work environment and how they may potentially contaminate food. There are many ways you can prevent contamination from occurring:  Follow the instructions as outlined on the chemicals label Never use containers that are used for storing food for any kind of chemical storage Be sure to sanitise surfaces when food is not present Store chemicals in a separate room or press away from food areas Additional principles:  This is similar to information as outlined in the personal hygiene section. However, reminders are important as anything can easily find its way into food:  Remember to keep all food covered and labelled when it is stored Wear no jewellery, anything nail related or false eye lashes Wash all salad items thoroughly before preparation of food and check it a number of times When storing food deliveries make sure all items are places on shelves and not the floor Wear vinyl gloves when preparing food