|
'The 4 Cs
for food safety' is the theme of this year's Food Safety Week (11-17
June), covering cleanliness, cooking, chilling and cross-contamination.
Within
Britain's 67,684 restaurants, 37,076 school canteens and countless
more pubs, cafes and sandwich shops, good food hygiene is vital to
keep customers safe, and prevent them from joining the 5.5
million¹ people who get a food-borne illness in the UK every
year.
Thousands of
businesses deal with food daily, yet research shows that food
handlers' malpractice contributes to almost all (97%) food-borne
illnesses in food service establishments.
To help keep
standards up to scratch, leading online training provider,
learndirect business, has released ten top food safety tips for Food
Safety Week. The tips are taken from a new learndirect business Basic
Food Hygiene eCourse, introduced by celebrity chef and host of BBC
TV's 'Saturday Kitchen,' James Martin.
Justine Fosh,
Head of Business Development at learndirect business, comments:
"Every business that deals with food, whatever the size, has to
comply with food hygiene legislation, including caterers, producers,
manufacturers and retailers. To protect their customers as well as
their businesses, it is essential they maintain good food hygiene
standards year-round, not just in Food Safety Week. The new Basic
Food Hygiene eCourse can be completed online, providing flexible
training that fits around the working day, making it easier for
employers to train staff.
"In
addition, to help businesses get staff qualified quickly, learndirect
business has teamed up with the Royal Institute of Public Health
(RIPH) to provide the first Food Safety exam that can be accessed
online. Results are obtained immediately, cutting out weeks of
waiting time."
Ten Top
Food Safety Tips:
1. 'Keep
fridges (1-4° C) and freezers (-18°C) at the correct
temperatures and don't overstock them'
2. Store
cooked raw fish, poultry and meat in covered containers below
ready-to-eat food to prevent dripping.
3. Never
re-freeze defrosted food unless it has been cooked.
4. f you
receive deliveries make sure vehicles are clean and drivers are
wearing protective clothing. Inspect deliveries for freshness,
rejecting chilled food if the temperature is above 10°C and
frozen if the temperature is warmer than -10°C.
5. Wash root
vegetables thoroughly as they often have traces of soil which can
contain harmful bacteria.
6. Cook and
serve food piping hot, in particular ensuring that sausages, burgers,
pork and poultry are cooked right through and not pink in the middle.
7. Do not put
hot food directly into the fridge or freezer; always let it cool down
first, but cooling should be completed within 1-2 hours after
cooking.
8. Use
separate chopping boards for raw and cooked foods and wash and clean
thoroughly.
9. Be
meticulous about cleaning: remove crumbs from the floor then mop with
hot water and disinfectant; disinfect preparation surfaces regularly;
change kitchen cloths frequently and remove jewellery before
preparing food.
10. Do not
leave any food lying around that may attract vermin. Check deliveries
for any damage that may be caused by pests and report sights of
infestation.
The
interactive Basic Food Hygiene eCourse, guides users through subjects
such as micro-organisms and how they can cause illness, the
importance of personal hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, pest
controls, premises, hazards and current legislation. It costs
£29.99 + VAT and can be accessed at www.learndirect-business.co.uk/food-hygiene/
The Food
Safety exam can be taken at a number of RIPH approved learndirect
centres around the country³. There are two different RIPH
accredited qualifications that can be achieved - Level 2 Award in
Food Safety in Catering and a Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene.
To find out
more about learndirect business, call the helpline on 08000 150 750
or visit www.learndirect-business.co.uk.
top |
