Basic Hygiene Practices for the Catering Industry
Basic Hygiene Practices for the Catering Industry
Elizabeth Strydom, Management Consultant, Snap Tactix Consulting (Pvt) Ltd
This Live Webinar is taking place: February 13, 2015 - 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM GMT (10 a.m. EST Start)
This webinar will discuss the basic hygiene practices necessary to manage food safety hazards in the catering industry. The catering industry provides ready-to-eat food to consumers. It is therefore imperative that all necessary measures are taken to ensure that this food is safe and wholesome. Adequate measures are required to ensure the elimination of food hazards. Food hazards are classified as physical, chemical and microbiological. These hazards can cause various ailments and even death. Basic hygiene practices to manage these hazards include personal hygiene, equipment and premises maintenance, pest control, appropriate food preparation and storage practices.
Some of the questions and comments captured in last Fridays webinar.
You need to read bottom up.
AKUM EMMANUEL NDIthank you Elizabeth & Simon for the presentation, very good but my connection is too bad at my endSHEIK ABZAL KHANSimon and Elizabeth its very useful.Dilip SharmaThank you so much, Elizabeth, and SimonSreekanthThank UFilizthank you Elizabeth and SimonJONAPcooling of food from 60C to 20C for two hours...you are exposing the food in danger zone for two hours and another 4 hours from 20C to 8C, for a total of 6hours in danger zone...is is not a problem?Benedito Vieira JuniorthanksBilalthanks alotBenedito Vieira Juniorfantastic presentationVIVEKANANDA VSREALLY VERY GOOD PRESENTATIONExcellent presentation, Thanks.Yolande Pretoriuswhat about advanced course ?ruthSimon, Elizabeth, thank you very much!Theophilus Fon AnyamThank you so muchemma westonThank you!anthony Gideon OngThank youAliathanksBedelthank you very much!Marguerite Abboudthank uAndreaMwhat about the bakery or sweet foods, the treatment is pretty different and tolerantkashan kaifThank you allAshrafthanks SimonYolande PretoriusDefrost meat in refrigerator at 6 CRotimiAny step that can allow temp abuse should be a ccpAymanDo you think airlines should apply/follow HACCP/ISO 22000 on board?Benedito Vieira JuniorThanks ElizaAura StewartVery good presentation. Thank you very muchVallithank you Elizabeth! what is the right way to defrost the meatSarika AgarwalThawing just controls the growth so its a CPJONAPthawing in our catering is not a ccp, based on ccp decision tree..Odunukan Yetundethawing is either under running water or kept in a chiller/refrigeratorSarika Agarwalnope thawing will not be CCP as it does not reduce or eliminate the bacteriasRotimiYes, thawing is a CCPSreekanthwhat abt huge quantities and in a country that face water shortages?RonThanks very muchPaulI think that tawing out could be also a CCP in the catering industry.AliahiCharlotte NeesonSafer Food Better Business is a dcoumented system based on HACCP principles but specifically designed for Catering/ retail premises. Visit www.food.gov.ukEmiliaunder cold running water :)LexterThanks Elizabeth! Presentation was completely delivered. Hope all catering industry will become Brilliant at the Basic, because this our stepping stone to deliver ready to eat food wherein food safety is within.Sarika Agarwalnope just running waterValliice added to running water :-)RotimiYes, you can do equipment swabbing to establish the hygienic status. sending few finished samples for micro test will also helpSarika AgarwalThawing in the running water is recommended and not in ice added waterValliif you can add ice to the running water, that will be thawing at a cooler temperature...AKUM EMMANUEL NDIthere dont follow the HACCPJoseRodolfoFrom Guatemala. Excellent presentation. Many popular restaurants here cool huge soups in the morning and serve it for lunch and dinner all day long. I guess is not the best waySarika AgarwalPaul mostly its E.coli, Salmonella and staphylococcous and coliformsAlvarezThank you, very muchIzundu Ilechukwu@Marianna, when you see what goes on in food preps area, you may wonder if common sense is actually common.umutshould we use color code at cleaning step?Ron21CFR110Subu GudipatiWhat FDA regulation applies to Food industryTeddyThanks Elizabeth for good presentationPaulShould there be some bacterial sampling in the catering Industry to monitor any contamination n?Odunukan YetundeTransportation is critical in catering either raw or finished product. good hygiene is key. regular cleaning of the vehicle (documented), using the right vehicle i.e cooling van for cold items to hold the food away from danger zoneSubu Gudipatiwhat FDA regulation covers food industry?Sarika AgarwalWhich is not recommendedRonwhat about contamination