Table of Contents
Most of the food-borne disease is caused by bacteria, spread by food workers or handlers. Hence the first step in preventing food-borne disease is good personal –hygiene.
Do’s for Personal Hygiene
- Bath or shower daily.
- Wear clean uniforms and aprons.
- Keep hair neat and clean.
- Always wear a hat or hairnet.
- Keep mustaches and beards trimmed and clean better yet, be cleanly shaven.
- Wash hands and exposed parts of arms before work and as often as necessary during work, including:
- After eating, drinking, or smoking.
- After using the toilet.
- After touching or handling anything that may be contaminated with bacteria.
- Cover cough and sneezes, and then wash hands.
- Keep your hands away from your face, eyes, hair, and arms.
- Cover cuts or sores with clean bandages.
- Use spoons for a tasting, not your finger.
Don’ts for Personal Hygiene
- Do not work with food if you have any communicable disease or infection.
- Keep fingernails clean and short. Do not wear nail polish.
- Do not smoke or chew gum or tobacco while on duty.
- Do not sit on worktables.
- Avoid wearing jewelry in the kitchen.
- Do not use kitchen sinks for personal washing or for spitting.
Procedure for Washing Hands
- Wet your hands with hot running water. Use water as hot as you can comfortably stand, but at least 100°F (38°C).
- Apply enough soap to make a good lather.
- Rub hands together thoroughly for 20 seconds or longer, washing not only the hands but the wrists and the lower part of the forearms. Using a nail brush, clean beneath the fingernails and between the fingers.
- Rinse hands well under hot running water. If possible, use a clean paper towel to turn off the water to avoid contaminating the hands by contact with soiled faucets.
- Dry hands with clean single-use paper towels or a warm-air hand dryer
Guidelines for Using Disposable Gloves
- Wash hands before putting on gloves or when changing to another pair. Gloves are not a substitute for proper hand-washing.
- Remove and discard gloves, wash hands, and change to a clean pair of gloves after handling one food item and before starting work on another.
- In particular, never to fail to change gloves after handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Gloves are for single use only.
- Remember that the purpose of using gloves is to avoid cross-contamination.
- Change to a clean pair of gloves whenever gloves become torn, soiled, or contaminated by contact with an unsanitary surface.