Basic hygiene practices for food preparation and cooking Essay

Every day people get ill from the nutrient they eat. Micro-organisms including bacteria, vir maps and moulds found in regimen give the axe cause aliment poisoning, leading to a whole host of unpleasant symptoms, such as stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting. Food poisoning gage sometimes lead to gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and bowel), or more serious health problems such as blood poisoning (septicaemia) and kidney failure. Anyone bunghole get forage poisoning plainly some people, including babies, children and older people, ar more likely to pose serious symptoms. This is why this is vital as in the Seaview nursing home the residents ar frail older people and several(prenominal) also atomic number 18 in poor general health.They atomic number 18 mevery basic hygiene practices for intellectual nourishment preparation and cooking. This includesSurfacesEquipmentSell by datesFood prepstoringSurfacesFood poisoning affects thousands of people every category a nd many of these cases go unreported. The exact numbers of cases of pabulum related illness that occur each twelvemonth be unknown. This is because many people do not seek the help of their doctor when their doctor when they take symptoms. Food poisoning stooge be extremely dangerously especi entirelyy for the very young, older attend users and those who are ill or infirm. It is therefore important that flush workers actions do not increase this problem. To continue defilement of nourishment it is necessary to follow recognised hygiene procedures to reserve sure that risks are unbroken to a minimum.Cleaning and disinfection chemicals are available to maintain the be standards of tastefulliness. Usually these chemicals are added to water to make a cleaning solution. Some convey pee-pee to use in spray or aerosol bomb bottles for convenience. Substances used for cleaning forage preparation studys fall into triple categoriesDetergents are chemicals that will diss olve grunge and assist the removal of food debris and crud. Detergents do not kill bacteria.Disinfectants are chemicals designed to reverse bacteria and reduce them to a safe level. However disinfectants are not effective at removing poop and dirts. Disinfectants substantiate a very strong smell and have the potential to taints foods and if in bear upon with surfaces that food is prepared on extra care should be taken in rinsing with blue (above 82C) water.Sanitizers are a combination of both detergents and disinfectants and are designed to kill bacteria and remove dirt and grease at the same time.image00.pngimage00.pngDisinfection give notice also be carried effectively victimization heat i.e. using sweltering water (above 82C). Chemicals can be used in appendage to this process however are less effective where hot water is not available or a preliminary clean had not been carried start.The combination of the above chemicals and very hot water provide an effective way o f tutelage surfaces clean. Any work surfaces that is used for food preparation must be strong, durable, easily cleaned, resistance to calumniate or to absorbing liquids and not easily damaged.In professional food areas stainless steel tables are used for food preparation activities. They are usually on wheels which have brakes so that they can be moved easily which allows for ease of cleaning. It is vital that work surfaces are kept clean and bacteria free. The clean as you go method should be used. This means that all equipment and surfaces should be cleaned as in short as they have been used.This describes cleaning that is carried out as soon as the mess is created, the aim of this is to go on loanblend contamination and to keep work areas clean and tidy. Examples of this might be Washing and sanitising of a chopping age straight after(prenominal) use and Cleaning up a floor spillage immediately after it has happened. Any spills should also be mopped up immediately they occu r. Work surfaces should be left clean and behave when work has finished.The 5 stages of cleaning work areRemove food particles and spillages using a sufficient damp clothUse a hot water and detergent solution to remove any grease and debrisRinse thoroughly with very hot water (82C)Use a commensurate disinfectant to reduce bacteria to a safe levelFinal rinse with hot water and alter using paper towels (or allow to air dry)EquipmentOnly clean equipment if you have been trained to do so. This is e finickyly important where the equipment has sharp cutting surfaces and or moving parts that are run by electricity. Care should be also taken with equipment that is hot or generates a lot of heat, for typeface cookers and orphic fat fryersWhen training has been done some basic go should be followed when cleaning equipment. The basic steps areDisconnect the equipment from the power sourceTake extra care when removing any bladesRemove all waste foodThoroughly wash and sanitize all partsR eassemble the equipment taking care to fit all components correctly in case they fly off during useSanitize once again those parts that will come into contact with foodEnsure that all safety guards are refitted correctly. all(prenominal) early(a) small items of equipment like pots, pans, cutlery, houses and glassware can be cleaned in the usual way. This may all be in a dishwasher or by hand using detergent and hot water.Sell by datesPerishable is foods that are likely to go off quickly. They normally have a mete out by and use by date on them. Selling food after its sell by date is an offence. The food can be used up to and including the use by date. For an workout a carton of milk may have a sell by date bowl the 14th march and the use by date may be the 16th march. The milk can be used on the 16th and sooner but not after. virtually other foods have a go rough before day this indicates the month up to which it will be in its best condition for eating.Some foods dont ha ve to require a date for example novel yields & vegetables and meat from the butcher.FoodIt is vital that certain precautions are taken when providing food for go users. Washing of the detention is vital so hands must be washedBefore entry a food areaAfter using the lavatoryBetween intervention different types of food such as raw meat an cookedBefore and after touching foodsAfter coughing into the hands or using a handkerchiefAfter touching face and hairAfter carrying out cleaning or handling rubbishIt is requirement that this is done because many bacteria live on the surface of the skin. Many of these are harmless however some can cause illness. Bacteria can be acquired from other sources and can contaminate food. Handling raw mean and poultry and then handling cooked meat is very dangerous unless hands are thoroughly washed in between.Touching the obtrude or coughing and sneezing over food or preparation areas should be avoided. This is because personal cleanliness is essent ial or bacteria will be transferred to the food. Also avoid touching the food with hands and hand wearing or using of the tong when possible is a good thing to do. This is because the less hands are in direct contact with food, the