from the vendor/supplier of raw materials. Probably another webinar. Metal contamination from the farm.AKUM EMMANUEL NDImoust people thaw meat in and oppen airSnežanaThanks from Montenegro!Muhammad Raza UllahGreat presentation Elizabeth..........MUHAMMAD Aamir SaeedSuch a nice presentationMarianna Brown CharlesThanks. Common Sense would go a long way when handling food.Larinzonwhat is the best way for training the employees in a Little cateringRamachandranGreat presentation Elizabeth..........Izundu Ilechukwu@ Sarika, I think standard procedures should be followed at all time, beside media is great medium to pass across information. Message that we see this day on Tv can quite misleading.RotimiThawing becomes a problem if done under incorrect temperature or if inappropriate method is usedSarika AgarwalHome thawing is still at a small quantity and does not take too long a time to thaw and the cooking is much more effective compared to in big amount. The number of bacterias for sure multiply if the thawing process is done at room temperatureAymanThank you so much for this interesting presentation.AymanThank you so much for this interesting presentation.RamachandranBlast chilling would be the best option for rapid coolingYogaGood and informative presentationJesuswhat about thawing foods? is it a real risk? growing up mom thawed meat at room temp, not in refrigerator.RamachandranEl izabeth do we have any specific requirements while transporting food in the food catering truck??David LevyThank you Elizabeth and Simon for the great presentation. It seems that we won't go to any restaurant right now...Charlotte NeesonDipslay a notice advising consumers to speak to member of staff if they have any allergies and then retain a list/details of which allergens are present in each menu item which can then be present to the consumer as an when requested.Sarika AgarwalAll the entry points the insect killer needs to be installedOUATTARA DRAMANE(the number required of insects killer in factory?ValliColor coded day dot labels are available.MUHAMMAD Aamir SaeedGreatSarika AgarwalThe celebrities are not cooking food for the big group but just a sample so I think its okay if they are not having their head gears onJONAPthank you ms. Elizabeth strydomSHEIK ABZAL KHANnice that was very good, thank you. Eliz.Theophilus Fon AnyamGreat presentation ElizabethOdunukan Yetunde@ Yolande, You need to indicate the allergens in your menu list so that they are aware or if you have SOP for serving you follow the proceduresIzundu IlechukwuMost Celebrity chefs do not cover their hair while in kitchen or food preps, I have seen lots of them in Food reality Tv/shows. how is it so with respect to Food Hygiene? I think their are communicating wrong messages?Sarika AgarwalYou can inform the consumers about the allergns in the catering industry by having a display saying if you are allergic to any of the allergens do contact the manager on dutyFotinigreat and simpleRamachandranMarco. follow the SOP for safe food serving at outdoor locationsSue HowlettThanks Elizabeth, very thorough revision of food hygiene basics!Munish BhankhorThanks Elizabeth & Simon !!!Muhammad Raza Ullahyes very informativeSandyGreat presentation Elizabeth. Thank you.Tracie Barracks-WhiteReal informativeLarinzonthanks great jobBedelGood job, thanks a lot!Muhammad Nasir Ahmedexcellant!LauraGREAT!!!!! I enjoyed!!!OUATTARA DRAMANEthanksGulnaraThank you very much!Ramachandranat the time of booking the event its safe to inquire with the clients if they ahve any one who is allergic to certain food.AshrafthanksEmiliaThank you!JavierThank you Elizabeth.Marcoany advise when serving the food at the clients place?Yolande Pretoriusin catering how do you inform the consumer about allergens? Do you use labeling?Larinzonplan builderLarinzonthe software name is food defense pla builderLarinzonyes, in FDA web page. infacts they have a software could helpAKUM EMMANUEL NDIon clean cutting boardsmarino marianis there any link with the food defence requirements?Muhammad Raza UllahHow to identify salomanellaIzundu IlechukwuWhat a dirty kitchen....Odunukan Yetunde@ Yolande Yes, you can also indicate the production date and if possible the timeRamachandranYolande, Its safe to have the batch details documented before cooking as it helps us in tracking food poisioning cases if we announce a food recall.Valliyes, day-dot labels or marker pens are used in catering to markAshrafis fipronil for cockroaches safe ?FotiniBlast freezer or spiral freezerAshrafif you have blast chillerVallidirect cooling is ideal, if not, the two stage is acceptableYolande PretoriusIn the catering industry do you used batch codes to separate which dish was cooked first?SHEIK ABZAL KHANyes, Jewellery is one of the major contaminant.David