Personal Hygiene: Proper Hygiene and outfit

In a kitchen, personal hygiene and outfit is extremely important. Every chef must wear the proper attire to enter the kitchen. There are many reasons why a proper outfit is important, it will prevent injuries and food contamination.

Food contamination

1. Wearing a dirty apron

A dirty apron might cause cross contamination when someone is handling food. Outfit must be cleaned while handling food. If aprons are stained with gravy, it's best to wear a disposable apron.

Personal Safety

1. Safety Shoes
 

Shoes have to be worn into the kitchen. Safety shoes can make sure that our feet wont be hurt if something sharp or hot were to be dropped on our feet.

However, safety shoes that are used for kitchen can only be used in the kitchen. It should not be used for other purposes. This is to prevent any foreign objects to be brought in to the kitchen.                          

 

2. Socks

   Long socks should be wore to have an additional protection over your leg. Hence, its preferred to        wear a long socks.

3. Chef Uniform

    

    Make sure that the sleeves are folded up when not cooking. Long sleeves will create stains while         cutting. Roll down the sleeves to prevent oil splatter while deep frying. Furthermore, ensure that         uniform is clean. If the sleeves are stained with sauce, cross contamination might occur when we         are handling our ingredients.  

Hygiene Aspects of Food Premises: Proper Food Storage and Temperatures

Proper food storage helps to preserve the quality of your food as well as the nutritional value of the food you purchase. It prevents food spoilage and foodborne illnesses caused by harmful bacteria. Refrigeration of food helps to slow down the rate of bacteria growth. As bacteria grows most rapidly between 5 C and 60 C, it is important to maintain the correct temperature and cleanliness in a chiller or freezer to obtain maximum quality of the food that is being stored.

Things to note when storing food:
- The temperatures of fridges are normally between 1 – 4 C and Freezers are at -18 C and below.

All foods are to be stored in covered containers to avoid cross contamination.

- Marinated foods are not to be kept in room temperature. It is to be kept covered in a plastic container and kept in the chiller until it is ready to be used.

- All foods are to be labelled with its name and the day it is bought or prepared, as well as the expiry date. Fresher foods are to be kept at the back of the storage area, with the older foods in front of them so they can be used first.


Guide to storing your food

-          FRESH BEEF, LAMB, PORK, VEAL: 3-5 days in the chiller, up to 12 months in the freezer

Meats can be kept briefly in its original packaging when it is being stored

However, when it is being stored beyond 2 weeks, it is best to vacuum pack the meat or keep it in vapour-proof bags

-          VEGETABLES: can be kept up to a week in the fridge and up to 12 months in the freezer.

-          FRESH EGGS: 3-5 weeks refrigerated, it cannot be frozen

-          FRESH POULTRY: can be kept for 1-2 days in the fridge, but up to 12 months in the freezer

-          SHRIMP, SCALLOP, SHELLFISH: 1-2 days in the fridge, 3-6 months in the freezer

When food is not being kept properly, it spoils easily. The basic types of food spoilage is Appearance, Textural changes and Changes in taste and colour.
Fresh meats are one of the most perishable foods, and storage temperature is the most important control factor in meat spoilage. Several types of moulds grow on the surface of meats and causes spoilage, but cannot grow on meat under 5 degrees celcius. Usually, freshly cut meats in a high humidity refrigerator undergo bacteria spoilage by Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Moraxella spp. Meat spoilage is often recognised by the appearance, off odours and slime on the meat. 


Credits (pictures):

Star ingredient by Sarah R @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/reid-bee/7119850205/in/photolist-bRa6q2-bCfnSC-omqcYa-6LMPnS-rz6EuX-6rfjNv-nUXZWQ-rh6dKa-61E4in-6rfn7F-6rfiJX-6rjvMy-6rfhUV-6rjv29-f2PmnX-b4Tpg-8CrBw-bnoaA8-5JxkAs-JCimd-bRDmE2-7TVNtA-7MqHoX-iCw1wd-heeRmj-6rjtRs-6rjqD3-6rfgTT-bbA91g-9UzExm-eCGtK-JPT7H-bCJzUA-j1T1eW-fcGo2d-bCJAnS-bRDnrc-bCJB2j-kppo3-cD4wCL-a1F4yk-HmADp-bBkZfu-7zMNrW-9d4qSt-9hR3h5-ackNEu-JJ8YW-8axWui-bCJDqm CC

