Basic Hygiene Practices for the

Catering Sector
Elizabeth M Strydom,
Snap Tactix Consulting (Pvt) Ltd.

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 Snap Tactix Consulting (Pvt) Ltd
• Consulting company operating from Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe
• Consulting services focus on
– ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
– ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratory Management Systems
– ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems
– Food Hygiene for the Catering, Manufacturing,
Retail and Horticultural sectors

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 Elizabeth M Strydom
• BSc (Honours) Applied Biology & Biochemistry
• Diploma in Management
• Experience in Chemical & Microbiological
Testing, Product Certification practices,
internal audits for ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC
17021, external audits for quality
management systems
• Contact – snaptacconsult@gmail.com

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 Introduction
• Numerous food-related incidents have been
reported around the world. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates
that 1 in 6 Americans gets food poisoning
annually (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/).
• There is a common expression – ‘Familiarity
breeds contempt.’
• It is, therefore, likely that food handlers who have
been in the food industry for long periods are
flouting basic food hygiene practices.

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 Introduction
• Some food handlers have been engaged
without any prior training in good food
hygiene practices.

• In addition, some countries (especially

developing countries) do not make it
mandatory that food handlers undergo
periodic training in food hygiene principles.

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 Definitions
• Food Hygiene – measures to ensure food is safe and fit
to eat.

• Contamination - introduction or occurrence in food of

any germs, chemicals, foreign material, spoilage
agents, taints, unwanted or diseased matter, which
may compromise food safety or wholesomeness.

• Hazard – anything that may cause harm to a person

who eats the food. Anything dangerous in food.

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 Contamination and Hazards
• Some contaminants are hazards while some
are harmless and affect food appeal.

• Food safety contaminants can be:

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 Contamination and Hazards
• microbiological – involving viruses, moulds,
parasites and harmful bacteria/germs, e.g.
When certain food is kept out of the fridge for
too long and germs grow in it.

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 Contamination and Hazards
• chemical – involving chemicals getting into
food, e.g. cleaning products or pest control
chemicals.

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 Contamination and Hazards
• physical – involving objects getting into food,
e.g. insects, hair, broken glass, pieces of
packaging, metals, stones, wood.

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 Contamination and Hazards
• allergy – some food can cause allergic or food
intolerance responses in sensitive people, e.g.
peanuts, eggs, milk products, shell fish, soya-
beans, wheat gluten, certain colourings.

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Impact of Food Hazards on People
• Injury – e.g. dental damage, cuts

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Impacts of Food Hazards on People
• Illness or food poisoning – this may involve
stomach pains, diarrhoea, vomiting, typhoid
fever, dysentry

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Impacts of Food Hazards on People
• Death – through choking, illness or poisoning.
Severe allergic reactions may also result in
death.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
To prevent food contamination, staff in food
establishments need to practice food hygiene
techniques.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Keep yourself clean and wear clean clothing.
Ensure hair is tied back and covered.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Always wash hands thoroughly, before
handling food, after using the toilet, handling
raw foods or waste, before work, after every
break, after blowing your nose.

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 www.ifsqn.com
https://southernbellekath.wordpress.com/tag/handwashing/
 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
Hand washing facilities

• Must be accessible to all food handlers.

• To be used only for the washing of hands.
• Provide soap and warm potable water.
• Provide disposable towels for drying hands.
• Provide a bin for the disposable towels.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Tell your supervisor, before commencing work,
of any skin, nose, throat, stomach or bowel
trouble or infected wound.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Ensure cuts and sores are covered with a
waterproof, high visibility dressing.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Do not smoke, eat or drink in a food room and
never cough or sneeze over food.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Keep perishable food either refrigerated or
piping hot. Perishable foods support the
growth of food poisoning germs.
• Examples of perishable foods include meat,
poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy foods, gravies
and cooked rice.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Keep the preparation of raw and cooked food
strictly separate.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• When reheating food ensure it is piping hot.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Do not prepare food too far in advance of
service.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Clean as you go. Keep all equipment and
surfaces clean.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Single-use paper towels are better than cloths.
If you use cloths, they must be changed
frequently during service and washed in hot
water and detergent and sanitised after every
use.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Air-dry equipment or use clean, dry tea towels
where this is not possible.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Never use utensils, crockery or other
equipment that is chipped, cracked, torn,
frayed or broken.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• Follow any food safety instructions either on
food packaging or from your supervisor.

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 Basic Food Hygiene Practices
• If you see something wrong – tell your
supervisor.

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 Bacterial food poisoning
To survive and multiply, microorganisms need:

• water
• food
• correct temperatures
• time
• most, but not all, need oxygen

Under these conditions, bacteria will multiply by dividing into two

every 10-20 minutes. After 6 hours, 1 bacterium can multiply into
262,144 bacteria, more than enough to cause food poisoning.

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Bacterial food poisoning

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 How does bacteria enter a food
premises
Food poisoning bacteria come from five main
sources:

• Food handlers (especially their hands)

• Raw foods, such as meat, poultry, shellfish and
vegetables
• Pests and animals
• Air and dust
• Dirt and food waste

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Conditions promoting bacterial hazards
1. Food at incorrect temperatures
• Under ideal conditions, bacteria multiply rapidly between 8°C and
65°C (the danger zone for food). Below 8°C, bacteria multiply
slower. At freezing temperatures, bacteria stop multiplying and
become dormant. Freezing does not kill bacteria. Most bacteria are
killed at temperatures above 60°C.

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Conditions promoting bacterial hazards
2. Cross-contamination
• Cross-contamination occurs when food becomes
contaminated with bacteria from another source.

