9 Food safety measures for hotels and restaurants

Written By MealHi5 Follow

December 20 2022 | 5 min read

Covid care

Premises

Premises consists of the building and room that are used for food preparation and storage purpose. They must be kept clean, dirt and dust-free, mold-free, and anti-bacterial to assure the safety of food. Adequate clean surfaces, and areas must be provided for food preparation and storage. 

The premises must consist of-

• Hand washing and clean toilet facilities, away from the food preparation area with the proper flow of water, soap dispensers, and hand drying equipment.
• Adequate lighting.
• Ventilators in toilets as well as kitchen area.
• Proper drainage systems in kitchen and washroom areas
• Storage area to keep cleaning chemicals and disinfectants.

food preparation areas

Food preparation areas and storage areas must be designed in such a way that it prevents cross-contamination of food and supplies. Keeping the food preparation area and storage area clean is a must to assure food safety. Floor, walls, windows, ceiling, and doors must be properly cleaned and dusted regularly, windows must have insect screens where required, and cooking surfaces must be cleaned after every single use, Use disposable cloths for wiping and cleaning up spills. Change cotton clothes often and wash them in a hot cycle to clean them thoroughly and,

all the wastage must be thrown on the instant. Food preparation areas must contain proper washing areas for utensils.

Equipment

All the equipment that is used in the preparation of food or for storage purposes, howsoever, comes in contact with the food must be cleaned and washed properly and kept in good condition. Clean utensils and work surfaces with detergent and hot water after every use. Those that come into contact with raw meat, unwashed vegetables, and soil from vegetables need thorough cleaning and sterilizing. Use separate chopping boards and utensils for preparing raw meats and other foods. Use proper air-tight containers for storage purposes where required. 

Wash the equipment that is not used daily at regular intervals or at least before usage.

Water supply

Water that is used as a food ingredient or comes into contact with food for cleaning, heating, steaming, and cooling must be of drinking quality and must be safe to use and clean and fresh water.

Ice that comes in the contact with beverages and other purposes must be made out of portable water and must be stored in hygienic trays and clean areas. The steam that comes into contact with food must not contain any contaminants that could affect food safety

Personal hygiene

Personal hygiene here means hygiene and cleanliness of the staff that comes in food handling areas. The staff must have proper cleanliness and sanitation to prevent food contamination.

The measure to keep in mind to promote personal hygiene is

• Wear suitable hygienic clothing, gloves, hair covering, and footwear, where necessary.
• Do not touch ready-to-eat foods with bare hands
• Do not wear watches or accessories.
• Do not smoke, spit, sneeze, touch face or hair, or eat food, while handling food.
• Wash hands, especially after handling raw meat, before and after wearing gloves, going to the toilet, handling waste, after cleaning, blowing your nose, and after touching phones, light switches, door handles, or money
• Dry hands using a disposable towel
• Do not work in a food handling area if ill with diarrhea, vomiting, infectious disease, or have open wounds or skin infections
• Wash hands thoroughly after going to the toilet or touching pets

Food

All the raw materials, supplies, and ingredients must be fresh, safe, and not contaminated with anything that would make the final product unfit for human consumption. Keep these steps in mind for food safety.

• Do not let raw meat, poultry, and unwashed raw vegetables touch other foods and when coming in contact with them wash your hands thoroughly
• Cover raw meat in a fridge so it cannot touch other foods and store it below other foods to prevent blood drips from contaminating them.
• Do not prepare ready-to-eat foods using a chopping board or utensils that have been used to prepare raw meat or raw vegetables, especially root vegetables and leeks that may contain soil.
• Make different sections for storage of raw foods and other food supplies. 

Packaging

The materials used in the packaging purpose of food must be cleaned properly, safe to use, and safe to come in contact with food and it must be adequate to prevent contamination of food.

Food waste

Food waste must be removed from the food preparation area after every use as soon as possible and stored in garbage bags, bins, or containers that are safe to be used for storage of garbage preventing contamination and preventing pest access. The disposal of food waste must meet environmental regulations and it must be suitable for the waste disposable services.

Transport

Vehicles that are used for transportation purposes of food and supplies must be kept clean, hygienic, properly maintained and sanitized, safe to transport food, and protection from contamination through transport vehicles must be kept in mind.