Beef in a bag by Bumblebee @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/fentonrc/3289209365/in/photolist-61E4mi-kSYLFH-dqEwo-6m5Ftf-f18YV-scXTx1-78kbXr-78kc6K-78kcdz-bRa6q2-bCfnSC-omqcYa-6LMPnS-rz6EuX-6rfjNv-nUXZWQ-rh6dKa-61E4in-6rfn7F-6rfiJX-6rjvMy-6rfhUV-6rjv29-f2PmnX-b4Tpg-8CrBw-bnoaA8-5JxkAs-JCimd-bRDmE2-7TVNtA-7MqHoX-iCw1wd-heeRmj-6rjtRs-6rjqD3-6rfgTT-bbA91g-9UzExm-eCGtK-JPT7H-bCJzUA-j1T1eW-fcGo2d-bCJAnS-bRDnrc-bCJB2j-kppo3-cD4wCL-a1F4yk  CC

Vegetables by Martin Cathrae @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/suckamc/2488644619/in/photolist-4MUXkR-jVuvH-fppLN7-grmZLz-mgCurH-cwfCB-dLmuS-xvmUP-5XTDZF-7Nrjsw-8DTRNq-bVsnSX-oxW4FA-bPCAva-5hcCdt-4EVJYD-icx2gh-7gn8Gw-cakRkN-8vkS5U-rBpqxi-6yptaV-6dLcQe-nY2jq4-8uS9aw-85my2p-bpmGzh-r6Mxyx-sANgR-6ft47-5mnX6r-poSuvt-pe5vMz-4K4ZhG-yPdYs-5KHE5G-5Audvy-dFjCkW-7kPhZZ-8vhNTD-reZ7a1-s4XEQG-qB9xvK-f5HX7A-mQB43P-ewDnpT-65mEeC-3Bq3R-822QYt-7hZcqR CC

Egg Variety by Amy Ross @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/donutgirl/7271305936/in/photolist-c5xkVJ-8cKrmp-4Lg19y-9mx8gK-jFBvc4-bm2uzV-dXhefQ-8amHtL-4YnKb1-rSsCwb-7Qhhq8-5aK8jA-FbV6x-aq1mqV-4sS7y3-5V1mKU-aq1nMF-5WsNHG-7gDcT4-bV3Hsy-bn9pKK-4DD5tu-9JBW18-r9qad4-hYvawN-6mRRDH-q5wbQK-8T7vD1-5NS6hN-84zcdL-G3DFm-8Abc6G-p2xfzM-9ouzS5-6426NW-rFHXPx-8tcyDb-76QUCk-94fshM-681Rqk-3YoJiq-9zWzqk-oQ3c7U-qQm6Cz-e7RxrC-dmc6Fe-4hPM5x-cTv84C-8LKo77-8V6YVR CC

2010/04/16 by Sarah R @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/reid-bee/4700441761/in/photolist-6VCM4-q6c6xu-5Yo9Gk-bvym44-r689a-du7Bij-jBQSYN-6tifJc-6K8Unt-mciG6X-ci9X8j-8xnK4E-bVwF82-68SmiC-5gMjkB-5wGXdE-iG4CH-8amZzk-6ZWLvc-65oFjt-cTxBaJ-5Zpy1v-8kBz3M-47LJT9-65sXQu CC

Fish Shelves in ‘Cold Storage’ by Ania Mendrek @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/aniamendrek/4001189850/in/photolist-76vdqg-9r1w7n-76z9kU-76z97S-e25PC2-6Lvgt9-aAV7BZ-9vTDW2-7dQfqt-4cUxbY CC

Personal Hygiene: Proper hair hygiene in the kitchen

In the kitchen, it is always required for the people to have their hair clipped up and tied back to avoid hair dropping into food accidentally, or getting caught in a dangerous situation, like accidentally getting burnt in a fire or getting caught in a machine.

It also shows a level of professionalism when hair is tied back and not covering ones’ face. This allows the chef to focus more on the cooking instead of brushing hair back from their eyes whilst cooking, and worrying about hair falling into their food.