• Bacteria can be transported to food by dirty hands,

dirty utensils, dirty surfaces, dirty equipment, dirty tea
towels, raw food and pests.

• Cross contamination can also occur when raw food is

stored with cooked foods, storing food uncovered, and
storing cooked food below raw food.

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Conditions promoting bacterial hazards
3. Poor personal hygiene
Examples of poor personal hygiene include:
• Dirty hands and clothing
• Uncovered cuts and wounds
• Long dirty fingernails
• Excess jewellery on hands and wrists
• Coughing and sneezing over food
• Handling food while ill
• Not washing hands after going to the toilet

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Conditions promoting bacterial hazards
4. Unclean food premises
• Dirty kitchens increase the risk of cross-
contamination from pests and particles of food,
grease and dirt.

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Conditions promoting bacterial hazards
5. Poor pest control
• Common pests found in food premises include:
– rats and mice
– flies
– cockroaches

• These pests can carry food poisoning bacteria and

may also cause physical contamination of food
with their droppings, eggs, fur and dead bodies.

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 Preventing bacterial food poisoning
1. Temperature control
• Ensure food requiring cooking is cooked adequately.
• Minimise the time that potentially hazardous foods
spend in the danger zone.
• Always remember to keep:
– cold food cold at 8°C or colder
– hot food hot at 65°C or hotter

• You can use a probe thermometer to monitor the

temperature of potentially hazardous foods.

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 Preventing bacterial food poisoning
Cooling
• Cool to 5°C within 6 hours.

• Cool in shallow containers in

a well-ventilated area.

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Preventing bacterial food poisoning
2. Avoid cross-contamination
• Keep food covered until use.
• Practise correct personal hygiene.
• Separate raw and cooked food, and old and new
food at all times.
• Use separate equipment and utensils when
preparing raw meats, poultry and seafood.
• Clean and sanitise all equipment, utensils and
food contact surfaces.
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Preventing bacterial food poisoning
3. Personal hygiene
• Clean hands and clothing.
• Minimise jewellery on hands and wrists.
• Tie-back or cover hair.
• Clean and short fingernails.
• Avoid unnecessary contact with food.
• Cover all cuts and sores with a brightly coloured waterproof dressing.
• Do not eat over food or food surfaces.
• Do not prepare food when you are ill.
• Avoid touching your face and hair.
• Do not cough or sneeze over food.
• Do not taste food with your fingers or “double dip” with a spoon.
• If wearing gloves, change frequently.

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Preventing bacterial food poisoning
4. Cleaning

• Essential for the safe operation of any food business.

• Must be continuous and ongoing.
• Thoroughly clean and sanitise all food surfaces, equipment
and utensils with hot water, detergent and chemicals
(sanitisers). Most detergents do not kill bacteria, but hot
water and sanitisers do.
• Implement a cleaning schedule to ensure that cleaning is
conducted on a regular basis (including hard to reach
places).

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Preventing bacterial food poisoning
5. Pest Control

• Keep pests out – seal the food premises.

• Starve them out – keep food premises clean.
• Throw them out – conduct regular pest inspections or
services. Utilise pest baits.
• Don’t give them a home - remove all unnecessary
equipment and items.
• Report all pest sightings or evidence of pest activity to
your supervisor.

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Preventing bacterial food poisoning
6. Waste management

• Place waste in plastic lined bins.

• Remove all waste from the premises as required.
• Empty and clean waste bins regularly.
• Ensure all external bins are covered.
• Protect external waste bin area from pests and
birds.

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 Chemical food poisoning
How do chemicals enter food?
• This usually occurs through the negligence or
ignorance of food handlers:
– Chemicals are spilt on or near food.
– Chemicals are mistaken for food or drink.
– Equipment is incorrectly rinsed after cleaning.
– Non-food grade oil is used to lubricate mixers or
other equipment.

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 Preventing Chemical Contamination
• Rinse equipment thoroughly after cleaning.
• Store cleaning chemicals and other substances in
sealed containers, preferably in cupboards away from
food.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling
chemicals – follow the instructions on the containers.
• Ensure all chemicals bear clear correct labels.
• Never put chemicals in food containers or drink
bottles.

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 Physical Food Contamination
How do foreign bodies enter food?
• People – hair, jewellery, buttons
• Equipment – bolts, nuts, peelings
• Pests

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 Allergies
The most common food allergy signs and symptoms
include:
• Tingling or itching in the mouth
• Hives, itching or eczema
• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat or other
parts of the body
• Wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing
• Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness, light-headedness or fainting

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 Preventing allergic reactions
To prevent allergic reactions in your customer:
• Know what is in the food you are selling.
• Be honest in the ingredients and preparation
conditions when asked.
• When a customer highlights an allergy to a food,
ensure that food does not come into contact with
any of the ingredients to be used in his meal.

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 Effects of Food Poisoning
Consumer/economy
• Productivity loss
• Work absenteeism
• Medical expenses
• Hardship and suffering
• Permanent disability
• Death

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 Effects of Food Poisoning
Food business
• Bad reputation
• Loss of revenue
• Business closure
• Legal action and penalties

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 Conclusion
It is essential that food handlers have the required
skills and knowledge of food safety and food
handling controls to minimise the risk of food
poisoning.

As a food handler, it is your responsibility to ensure

that food for your customers is safe and suitable to
eat.

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 THANK
YOU.
Elizabeth M Strydom
Management Consultant
Snap Tactix Consulting (Pvt) Ltd
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Email: snaptacconsult@gmail.com

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