What are ways to keep you and the work areas clean when handling food?
Poor cleaning and personal hygiene practices can cause food contamination, food poisoning, and the spread of infection.
Use good cleaning and storage techniques to reduce the chance of food-borne illnesses. The highest contamination levels are found in damp areas, such as kitchen sponges, dishcloths, sink drains, and faucet handles.
- context Wash hands with soap and water 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.
- context Wash hands before and after handling raw food, especially meat, poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs.
- context Wash utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with soap and water after preparing each food item.
- context 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.
- context 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 washing your hands.
- context Wear hair nets to help prevent loose hair from falling on food. The average person loses about 50 hairs per day.
- context Use tools or utensils to serve food whenever possible. Touch food with your hands as little as possible.
- context Use a clean spoon each time you taste or sample food.
- context Touch only the handles of flatware or utensils when setting the table.
- context Do NOT wear jewellery, especially rings, in food preparation areas; 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.
- context Do NOT use aprons to dry your hands.
- context Do NOT smoke in food preparation areas.
- context Disposing of food scraps properly and removing crumbs
- context Wiping counters clean with soap and water and sanitize with a disinfectant
- context Sweeping and wet mopping floors to remove food
- context Cleaning all surfaces, including countertops, faucets, handles and knobs, refrigerator handles, stoves, ovens, other appliances, etc.
- context Maintain the general cleanliness of the kitchen by:
- context Do not store garbage in the food preparation area. If possible, store garbage in a cold place to prevent bacteria growth and pest infestation.
- context Inspect the kitchen for signs of microbiological growth, such as mould, slime, and fungi. Clean the affected area appropriately.
- context Inspect the kitchen for any plumbing leaks. Notify your supervisor to get it repaired.
- context 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. See the OSH Answers document “Bleach (Household chlorine) - Working Safely” for more information. To sanitize, clean with 5mL (1 tsp) of bleach in 750 mL (3 cups) of water in a labelled container.
- context Make sure that cleaning equipment and materials are conveniently located close to where they are needed.
- context Launder dishcloths, aprons and towels by using a washing machine.
- context Clean the food storage area regularly where dry goods, pasta, rice, canned foods, and cereals are stored to prevent the buildup of crumbs and other pieces of food.
What are ways to keep foods separated?
To reduce the chances of cross-contamination, you should also:
- context Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat. Cutting boards of either plastic or wood are acceptable. Plastic can be cleaned in a dishwasher. Both types should be disinfected regularly.
- context Wipe raw meat, fish or poultry juices using paper towels and then throw out these paper towels. DO NOT REUSE wash cloths after wiping countertops, especially after cleaning up raw meat juice, until the cloths have been appropriately laundered.
- context DO NOT REUSE any container or bowl that held raw foods, especially raw meat and poultry, until it is thoroughly cleaned.
- context Wash, rinse, and sanitize cutting boards, utensils, and food probe thermometers before re-using them.
- context Wash the lids of canned foods before opening them to keep dirt from getting into the contents. Clean the can opener after each use.
- context Store food packages with liquids or juices on plates so the liquids do not drip on work surfaces or other food. Place on lower shelves to prevent further contamination.
- context Never put cooked food on a plate, cutting board, or surface used for raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs without cleaning the surfaces first.
What are ways to chill and store food?
Always:
Other food storage tips include:
- context Keep cooked food warmer than 60°C (140°F) or at 4°C (40°F) or cooler.
- context Keep the refrigerator set at 4°C (40°F). If you are unsure of its temperature, use a thermometer and adjust the temperature control as required.
- context Keep frozen food at -18°C (0°F) or less. This temperature stops bacterial growth, although it may not kill all bacteria already present before freezing.
- context Put groceries that require refrigeration or freezing in the refrigerator or freezer away as soon as possible after they are purchased.
- context Consider using insulated bags during warmer months when transporting food.
- context Clean the refrigerator and freezer regularly to remove spoiled foods that may transfer bacteria or moulds to other food.
- context Do not keep food for too long. Use a dating system to make sure foods are used before their expiry date.
- context Do not overstock the refrigerator. Allow the air to circulate freely, which will help keep food cool more effectively.
- context Pack lunches in insulated carriers with a cold pack. Do not store the lunch container in direct sun or on a warm radiator.
- context If using a cooler (for example, at a picnic), keep the cooler cold by using ice or ice packs. Keep the cooler out of direct sunlight. Open the cooler as little as possible. It may be helpful to use a separate cooler for drinks if you will open the cooler for drinks more often.
- context When in doubt, throw the food out.
Are there laws or regulations that apply when preparing food for the public?
Yes. Wherever food is manufactured, processed, stored, handled, displayed, distributed, sold, or offered for sale, it is important to check with your local jurisdiction (province or territory) and municipality to find out what laws apply. These rules apply to catering and temporary food events as well. Public health inspectors enforce food safety. In some areas, persons handling food may also need a food handling certificate.
- context Fact sheet first published: 2017-02-14