Hygienic Norms, Sanitary Rules

Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is simply the application of rules for maintaining wellness and personal cleanliness (Placio, 2003) or good wellness habits, including bathing, washing hair, wearing clean clothing, and frequently washing hands. Poor personal habits can pose serious risks in food establishments.

The restaurant management team is responsible for the health and safety of our employees and customers. They must ensure that public restrooms and handwashing areas are fully stocked with hot and cold running water, hand soap, and single-use paper towels or hand dryers. They should also provide gloves for employees handling food products or cleaning chemicals (Popeyes Food Safety Certification Program, 2007).

Managers should also be prepared to respond if an employee comes to work ill, with a sore or injury. If the employee’s condition is contagious and may contaminate food or other employees, the employee should not work that day. If an employee has a cut, the area should be washed, bandaged, and gloves should be required.

Managers must have the necessary bandages available and assign those employees to tasks that do not involve handling food (Popeyes Food Safety Certification Program, 2007).

Good personal hygiene will help to minimize the risks of contaminating food and is the legal responsibility of every food handler. It is important that food handlers are generally clean and tidy, wear appropriate protective clothing, and avoid wearing heavy makeup, nail polish, hair decorations, and jewelry that could harbor microorganisms or fall off and contaminate food (Blanch, 2003). Good personal hygiene is essential for those who handle food. Desirable behaviors include (McSwane, Rue, & Linton, 2005):

All of us carry disease-causing bacteria in our bodies, which can be carried to food. By staying healthy and keeping clean, you can help prevent an outbreak of food-borne illness. The most important hygienic measure in the kitchen is frequent hand washing.

Germs can pass from hand to hand. Clean hands and trimmed fingernails reduce the risk of contamination (Subida, 2007). Safe food preparation begins with clean hands.

Hands that carry harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms may transfer contamination to any surface or food when touched. Proper and frequent hand washing by employees is one of the most important food safety steps. Hands can become contaminated in a variety of ways.

The failure to wash contaminated hands is one of the leading contributors to the outbreaks of foodborne illness. As a result, all directors and employees must wash their hands (Popeyes Food Safety Certification Program, 2007).

It is the most important part of personal hygiene. It may seem like an obvious thing to do. Even so, many food handlers do not wash their hands the right way or as frequently as they should. You must train your food handlers to wash their hands and then you must monitor them. To wash hands the right way, follow these steps. The whole process should take about 20 seconds (National Restaurant Association, 2008).

First, wet hands and arms. Use running water as hot as you can comfortably stand. It should be at least 100°F (38°C). Second, apply soap and use enough to build up a good lather. Third, scrub hands and arms vigorously. Scrub them for 10 to 15 seconds and clean under fingernails and between fingers.

Fourth, rinse hands and arms thoroughly using running water. Finally, dry hands and arms and use a single-use paper towel or a warm-air hand dryer (National Restaurant Association, 2008). Hand washing is generally one of the most ignored areas of hygienic food operations. It is no good taking all the right steps to protect food if you then handle it with dirty hands!

Food handlers in dirty clothes may give a bad impression of your operation. More importantly, dirty clothes may carry pathogens that can cause foodborne illness. Set up a dress code and make sure all employees follow it. This code should include the following guidelines (National Restaurant Association, 2008): Bathe daily and wear clean clothes to work. Hair is a breeding ground for lice. Always wear a clean uniform and change daily or more frequently if necessary.

Dirty clothes carry a tremendous number of germs. Underwear should be changed daily. Put your uniform on at work. Wear clean and appropriate shoes in the kitchen, preferably leather (Subida, 2007). Wear clean clothes daily. If possible, change into work clothes at work. Dirty clothes that are stored in the operation must be kept away from food and preparation areas. This includes dirty aprons, chef coats, and uniforms (National Restaurant Association, 2008).

Hair Restraints

A hair restraint helps prevent hair from ending up in the food and may discourage employees from touching their hair (Arduser & Brown, 2005). Consumers are particularly sensitive to food contaminated by hair. Hair can be both a direct and indirect vehicle of contamination.

Food handlers may contaminate their hands when they touch their hair (Arduser & Brown, 2005). Wear a clean hat or other hair restraint. Food handlers with facial hair should also wear a beard restraint (National Restaurant Association, 2008).

Aprons

An apron is a garment that covers a portion of the body and is tied at the waist, designed to protect the wearer’s clothing (Random House Unabridged Dictionary). Do not use aprons as a hand towel. Be sure to wash your hands after touching your apron. Change your apron when it becomes soiled (Subida, 2007). Remove aprons when leaving preparation areas (National Restaurant Association, 2008).

