None has a stomach made of steel! So, food safety is indeed a serious business. Do not wait until you fall sick due to food-borne illnesses, to take the necessary food safety measures. According to reports, millions of people suffer from acute food poisoning every year. It is high time for us to look into this matter, isn’t it? Rely on the tips given below and ensure appropriate food safety practices before the situation worsens.
Take Care Of The Pests
Nasty pests indeed cause a lot of trouble if not dealt with at the right time. Pest control forms a major part of food safety. Creepy critters like flies and cockroaches can contaminate food thus leading to many infectious diseases.
Rodents are also equally troublesome. Rodents do not just cause food-borne diseases but also damage the machinery and other fixtures. Do everything possible to block the entry of pests and rodents to protect the food processing organisation. Closely monitor the type of pests that invade the space and contact reliable professionals to handle the mess before it gets too late.
Focus On Waste Management
Waste disposal should be managed properly to keep pests away. Food waste can tempt these critters. Pest infestation poses a risk to food safety. They can invade the spaces where the food waste is stored, thereby creating a big mess.
The waste should be dumped timely to reduce food contamination. Pests spread around fast, so take necessary measures without any further delay. Make sure the storage containers are sealed properly to restrict the arrival of rodents. Waste removal should be taken seriously to improve food safety adherence. And do regular pest control with the help of experts.
Ensure Personal Hygiene
Food safety requirements include personal hygiene. Germs and bacteria can also spread around and cause contamination. Make sure that the staff has access to all the facilities that assure proper hygiene.
Ensure that hand washing techniques are correctly followed at all times. Make use of disposable gloves to limit direct contact with raw food. Personal cleanliness should also be taken care of to bring down the risk of infections. Staff should always keep their hair covered. Avoid any sort of jewellery and also, do keep the mouth covered while coughing and sneezing. Wear suitable protective clothing to reduce cross-contamination. Unwell staff should report to the concerned authorities.
Good Training Programmes
Only if the employees are trained well, will they be able to follow the food safety measures appropriately. The major areas of concern are hand hygiene, pest control, food handling, safe cleaning practices and secure storage procedures. The training offered should cover all these domains to improve food safety.
Cleaning programmes should also be provided to ensure that the necessary hygiene standards are met. Research in detail and list down a minimum of five reputed organisations that offer exceptional food safety training programmes. It may not be very easy to locate the best training centre in the city because there are already hundreds of them. Try to get reliable references if possible.
Handle Both Storage And Transport
A wide range of safety measures should be considered during the storage and transport of food products. Temperature, humidity and hygiene should be maintained to protect the food from getting contaminated. Incoming and outgoing deliveries are to be inspected thoroughly to avert food safety problems.