Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, food safety has become a significant area of concern for many commercial kitchens within restaurant, healthcare and aged care industries. While temperature control and food sanitation are essential, good old-fashioned hand washing and good hygiene play a crucial role in food safety.
As food safety experts, Interquip Global explains how you can play your part.
It’s Simple: Wash Your Hands
Your hands are very efficient carriers of germs, and that is why you must employ thorough,effective and frequent handwashing procedures in your kitchen, in fact anywhere really. While it may be impossible to keep your staff’s hands entirely free of germs, you will reduce the chances of spreading bacteria when you implement strict handwashing protocol.
You and your staff must know how to wash their hands properly, as ineffective hand washing is just as bad as not washing your hands altogether. While it may be common knowledge to some, from an early age, effective hand washing should follow the following steps:
- Use cold or warm running water to wet your hands
- Use a cleanser/hand soap to create a later between your hands by rubbing your hands together.
- Rub your hands together and ensure to get the soap in between your fingers. Be sure to wash the backs of your hands. Scrub your palms and the back of your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse your hands under warm or cold running water.
- Dry your hands properly by using a dry, clean towel or an air dryer.
Use The Correct Sanitiser
There has been a massive rise in the use of sanitiser since the outbreak of COVID-19, and for good reason. Sanitisers disinfect your hands and help rid them of bacteria. It is recommended that you use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that is at least 70% alcohol, after thorough hand washing.
We also recommend an excellent product called Glitterbug, which shows you the parts of your hands you may have missed cleaning by use of a UV light. It is genuinely innovative, and popular among many commercial outlets in Australia. If you’re not sure your hand washing procedures are removing all those nasty germs, we recommend you use this system.
Are you looking for experts in food safety and temperature monitoring? Look no further than Interquip Global, who supply a diverse range of commercial fridges and food temperature monitoring devices. Contact us for more info today!