Jewelry

The term “jewelry” generally refers to decorations worn for personal adornment (Arduser & Brown, 2005). Do not wear jewelry, as it can collect dirt or fall off and cause injury if caught on hot or sharp objects or equipment, such as a slicer (Subida, 2007).

Remove jewelry from hands and arms before preparing food or when working around preparation areas. You cannot wear any of the following: rings, except for a plain band, bracelets, including medical bracelets, and watches (National Restaurant Association, 2008). Your company may also require you to remove other types of jewelry, such as earrings, necklaces, and facial jewelry.

Smoking, Eating, and Drinking

Do not smoke, eat, drink, or chew gum while working. When you bring a cigarette to your lips, your hands touch saliva, which carries bacteria. Ash or cigarette butts may also fall onto food and food-preparation areas. Smoke, eat, or drink only in assigned break areas or the employee dining area (Subida, 2007).

Safe Food Preparation

The food service worker is responsible for preparing and serving food that is safe to eat. You have purchased, received, and stored your establishment’s food correctly. Now you must prepare it. Cross-contamination and time-temperature abuse can easily occur during this step in the flow of food.

However, you can prevent pathogens from growing during preparation by making good food preparation choices. It is important to use the right thawing methods and to be aware of special handling practices when preparing specific types of food (National Restaurant Association, 2008).

You must have a desire and the proper information to fulfill your duty of preparing safe food, including: keeping the food, equipment, kitchen, and dining areas clean; using cleaning supplies properly; following the cleaning schedule or routine outlined by your supervisor; and keeping yourself clean and your appearance neat (Kuory, 1989).

General Preparation Practices (National Restaurant Association, 2008)

No matter what type of food you are preparing, you should begin by following these guidelines.

Equipment – Make certain workstations, film editing boards, and utensils are clean and sanitized. Quantity – Remove from the ice chest only as much food as you can prepare in a short period of time. Also, prepare food in small batches. This keeps ingredients from sitting out for long periods of time. Storage – Return prepped food to the ice chest or cook it as quickly as possible.

Start with clean, wholesome foods from reputable suppliers. Whenever applicable, purchase government-inspected meat, dairy, and egg products. Handle as little food as possible. Use tongs, spatulas, or other utensils instead of hands whenever possible. Use clean, sanitized equipment and work tables.

Clean and sanitize cutting surfaces and equipment after handling raw poultry, meat, fish, or eggs and before working on another food. Clean as you go. Do not wait until the end of the working day. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly. When taking food out of refrigeration, do not take out more than you can handle in an hour.

Keep food covered whenever possible unless in immediate use. Do not mix leftovers with freshly prepared food. Chill all ingredients for protein salads and potato salads before combining.

Choose foods processed for safety. While many foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are best in their natural state, others are not safe unless they have been processed. Keep in mind that food processing was invented to improve safety as well as to extend shelf-life.

Cook food thoroughly. Many raw foods, especially poultry, meats, eggs, and unpasteurized milk, may be contaminated with disease-causing organisms. Thorough cooking will kill the pathogens, but remember that the temperature of all parts of the food must reach at least 70°C.

If cooked chicken is still raw near the bone, put it back in the oven until it is done all the way through. Frozen meat, fish, and poultry must be thoroughly thawed before cooking.

Eat cooked food immediately. When cooked food cools to room temperature, bacteria begin to multiply. The longer the wait, the greater the risk. To be on the safe side, eat cooked food as soon as it comes off the heat.

Store cooked food carefully. If you must prepare food in advance or want to keep leftovers, be sure to store them under either hot (near or above 60°C) or cool (near or below 10°C) conditions. This rule is of critical importance if you plan to store food for more than four or five hours. Foods for babies should preferably not be stored at all.

A common mistake, responsible for countless cases of foodborne disease, is putting too large a quantity of warm food in the refrigerator. In an overloaded refrigerator, cooked food cannot chill to the core as quickly as it should. When the center of food remains warm (above 10°C) for too long, bacteria thrive, rapidly proliferating to disease-causing levels.