Guys:

-          They need to be clean shaven, free of any beards/moustaches on their face

-          Their side burns to be shaved, it can be only as long as half of your ear

Facial hair has been shaved, side burns cut to the desired length 

-          Hair at the back must not touch the collar of your chef uniform

Hair is shaved so that it does not touch the collar of the uniform

Girls:

-          Long hair must be tied into a bun and tucked into the allocated chef hat, or to be secured in a hair net

GOOD: all hair is tied into a bun, and secured with a hair nut. Shorter hairs/"Fly away hairs" are gelled up or pinned together with bobby pins to ensure that it does not bother the person/drop into any food

GOOD: hair is tied in a bun and kept in the chef hat
BAD: hair was not pinned properly around the ears and at the back of the neck

-          Short hair to be clipped up and must not touch the collar of your chef uniform

-          Hair by the ears to be neatly tucked behind the ears and smoothed back using hair gel or hair spray

-          “baby hairs” at the back of the neck to be shaved off or gelled up and held together using bobby pins 

Hygienic Aspects Of Food Premises: Desired temperature to determine cooked poultry

Food would have to be cooked to a certain temperature to ensure that all bacteria have been killed by the heat. If the food is not cooked to a preferred temperature, the bacteria that is found in poultry would cause food poisoning.

Examples:

1) Fresh pork have to be cooked to at least 160°F/71°C.

2) Whole birds such as chicken have to be cooked to at least 180°F/82°C.

3) Ground Meat have to be cooked at least 165°F/74°C

4) Seafood have to cook to a minimum of 145°F/63°C

How do we determine the doneness in meat, poultry and fish?

Smell                 

When food is almost done, aromas would be intensified and easier to identify.

Touch

Food should be easy to cut and chew. The less cooked a meat is, the more tender it will be. Hence, cooked for would have resistance when it’s being pressed.

Looks

When a meat is cooked, the exterior colour will change. If the meat appears pale or even grey, it has not been properly cooked.

Health Danger of under-cooked poultry

Pork

Trichinosis or trichinosis, is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or under-cooked pork or wild game infected with the larvae of a species of roundworm Trichinella spiralis, commonly called the trichina worm. The severity of symptoms caused by larval migration from the intestines depends on the number of larvae produced. As the larvae migrate through tissue and vessels, the bodies’ inflammatory response results in edema, muscle pain, fever, and weakness. A classic sign of trichinosis is periorbital edema, swelling around the eyes, which may be caused by vasculitis.

Chicken

Under-cooked chicken can be severely detrimental for your health. Raw chicken might be contaminated with a bacteria called Salmonella, which can be killed if chicken is cooked to the proper minimum internal temperature. When chicken is not fully cooked, your risk of gastrointestinal distress and other problems increases.

Seafood

Major types of food poisoning that can result from eating raw or under-cooked fish and shellfish include Salmonella and Vibrio vulnificus.

To prevent any type of food poisoning, know that neither hot sauce nor alcohol kills bacteria. Or Prepare fin fish until it reaches 145°F—or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork; prepare shellfish until the flesh is opaque; or, for clams, oysters, and mussels, until the shells open.

Credits
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25469106@N04/2421615035/in/photolist-oeRSob-oeH8uH-ouCUfs-oeLpWe-ovVGZa-osWH4E-oeVBvZ-osLMJb-otZP7f-owiExr-ovVGCP-ow8BSW-ovrNUg-ovaxFt-os6FWh-Mwj3-oviqj1-6v5DjY-qtei93-rnVZPm-rpCp8f-qsJ2iU-8FCT3e-hSNp5y-8DeLwM-8rhBfg-6MbuH-9oj5uv-ecTg2j-cJbK83-edzyo7-eVtWmb-6Uyxs-uTo3K-59WkkN-aKrbH-aKr8c-4FcoZg-4EZbPX-5McshM-2UtE1P-9bHBix-4Eqaiu-3cZNn-3x4ckU-4EjzrK-4F8UKm-4E8ZHt-4FZpMn-4Ea3qx/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/microbeworld/5631531509/in/photolist-9zD57R-atgBU7-nKFsu2-nHS6bm-7gy9Uh-ofSDgb-oz7TMp-oxa5FC-oxkpqj-ofSvgV-ofSBcS-ofTcDB-ofSfs7-ofSA99-ox67Ua-f456y4-a8dkmR-fbUNP9-dey6Fg-omQ24a

https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Salmonella

Hygienic Aspects Of Food Premises: Clean and conducive environments

Hygiene in the food industry is absolutely important! The build up of grease, oils on surfaces such as light fittings, walls behind equipment and ceilings needs to be cleaned otherwise it can create health and safety risks to everyone.Not only that, regular cleaning will prolong the life of the kitchen equipment and cleaning the kitchen ducts will improve the air flow and keep the kitchen cooler, making it a better environment for everyone to work in.A part of good kitchen organization is planning and preparing for kitchen safety.

However , leaving behind oil/water behind like this will create stains on cooking area.Which affects the cleanliness of kitchen.

