Food and Kitchen Hygiene

Poor cleaning and personal hygiene habits/practices can cause food contamination, food poisoning, and spread of infection.

• Wash hands before performing the next job function after touching other food, and after smoking, chewing tobacco, eating and drinking, taking out the garbage, changing diapers, touching body parts such as the mouth or going to the washroom.

• Wash hands before and after handling raw food, especially meat and poultry.

• Report immediately any symptoms of illness or infection to your supervisor. It may not be appropriate for you to handle food while you are sick.

• Cover any cuts with a bandage and wear clean gloves. However, do not wear rubber or latex gloves near open flames or other heat sources. Gloves may melt or catch fire. Change gloves if you touch anything that would normally require you to wash your hands.

• Wear hair nets to help prevent loose hair from falling on food. The average person loses about 50 hairs per day.

• Use tools or utensils to serve food whenever possible. Touch food with your hands as little as possible.

• Use a clean spoon each time you taste or sample food.

• Touch only the handles of flatware/utensils when setting the table.

• Do NOT wear jewellery in food preparation areas, especially rings; they may collect dirt or bacteria and make it harder to clean your hands. Similarly, keep nails trimmed short and do not wear nail polish.

• Do NOT use aprons to dry your hands.

• Do NOT smoke in food preparation areas.

Use good cleaning and storage techniques to reduce the chance of food borne illnesses. The highest levels of contamination are found in areas that are damp, such as kitchen sponges, dishcloths, sink drains, and faucet handles.

• Maintain the general cleanliness of the kitchen by:
 Disposing of food scraps properly and removing crumbs
 Wiping counters clean with soap and water and sanitize with a disinfectant
 Sweeping and wet mopping floors to remove food
 Cleaning all surfaces, including counter tops, faucets, handles and knobs, refrigerator handles, stoves/ovens, other appliances, etc.

• Do not store garbage in the food preparation area. If possible, store garbage in a cold place to prevent bacteria growth and pest infestation.

• Inspect kitchen for signs of microbiological growth such as mould, slime, and fungi. Clean the affected area appropriately.

• Inspect the kitchen for any plumbing leaks. Notify your supervisor to get it repaired.

• Choose an effective cleaning agent or disinfectant for the job. Most cleaning can be done using water and soap. Some resources will recommend disinfecting with bleach. While bleach is an effective disinfectant, it must be used with care.

• Make sure that cleaning equipment and materials are conveniently located close to where they are needed.

• Launder dishcloths, aprons and towels by using a washing machine.

• Clean the food storage area regularly where dry goods, pasta, rice, canned foods, and cereals are stored to prevent buildup of crumbs and other pieces of food.