Reheat cooked nutrients thoroughly

This is your best protection against bugs that may have developed during storage (proper storage slows down microbial growth but does not kill the microorganisms). Once again, thorough reheating means that all parts of the food must reach at least 70°C. (World Health Organization 2010)

Avoid contact between raw and cooked foods

Safely cooked food can become contaminated through even the slightest contact with raw food. This cross-contamination can be direct, as when raw poultry comes into contact with cooked food. (World Health Organization 2010)

Wash hands repeatedly

Wash hands thoroughly before you start preparing food and after every break—especially if you have to change the baby or have been to the bathroom. After handling raw foods such as fish, meat, or poultry, wash your hands again before you start handling other foods. And if you have an infection on your hand, be sure to bandage or cover it before preparing food. (World Health Organization 2010)

Keep all kitchen surfaces meticulously clean

Since foods are so easily contaminated, any surface used for food preparation must be kept spotlessly clean. Think of every food crumb, piece, or spot as a possible source of germs. Fabrics that come into contact with dishes and utensils should be changed frequently and boiled before reuse. Separate fabrics for cleaning the floors also require frequent washing. (World Health Organization 2010)

Protect food from insects, rodents, and other animals

Animals often carry infectious microorganisms that cause foodborne illness. Storing food in closed containers is your best protection. (World Health Organization 2010)

Use safe water

Safe water is just as important for food preparation as for drinking. If you have any doubts about the water supply, boil water before adding it to food or making ice for drinks. Be especially careful with any water used to prepare an infant’s meal. (World Health Organization 2010)

Cleaning and Sanitation

Cleanliness and sanitation are important factors in a guest’s attitude about a property (Rey & Wieland, 1985). Cleaning and sanitation form the foundation of food safety. Keeping a clean, hygienic restaurant is essential for serving safe food. Additionally, a clean and organized restaurant influences a positive employee attitude toward improved personal hygiene and food preparation practices (Popeyes Food Safety Certification Program, 2007). Proper cleaning and sanitizing helps protect all those who eat or work in a food service establishment.

A safe environment is maintained by keeping utensils, equipment, and work areas free of soil and contamination (National Assessment Institute, 1994). Food can easily be contaminated if you don’t keep your facility and equipment clean and sanitized. Surfaces that come into contact with food must be cleaned and sanitized properly and at the right times.

Cleaning involves using the right type of cleaning agent for a job. Sanitizing involves using a method that works for your operation and following the right steps to ensure it is effective (National Restaurant Association, 2008). Cleaning and sanitizing are important activities in a food safety plan. Cleaning and sanitizing are two distinct processes used for different purposes.

Cleaning is the physical removal of dirt and food residues from surfaces of equipment and utensils. Sanitizing (sometimes called sanitation) is the treatment of a surface that has been previously cleaned to reduce the number of disease-causing micro-organisms to safe levels (McSwane, Rue & Linton, 2005).

The Importance of Cleaning and Sanitizing

Each eating house needs a cleansing plan that is an overall system to form all their cleansing and sanitizing undertakings. The plan should also assist in identifying your cleansing demands, set up a master cleansing agenda, choose the supplies and tools to use, and develop employees to make the best of their skills (Subida, 2007).

Safe food service is only possible with a clean and healthy environment in which to store, process, and serve food. Keeping equipment, utensils, and work areas clean and sanitized is an important part of preparing safe food.

Proper housekeeping practices reduce the risks of both chemical and physical contamination. Cleaning and sanitizing procedures reduce the risks of biological contamination (National Assessment Institute, 1994).

How to Clean and Sanitize: To clean and sanitize a surface, follow these steps (National Restaurant Association, 2008):

1. Clean the surface.
2. Rinse the surface.
3. Sanitize the surface.
4. Let the surface air-dry.

When to clean and sanitize: all food-contact surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitized at these times (National Restaurant Association, 2008):

1. After use.
2. Before food handlers start working with a different type of food.
3. Anytime food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items being used may have been contaminated.
4. After four hours if items are in constant use.

Cleaning alone is not enough to maintain a healthy food service constitution. Even when soil and food particles have been removed from food-contact surfaces, they are not ready to use. You must sanitize to kill the bacteria that could contaminate food you prepare and serve.

Washing with detergent and hot water helps destroy some bacteria, but sanitizing with heat or chemical agents after cleansing does much more. You can reduce bacteria to safe levels using proper cleaning and sanitizing techniques (National Assessment Institute, 1994).

Cleaning Safely and Effectively:

There are many cleansing products or agents and a variety of equipment in the market. Your manager will decide what is best for you and you will be trained and instructed on how to use such products safely (Subida, 2007). Here are some points to support your workplace training (Subida, 2007):

1. Clean in logical order.
2. Different cleaning tasks require different methods. Getting things wrong can damage surfaces, cause injury to yourself, and spread bacteria and soil.
3. Many cleaning agents are harmful. Contact with your skin or eyes or breathing in the fumes can cause serious illness.
4. Mixing one agent with another can be dangerous. A chemical reaction can be set up or, in some cases, produce toxic fumes.