LevyWhy not direct cooling, i.e. fm high to low temp at minimum time?Valliabsence of air conditioning, I meant..Valliroom temperatures in the tropics in absence of refrigeration is more like 25 to 30, not 20 C.Marcothere is no rule about?maribelmany info have similar principles with FOOD MANUFACTURING, mangalisoJesusI like her accent, very crisp & clearOUATTARA DRAMANEin our factory all wedding are not allowedFilizMArco , normally no jewellery allowed for food safety and personal safety but for ethical reasons only plain wdding ring is allowedVallionly plain wedding band, ear ornaments less than 1 cm wide, bracelets/necklace only if containing medic alert information.mangalisocan we also use this info for fOOD mANUFACTURING companiesMarcosome jewellery is acceptable?ValliFATTOM, Acidity is important tooNataliyaThis is range in danger zone regulated in R.R.O 1990, Regulation 562 Food Premises ( Canada, ON)Vallithe danger zone varies from country to country, but its all around 4 to 8 at the lower end and 60 to 65 at the otheremma weston5-60 but not sure if that was a holding point made?mangalisowill a brown chopping board be recommended in a food processing area?Muhammad Nasir AhmedI thought that danger zone from 4 Celsius degree and 60 Celsius degree, Am I right?
FEEDBACK ON QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS MADE DURING THE FOOD SAFETY FRIDAYS WEBINAR ENTITLED ‘BASIC HYGIENE PRACTICES FOR THE CATERING SECTOR’
Please find below responses made to the questions and comments posed during the above webinar session:
JONAP - cooling of food from 60C to 20C for two hours...you are exposing the food in danger zone for two hours and another 4 hours from 20C to 8C, for a total of 6hours in danger zone...is not a problem?
Adequate research has been done on this cooling process and it is considered adequate that food be within the danger zone for those 6 hours. However, it is important to ensure that the time periods and temperatures be monitored closely during that cooling process. The total 6 hours limit should not be exceeded at all. Obviously, if faster cooling techniques can be utilised to reduce the cooling time the better.
Ruth - What about advanced course?
There are basically 3 levels for the advanced Food Hygiene Course. Level 1 is for all food handlers and supervisors and covers the basic food hygiene requirements in detail. Level 2 and 3 is recommended for supervisors and covers food hygiene and safety in even greater detail, including HACCP food safety management and systems.
Andrea M - What about the bakery or sweet foods, the treatment is pretty different and tolerant.
The danger zone applies to foods that are classified as potentially hazardous. These foods generally have a high moisture content (or high water activity) and hence spoil easily. Baked goods and sweet foods have a low water activity and are not considered potentially hazardous foods. They are able to remain safe for consumption for longer periods at danger zone temperatures than foods with high water activity.
Rotimi - Any step that can allow temp abuse should be a ccp.
I agree. Depending on the nature of the process, if it cannot be a CCP then at least it should be a CP.
Ayman - Do you think airlines should apply/follow HACCP/ISO 22000 on board?
Yes, having at least a HACCP System should guarantee the safety of food served by airlines.
Valli - What is the right way to defrost the meat?
Meat can be defrosted in the refrigerator at temperatures below 8oC. This method has a drawback of being slow. A faster method involves thawing meat under running tap water.
Jose Rodolfo - Many popular restaurants here cools huge soups in the morning and serves it for lunch and dinner all day long. I guess is not the best way.
This is not recommended. Adequate food portions should be prepared just before they are required. If large portions are going to be prepared before required, they need to be cooled quickly and stored below 8oC. Before serving, the soup should be reheated to temperatures above the danger zone and kept there until served. Leftovers of this reheated soup should be discarded.
Umut - Should we use color code at cleaning step?
Colour coding can be utilised for cleaning equipment used in a food establishment. You can have, for example, green cleaning equipment for the food preparation area and red cleaning equipment for the ablution facilities.
Paul - Should there be some bacterial sampling in the catering Industry to monitor any contamination?
Periodic surface and hand swabbing is recommended to monitor the effectiveness of cleaning and hand washing processes.
AKUM EMMANUEL NDI - Must people thaw meat in open air?
Jesus - What about thawing foods? Is it a real risk? Growing up mom thawed meat at room temp, not in refrigerator.
