Facilities
Hygienic food handling requires app-
ropriate equipment and supplies. Food-
handling and food processing equipment
should be constructed according to regula-
tions of the appropriate regulatory agency.
Welfare facilities should be clean, neat, well
lighted, and conveniently located away from
production areas. Restrooms should have
self-closing doors. It is also preferred that
hand washing stations have foot- or knee-
operated faucets that supply water at 43 ̊C
to 50 ̊C. Remotely operated liquid soap dis-
pensers are recommended because bars of
soap can increase the transfer of microor-
ganisms. Disposable sanitary towels are
best for drying hands. The consumption of
snacks, beverages, and other foods, as well
as smoking, should be confined to a specific
area, which should be clean and free of
insects and spills.
Employee Supervision
Employees who handle food should be
subjected to the same health standards used
in screening prospective employees. Supervi-
sors should observe employees daily for
infected cuts, boils, respiratory complica-
tions, and other evidence of infection. Many
local health authorities require foodservice
and food processing firms to report an
employee who is suspected to have a conta-
gious disease or to be a carrier.
Employee Responsibilities
Although the employer is responsible for
the conduct and practices of employees,
responsibilities should be assigned to
employees at the time employment begins.
●Employees should maintain a healthy
condition to reduce respiratory or gas-
trointestinal disorders and other physi-
cal ailments.●Injuries, including cuts, burns, boils, and
skin eruptions, should be reported to
the employer.
●Abnormal conditions, such as respira-
tory system complications (e.g., head
cold, sinus infection, and bronchial and
lung disorder), and intestinal disorders,
such as diarrhea, should be reported to
the employer.
●Personal cleanliness that should be
practiced includes daily bathing, hair
washing at least twice a week, daily
changing of undergarments, and main-
tenance of clean fingernails.
●Employees should tell a supervisor that
items such as soap or towels in wash-
rooms should be replenished.
●Habits such as scratching the head or
other body parts should be stopped.
●The mouth and nose should be covered
during coughing or sneezing.
●The hands should be washed after visit-
ing the toilet, using a handkerchief,
smoking, handling soiled articles, or
handling money.
●Hands should be kept out of food. Food
should not be tasted from the hand, nor
should it be consumed in food produc-
tion areas.
●Food should be handled in utensils that
are not touched with the mouth.
●Rules related to use of tobacco should
be enforced.Summary.................................................................................................
Food handlers are potential sources of
microorganisms that cause illness and food
spoilage.Hygieneis a word used to describe
sanitary principles for the preservation of
health.Personal hygienerefers to the cleanli-
ness of a person’s body. Parts of the body
that contribute to the contamination of food
include the skin, hands, hair, eyes, mouth,Personal Hygiene and Sanitary Food Handling 97