less chance there is of contamination. Touching dishes or cutlery that is to come into contact with food should also be avoided. This is because this cuts down the transfer of bacteria.Keeping the hair covered with every a hat or net and not combing hair in the food area should also be done as hair and scalp can carry bacteria that can fall into the food. Also keeping cuts and grazes covered with brightly coloured dressing as wounds are septic with bacteria and if the dressing comes off it can be easily found.Not smoking in the food areas is vital as it is against the law and can contaminate food. Also when ill food handling should not be done. This is vital because a person who is ill can infect food. Another thing that should be done is wearing clean p putrefyective clothing as there are fewer bacteria on clean clothes.CookingHeat kills bacteria and this is why food must be cooked thoroughly. Cooking food at temperatures over 70C will kill off any bacteria. If food isnt cooked at a high enough temperature, bacteria can still survive. Take special care that you cook meat all the way through. Unless youre cooking steak or lamb and crab joints rare, it shouldnt be pink in the middle. Use a clean skewer to pierce the meat. If its cooked properly, the juices will run clear. If youre cooking meat so its rare, make sure that its properly sealed (browned) on the outside. Large pieces of meat take longer to heat up to the centre. The hold for sufficiently high temperatures reaching the centre is very important.Always re-heat pre-cooked food thoroughly and only do so once. When cooking food in the microwave, stir it well from time to time to ensure that its evenly cooked all the way through.It is bad practice to mix previously cooked fo od with newly cooked food. surpass up soup lowers the temperature and increases the risk of bacteria growing. It is much safer to make up food in itsy-bitsy quantises as and when it is needed. Eggs can carry salmonella, so to safeguard service users, eggs should be cooked for around seven minutes at 70C. High risks foods such as eggs and chicken that are eaten immediately after cooking are safe providing the temperature is high enough. If there is going to be a gap in time between the foods being cooked and being eaten, it must be kept hot. Equipment should be used to hold the food at a temperature of 63C or above. This is could be a change tray, trolley or service counter.When using this type of equipment heat the equipment to at least 63C before loading the food, ensure the food is already fully cooked and at a minimum temperature of 63C and never use the equipment to heat up cold or partially heated food.Reheating food can increase the risk of food poisoning. Some food handle rs often make the flaw of thinking that because food has already been cooked it is free of bacteria. They believe that is only needs immediateing up. If it happens, bacteria had apotheosis conditions for return for example food, warmth and liquid.Guidelines for food that needs reheating is as followsDont get the food out of the refrigerator too soon and progress it lying it aroundHandle as little as possible and keep it coveredDivide larger items into smaller portions where possibleHeat the food to at least 70C as its coreServe quickly following reheatingnever reheat cooked food more than onceIf reheating ready-made meals from a shop, follow the manufactures instructions in addition to the above advice.StoringIf you dont follow the storage guidelines that come with your food, you could be letting yourself in for steady-going problems. Storing food in the wrong place or at the wrong temperature can lead to the growth of bacteria. This means that even one piece of food left out for a couple of hours can contain millions of bacteria as bacteria flourish at body temperature which is 37C. The reason foods are stored in a refrigerator is because bacteria and viruses cant multiply below 6C. The correct temperature for a refrigerator is between zero and 5C. Chilled foods should be put away quickly but dont overcrowd the refrigerator as it raises the temperature.With cooked food, let steam evaporate first before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Always keep the refrigerator clean by washing the inside surfaces with warm soapy water. Never thaw then refreeze food. To slowly defrost, take the dish out of the freezer and leave it in the refrigerator overnight rather than on the counter top. Place meats on a plate on the bottom shelf. When defrosting with the microwave, cook the dish immediately. Never freeze food that has gone beyond its use by date and remove old food regularly.Keeping the refrigerator at the right temperature helps encumber bacteria from multiplying. The correct temperature for a refrigerator is below 5C and a freezer and should kept at minus 18C. Check both the refrigerator and freezer regularly with a reliable thermometer. To maintain a constant temperature, keep the door shut whenever possible.When storing food in a electric refrigeratorDont allow the juice from the raw meat, fish and poultry to spill or slaver onto any other foods.Put fruit and vegetables items into the salad drawerKeep milk and fruit juices on the bottom rack in the doorPlace dairy products , dressings, spreads, sauces, cream and convince foods on the centre and top shelvesStore raw meat, fish and poultry on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. this prevents cross contamination as the blood as the other liquids from the meat and fish cannot drip down onto other foodsCooked foods should be kept on the top shelves of the refrigeratorMayonnaise and ketchup should be kept in the refrigerator after openingNever place food in an open tin in the r efrigerator. Use secure containers instead and throw the food out after two or three daysKeep seafood either in the refrigerator or in the freezer until you are ready to prepare itCross contamination occurs when food is put in contact with other contaminated foods. An example of this could be the blood from a piece of chicken dripping onto a plate of cooked food. Cross contamination means that the bacteria or other pathogens have been transferred from an infected food item. They either become infected or contaminated.If food looks or smells in any way, throw it out. A sure sign of spoilation is mould. Most mouldy foods should be binned along with leaking cartons and food which has gone past its use by date.Most frozen foods should be thrown out after three to six months. When storing food in the freezer, remove it from the wrapping and place it in a labelled and dated freezer bag. Remember to spreadeagle all the air from the bag before sealing it.If a power cut has occurred then f oods that have started to defrost should be thrown out. If the power comes back on and if there is any doubt approximately which foods have defrosted and refrozen, the food should be thrown away.Food that does not need keeping cold should be kept in a sealed container in a cool dry cupboard or larder. It should never be stored on the floor. Vegetables can normally be kept in a cool, dry place in loose bags or racks but not in plastic bags. This makes them sweat and rot quicker.