Tips to Promote Cleanliness for Every Food Related Business
Cleanliness is essential in the hospitality industry. Poor hygiene can negatively impact your restaurant in a variety of ways. First, it may predispose your customers to health problems such as food poisoning, and secondly, it may damage your restaurant’s reputation. Research conducted by the FSA indicates that customers prefer restaurants that show positive hygiene ratings. With firms around the globe striving to improve profitability, upholding such measures can allow them to realize their financial objectives.
Observe Hierarchy of Storage
Failing to observe an effective hierarchy of storage can lead to cross-contamination. You should place the high-risk items at the top while the bottom can be occupied by low-risk items such as meats in a refrigerator. If you store meats at the top of your refrigerator, fluids may drip onto the foods stored below, leading to cross-contamination. The preparation and storage stages are other instances where cross-contamination can occur. Washing and labelling different food items can help you minimize cases of cross-contamination. Also, food handling gloves should be worn at all times to reduce direct contact with food.
When it comes to pest control in Reston VA, it is essential to seal any openings that may allow pests to enter the storage area. This is important in preventing cross-contamination as pests can bring harmful bacteria into the storage area.
Cover or Wrap-up Food Items
It would help if you were keen to cover or wrap up food items when running a restaurant. Leaving food items in the open is dangerous as pests may easily contaminate them. Returning it to safe storage should be standard practice to prevent the risk of contaminating food. For individuals working in busy catering environments, upholding a culture of returning foods to storage can effectively minimize instances of cross-contamination. Besides preventing contamination of foods, habitually returning foods to storage ensures that they maintain their freshness. It would be best if you also were keen to ensure that any juices or beverages found within your premises are in a position where they cannot spill. Disposable containers should be thoroughly cleaned using disposable and food handling gloves to ensure they do not contaminate other foods.
Seal and Close as Standard Practice
As a food handler, it is advisable to store food in airtight containers with sealing leads. This limits instances of cross-contamination and ensures that food items remain fresh for more extended periods. Restaurant managers and other individuals handling food need to ensure that plastic wraps are available in plenty so that no food items are left unenclosed. Additionally, it is essential to ensure that raw food items are not in contact with fridge shelves as they can easily pick up microorganisms. Refrigeration of foods is an essential hygiene mechanism in food preparation areas. At temperatures below 63c, bacteria start to multiply, and therefore cooked food items should permanently be frozen as soon as possible.
Summary
Restaurants should strive to uphold cleanliness to improve customer confidence in the offerings. Research indicates that customers are more drawn to restaurants that maintain a positive hygiene rating. Maintaining cleanliness is therefore essential towards ensuring sustainability within its environment. You can promote cleanliness within your premises by observing tips such as covering up food items and following a storage hierarchy. Additionally, it is essential to cultivate a culture of returning food items to storage to prevent cross-contamination.
About the Author
Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.