Meat should not be thawed in open air, such as on the kitchen counter. Room temperature allows contaminating microorganisms to proliferate causing a risk to the safety of consumers. Meat (or other frozen foods) should be defrosted in the refrigerator at temperatures below 8oC. This method has a drawback of being slow. A faster method involves thawing meat under running tap water.
Larinzon - What is the best way for training the employees in a little catering establishment?
Develop a training plan describing what training your employees need. You can come up with your own training materials based on this plan or engage a trainer to conduct the training. In addition, you can train them by demonstrating how things are done, and by setting a good example. After a reasonable period has lapsed, evaluate your employees to assess whether they grasped the essence of the training and that they are performing activities as required. If activities are not being done appropriately consider retraining. Refresher trainings are recommended, especially for food hygiene related issues.
Ramachandran - Do we have any specific requirements while transporting food in the food catering truck?
Marco - any advise when serving the food at the clients place?
Transport of food, even over short distances, must be done in such a way to prevent any contamination of the food, to maintain the integrity of the food and at necessary temperatures to prevent the growth of micro-organisms.
- Containers used for transporting foodstuffs must be kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition.
- Reusable containers for transporting food must be clean and constructed to facilitate easy cleaning.
- Containers used for transporting food must not be used for transporting anything other than foodstuffs where this may result in contamination of the foodstuff.
- The interior of vehicles must be clean and free from any conditions that could cause contamination of the food.
- Any food requiring refrigeration must maintain a core temperature of 5oC or below during transport.
- Where insulated containers are used, these must be able to maintain the temperature at or below 5oC during transport.
- Any frozen food must be transported at a temperature at or below -18oC.
- Hot food must be kept at above 63oC.
- Purpose built vehicles must be able to maintain the appropriate temperature of the food being transported. These should be provided with temperature monitoring equipment (such as a thermometer capable of being calibrated) to ensure the required temperatures are being achieved.
- These vehicles must be adequately insulated with a lined interior that provides a smooth, continuous, easily cleanable waterproof surface.
- Raw and ready-to-eat foods must be kept separate during transport.
- Food items should be segregated from non-food items (such as craft items, plants, gardening materials etc.) during transport.
Reference: https://www.fsai.ie/...set.aspx?id=748
Yolande Pretorius - In catering how do you inform the consumer about allergens? Do you use labeling?
You could highlight the ingredients for a dish on the menu or display a notice in your establishment informing customers to enquire from staff about the allergens that are present in the dishes. You will need to ensure that your staff are adequately trained on allergies and are able to assist the customers satisfactorily.
Marino Marian - Is there any link with the food defence requirements?
Food defence is putting measures in place that reduce the chances of the food supply from becoming intentionally contaminated using a variety of chemicals, biological agents or other harmful substances by people who want to do us harm. These agents could include materials that are not naturally-occurring or substances not routinely tested for in food products. Food defence is not the same as food safety. Food safety addresses the accidental contamination of food products during storage and transportation and focuses on biological, chemical or physical hazards. Products can become contaminated through negligence and contamination can occur during storage and transportation.
Muhammad Raza Ullah - How to identify Salmonella?
The presence of Salmonella cannot be identified using the naked eye. Microbiological tests will need to be carried out on a sample of food to be able to detect whether it is present in the food.
David Levy - Why not direct cooling, i.e. fm high to low temp at minimum time?
If you have facilities that can reduce the temperature of food within a minimum time then you can use those facilities. The 2-stage cooling process is recommended for establishments that do not have cooling facilities for their foods and only have a refrigerator.
Mangaliso - Can we also use this info for food manufacturing companies?
Most of the points highlighted in the hygiene practices for the catering industry are applicable in food manufacturing companies. For example, aspects of personnel hygiene, pest control and temperature monitoring can apply in manufacturing companies. However, there may be additional requirements which are more applicable to a manufacturing environment.
Marco - Some jewellery is acceptable?
In most food establishments the only acceptable jewellery item is a simple wedding band.
Mangaliso - Will a brown chopping board be recommended in a food processing area?
A brown chopping board is acceptable in a food processing area. If the establishment utilises colour coded chopping boards, you may need to define the type of food for each coloured board.
I enjoyed the webinar and the clarity of it's presentation very much. Thanks to Elizabeth and the compere.
I would add/emphasise one caveat to some of the queries / answers above such as relating to operational temperatures and specific hygienic factors. I have no data/experience for catering establishments but for food manufacturing facilities in general the requirements (or their limits) can vary considerably with location / Regulatory aspects.