In order to flourish in the food sector, your business must prioritize health and safety. In order to do this, you have to make sure that you are closely adhering to the recommended standards for cleanliness and hygiene both within and outside of the workplace. By doing this, you’ll stop the growth of bacteria that cause sickness and the entry of harmful pests into your buildings.

In the food sector, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards is essential to maintaining service quality. By taking the necessary steps to put in place the necessary safeguards, you can safeguard your company, employees, customers, and goods. This will ensure that your establishments consistently offer your clients food goods of the highest caliber. These ten best practices for sanitation and hygiene can help you maintain a clean and safe work environment for all.

10 Tips on Hygiene and Sanitation in Food Industry

1. Train Your Staff.

All employees who work in a food facility must be properly trained in food safety handling practices and cleaning procedures. Training workshops on hygiene and sanitation in food industry must be frequently conducted by the management to constantly remind and educate the staff of its importance and implementation.   

2. Create a Cleaning Schedule.

Make a cleaning schedule for your staff to follow. With regular execution, they will get into the habit of doing their routine in the morning when they report for work and at night before going home.

3. Follow Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs). 

Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) are written documents on the right measures, areas, and monitoring procedures on how to maintain a clean environment to avoid any product contamination. The documents contain comprehensive procedures for cleaning and sanitizing in a food facility. This is one of the best practices for hygiene and sanitation in food facility that must not be overlooked.

SSOPs must have information like how to dismantle the equipment and chemical concentrations for sanitizers, among others. SSOPs must be strictly followed or else the implementation of cleaning and sanitation procedures will be unsuccessful.

4. Check Your Water Quality.

Having potable water is an essential component in hygiene and sanitation in food industry. The water in your facility must be analyzed annually to check how you can enhance sanitation based on its quality. Hard water can form soap scum while silicates can leave a white film when used with some types of products.  Be informed about the type of water in your area and how to clean using this water.

5. Clean the Drains.

Clean the drains regularly to ensure hygiene and sanitation in food industry.

 Drains can be a source of bacteria that could build up and contaminate areas that have been sanitized already. Keep in mind to clean your drains every week to avoid cross-contamination.   

6. Separate the Food Preparation and Storage Areas.

Evaluate how you prepare and store foods in your facilities. Every kitchen must have separate areas for food preparation and storage. Ensure that raw and cooked foods never touch each other to avoid cross-contamination that may harm your customers.

7. Clean Your Rubbish Bins.

You must keep an eye on your rubbish bins when it comes to hygiene and sanitation in food industry. Empty your rubbish bins at night before going home. This prevents potential pests from finding their way into your workplace. Clean immediately any spills near your bins.

8. Wipe Fridges Down Daily.

It is necessary to clean and wipe down the fridges every day in your facilities. This will stop bacteria from spreading. Seal your food in airtight containers in the fridge to prevent cross-contamination of various foods and liquids.

9. Clean Your Floors Every Night.

Clean and mop your floors before going home at night. No matter how late it is, make sure to follow this important practice on hygiene and sanitation in food industry. Do not wait until the next day to clean the floors. Leaving the floors dirty could attract vermin overnight.

10. Protect Sanitized Areas.

A sanitized area must be isolated for a while. You can set up cleaning stations at entry points so your staff can clean shoes, boots, tires, or any equipment that may come into contact with sanitized surfaces. Signs, barriers, and color coding can be used to identify which areas are clean and dirty.

Hygiene and sanitation in food industry are important to maintain the quality of your service. By following the best practices and making sure that you properly implement them, your facilities will always provide high-quality food products to your customers. This will also prevent bacteria from spreading and pests from making their way into your workplace. Always remember to keep your workspace clean and safe for everyone.

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