The Importance Of Food Hygiene In The Modern Day Restaurant

By Author: Lee Price
Total Articles: 13
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In any catering businesses, the employees should be judged both on the quality of the food they produce and the level of food safety they uphold. Many establishments neglect basic food hygiene regulations, often at a cost to quality of the food they produce, for many reasons. We need to ensure that they go home satisfied every time they visit, and doing so not only requires impeccable food, but impeccable standards.

Storage

All food that we prepare must be stored correctly at every stage of the supply chain. Raw meats are to be kept separate from pre-cooked meats and other food at all times to reduce the risk of cross-contamination that can lead to bacterial illnesses such as Salmonella. As such, separate storage locations for raw foods of different types should be maintained at every step of the supply chain to ensure that the food we serve is of the highest standard every time.

Reusable goods must be sealed at the end of every night to prevent potential contamination from other food stuffs. Thus it should be kept in an airtight container and separate from any other foods that may cause ...
... the spread of bacteria.

Additionally all meats and other frozen foods must be stored at below 5 Degrees Celsius to ensure that the spread of any bacteria is halted. Keeping perishable goods at room temperature provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and thus it should be avoided at all costs. Non-perishable goods should be kept separately and should be kept away from raw meat at all times. Any respectable restaurant will work diligently to ensure that all of its food is stored to the correct food hygiene procedures, and maintain regular checks of all of our refrigeration units to ensure that there is no breakdown in our storage method.

Handling

Handling foods is one of the most risky practices in the catering industry due to the risk of contamination, both from human and other external sources. All staff should be under strict instructions to wash their hands thoroughly both before and after handling any meat products, especially raw meats, to eliminate the threat of bacterial contamination due to their coming into contact with the meat.

Staff must keep their hands away from their noses, hair, eyes and ears at all times, especially when in the process of handling a foodstuff. Additionally they must keep the foodstuff protected from other potential contaminants, such as other food or unclean surfaces to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Preparation

The process of preparing a food can run into a number of potential hazards, even assuming that the food has been stored and handled correctly at all times. Chopping boards and work surfaces must be regularly disinfected after every use, to reduce the risk of cross contamination. It is extremely dangerous to prepare two types of meat on the same surface. Additionally cooked food and food that is being prepared must be kept completely separate to ensure that no contamination can take place on either side.

After initial preparation, it is imperative that all food should be cooked to the highest possible standard. Allowing improperly cooked food to be served to a customer is amongst the worst offenses to be committed within the catering industry, and can led to infection and general customer dissatisfaction.

All staff are duty bound and and must be impeccably trained so that they offer the best quality service to all of our customers. Our restaurant has built a reputation for providing the finest in Indian cuisine, and we look to maintain that status by providing only the best for all of our customers and ensuring that all the food we cook is cooked properly to provide the most succulent dishes possible. A solid focus on food hygiene ensures that our customers go home happy every time.

For more information visit http://www.rosemurree.co.uk