HYGENIC ASPECTS IN FOOD PREMISES: Food Storage in a Commercial Kitchen

When foods are being prepared/used in a kitchen, there is a need to store these foods properly, in order to prevent microbial infestation/contamination. Pathogens, also known as disease- causing bacteria, viruses or parasites are the main source of microorganisms that cause food poisoning. Some of these pathogens that can be identified through improper food handling include:

1. Salmonella Typhi: Mainly found in Uncooked or raw eggs, poultry, unpasteurized dairy products and contaminated raw fruits and vegetables. They can also be found in food that is not stored  or properly handled ( such as cross-contamination), which can cause Salmonellosis.
 
Salmonella; Retrieved from: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/vault/2499/web/images/salmonella%20bacterium%20v_%20small.jpg Daniel

2. Clostridium Perfringens ( C. perfringens )  : Found in raw  meat or poultry. These produce toxins that can possibly cause health issues such as diarrhea and abdominal cramping.  C. perfringens  grows in large portions of food. Therefore, it is best to keep these food away from the danger zone. 

 C. perfringens; Retrieved from:  http://www.homefoodsafety.org/vault/2499/web/images/Clostridium%20perfringens%20v_%20small.jpg

3. Campylobactor: Commonly found in foods that are not properly stored in the correct temperatures or those that are cross-contaminated. These include unwashed raw vegetables, raw meat and poultry and unpasteurized milk. Common health problems are Campylobacteriosis in which symptoms include diarrhea.

Campylobactor; Retrieved from: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/vault/2499/web/images/Campylobacter%20v_%20small.jpg

4. Escherichia Coli (E. coli O157:H7): Commonly found in raw or under-cooked ground beef, along with unpasteurized drinks.  These have severe adverse effects on the body. 

E. coli O157;H7 ; Retrieved from: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/vault/2499/web/images/e%20coli%20colony%20v_%20small.jpg

Other pathogens that can be found through cross-contamination through food and kitchen utensils/equipment include Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, Toxoplasma gondii  which also can spread through cross contamination. 

Therefore, through this, it can be seen that the kitchen Layout plays a huge role in ensuring  the food consumed is safe and of premium quality. Certain kitchen equipment/layouts are essential in maintaining the integrity of the food, and to prevent any food-borne illness that may be caused by pathogen contamination. Here are certain kitchen requirements that should be followed in order to prevent cross- contamination of pathogen in a commercial kitchen. 

 1.       All storage areas of food and food equipment/kitchen tools must be 30cm above the ground. This ensures that no cross contamination occurs, thus keeping the food and the kitchen tools free from pathogens and safe to use.

2. Keeping Food Cold  -All cooked hot foods should be chilled in order to bring down the temperature of the food as soon as possible ( ideally to 5 degrees Celsius in 4 hours). Hence, a blast chiller is recommended to bring down the temperature of the cooked hot food. A blast chiller essentially works as a fridge or a freezer, however with external pressure added to speed up the process. A thermometer/probe is present in the blast chiller   to measure the internal temperature of the cooked food, in order to achieve accuracy. Foods, such as meats can be blast frozen as compared to normal freezing as it forms smaller ice crystals, thus preserving the integrity of the meat itself as the muscle cell structure are not damaged.

3.  Keeping Food Warm- All cooked foods, if not cooled rapidly should be kept warm in order for it to avoid the danger zone.  The danger zone is a temperature in which pathogens are at their reproduction rate. Therefore, the usage of a hot-holding equipment such as steamers, double boilers, heated cabinets and drawer is crucial . These foods should be kept at a temperature above 57 degrees Celsius.  In an Asian kitchen, the foods, in order to be kept warm, steamers are widely used. 

 4. Storage in a commercial refrigerator- When storing foods in a refrigerator, important requirements need to be taken note of in order to prevent food contamination and spoilage. Raw and cooked foods  must be stored separately to prevent cross contamination of pathogens. Raw foods and meats should be stored separately or at the bottom section of the chiller/freezer from cooked food or vegetables. Drip pans should be placed below raw meats. Apart from this, all foods need to be properly labelled, along with the expiry/usage date written .These should be properly covered and sealed. 

                       

                      Raw Foods are either kept separately or at the bottom of the freezer/chiller 

                                                        An Example of a badly sealed food

                             An Example of a properly sealed packet of food with its date of usage

4. Vacuum Packing Foods- In order from preventing microorganisms from flourishing in a food product, foods are usually vacuum sealed in order to remove any air present in the air/ oxygen in the packaging . Without the presence of oxygen/air, microorganisms are unable to multiply, thus preventing the chances of food spoilage. Foods need to be properly sealed and vacuumed in order for this theory to work. 

  

 Hence, in conclusion, one should follow and aside these four important concepts when handling food in a commercial kitchen in the food industry.

References:
1. Retrieved from: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/food-poisoning/foodborne-pathogens 

-       --    By: Subash S/O Rethina Kumar ( 1400090E)