Following that, wet drains and floors are dangerous during service time. This situation might cause accidents and slips due to the slippery floor.It should be quickly wiped away using a mop to prevent any injuries or wet footprints all over the kitchen.

Trays must be placed above ground level to prevent contamination or contact with soaps/detergents while cleaning.

Cooking utensils and plates should be orderly organized before food preparation and handling.

Cooking equipment should be washed and kept back at their place after using.

 This ensures less hassle in the kitchen.

Dishwashing
In kitchens where there is no dishwasher available, proper technique will keep your dishes clean and keep you from getting sick! Follow these simple steps for hand-washing dishes:
Step 1: Scrape the dishes

Step 2: Wash the dishes - water temperature should be at least 44°C (110°F)

Step 3: Rinse the dishes

Step 4: Sanitize the dishes - add one cap full of chlorine bleach to 24°C (75°F) water and let the dishes soak for 45 seconds

Step 5: Air dry the dishes

Personal Hygiene : Trimmed and Proper Nails

Taking good care of your nails and maintaining their cleanliness is very important. As many people talk with their hands they are often seen by many and represented to others an overall picture of our personal hygiene.Appropriate hand hygiene includes diligently cleaning and trimming fingernails, which may harbor dirt and germs and can contribute to the spread of some infections, such as pinworms. Fingernails should be kept short, and the undersides should be cleaned frequently with soap and water. Because of their length, longer fingernails can harbor more dirt and bacteria than short nails, thus potentially contributing to the spread of infection.

Microbe Generally Found Underneath the Fingernails

Bacteria	Fungus	Yeast
Pseudomonas	Trichophyton	Candida
Staphylococcus	Epidermophyton	Rhodotorula
Acinetobacter	Acremonium
Enterobacter	Aspergillus
Klebsiella	Scopulariopsis
Aeromonas	Cladosporium
Serratia

1) Long nails should be cut regularly while handling food and preparing it.

2) Painted nails are not allowed in the kitchen as it acts as a hazard while cooking and handling food.

3) Never rip or bite a hangnail. Instead, clip it with a clean, sanitized nail trimmer.With short clean nails , cooking is a easy job. Along with that, infections is prevented from long nails.

Different Conditions of the Hand

Unwashed Hands

Contain the natural microflora or resident bacteria and microbes and the transient bacteria from the objects that the hands come in contact with. When the hands are unwashed, there are millions and millions of bacteria living and growing on it.

Rinsed Hands

If hands are rinsed with cold water only some large particles of dust and some bacteria is removed but the main majority of pathogens are still there.

Washed Hands

Washing hands with soap and water reduces the number of transient bacteria. It is important to remember that it is more beneficial to use soap that is more acidic because the natural ph of hands is acidic. Therefore, the microflora of the hands will not be harmed.

Sanitized Hands

When the hands is sanitized, the growth of the bacteria on the hands is stopped and therefore, the majority of the bacteria will be gone.

Effect of Sanitzers Vary

Depending on a person’s normal activities or the job he/she does, the physical conditions of the hands will differ and therefore, the types of bacteria living on the hand will also differ. Ex: Food workers generally have wet hands and their hands are often contaminated with foods in high proteins and fatty acids. This would reduce the effectiveness of the alcohol gel of sanitizers.In addition, the type of soil on a hand affect the significance of sanitizers. Dirt, food, or anything on the hand can make alcohol in sanitizers less effective

Hygienic Aspects Of Food Premises: Colour Codes For Cutting Boards

We have different colour codes for the cutting boards to ensure easier identification for different types of food. For example:

The green  board is used for fruits and vegetables including salad greens.

The red board is used for meat and poultry which are raw and prepared to be cooked. 

The brown board is used for seafood and fish which are raw and prepared to be cooked. 

The blue board is used for cooked food including all ready to eat foods.

It is very important to use the correct chopping board for the right ingredient as cross contamination may occur if the ingredients are not handles properly, leading to food poisoning or may even cause food borne illnesses. Here are some examples of bacteria that may cause food borne illness.

Vibrio genus is found in seawater and may contaminate fish, shellfish or other seafood.

Samonella is found in raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood and dairy products. It can also be present on egg shells and inside eggs.

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is found in raw or undercooked meats and unpasteurized milk.

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is found in raw or undercooked meats, unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is found in raw or undercooked hamburger, unpasteurized fruit juices and milk, and fresh produce.

Thus by doing so, we are protecting the integrity of the food and preventing cross contamination.