Reflections

Jiajun:

We had a meeting and were assigned the parts to research on for the blog. We also decided that we would choose Hong Kong Street Ming Zhong.
I first looked at the criteria needed for good personal hygiene. I went down the list of things I thought were crucial. I then categorised them into Staff selection, Hands, hair, nose and mouth and Ears and lastly Protective clothing. These were the things I thought were important. Having known all these I knew the bad hygiene which was just the opposite. I listed the things down for each category. I then elaborated more on the points. The viruses, bacteria or pathogens that was present in them. Also I elaborated on the effects that these bacteria, pathogens and viruses bring to us.I believe that this project, allows us to better understand what personal hygiene is. We can then prevent any food poisoning from occurring to the food consumer or food handler.

Jacqueline:

This blog is very informative in terms of the good as well as the bad hygiene practices that should be observed in the kitchen regardless of the venue. We also included the required attire that the staff/food handlers should have before entering the kitchen. After a visit to the coffee shop at Ang Mo Kio, I saw many of the food handlers with bad attire as well as the way they handles food. Thus spark me to be a more hygienic chef as it will ruin the impression of your customers/consumers and the professionalism of the chef. You will never know that it might harm someone because of the bad hygiene practices one shows as microorganisms are found everywhere and anywhere which cannot be seen through our naked eyes. 

Jonathan:

This project has taught me the importance of hygiene. everyone has a part to play in the ensuring of good personal hygiene. From stall holders, to the staff who prepare food, to the cleaners, to even us.  as the saying goes, "a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link". If one person fails to observe good personal hygiene, everyone will be at jeopardy. not only will health be compromised, but also the stall's reputation. 

Michelle:

In this e-learning assignment, I’ve had a more in depth understanding of the causes and consequences of good and bad personal hygeine and most importantly, how to prevent the chances of bad personal hygeine happening in any food establishment. In the near future where I will be part of the food and beverage industry, I believe that stringent hygiene practices will be implemented in more than 80% of the food establishments around the world. Thus, by getting to know all of these facts, I am a step ahead than others and I will be able to correct my co-workers or any food handler to instill a more hygienic way of preparing food so that all of us will be able to consume our delicacies sumptiously and safely. Even though we’ve researched about the importance of good hygiene, the relavance of practicing them and also the result of being in touch with bad hygiene, I feel that we could have gone further and talk about how larger government organisations like the WHO are doing their part to encourage good personal hygiene. I feel that it would be very beneficial that we know how we can play a part to ensure that every meal we consume is a safe and harmless meal.
I agree that my group and I had good teamwork and we were able to help each other when either or us needed help and good cooperation was seen throughout the whole time. Overall, I felt that having this assignment enhanced my learning in the topic on personal hygiene. 

Kelly:

Through this e learning, I've learnt the importance of practicing good personal hygiene. The slightest mistake can have major consequences and putting other people's health at risk. As a food handler, practicing good personal hygiene is a must and has to be a habit. Even if you are not handling food, it is still important to practice good personal hygiene. I've learnt alot through this e learning as it requires us to use an establishment as a case study. This makes me even clearer of the poor personal hygiene that we might commit when handling in the food. Also, I learnt that there are alot of problems that poor personal hygiene will bring to us. Not only does it harm the consumers, it also harm us in terms of economic wise. Thus it is everybody's responsibility to practice good personal hygiene everywhere we are. It benefits everybody if we all practice good personal hygiene. 

Good Personal Hygiene

What is good Personal Hygiene?

Simple common sense + cleanliness

      Staff hygiene

Maintaining personal hygiene can be due to personal, social, for health or pyschological reasons. Practising a good standard of hygiene helps to prevent the development and spread of infections, illnesses and bad odours.

Good personal hygiene in the food service industry is crucial in several ways. It provides a sanitary environment for not only the workers, but also the customers. A few bad consequences of not practsing good hygiene are as follows;

1.       Workers may fall ill, resulting in a loss of productivity and eventually, revenue.

2.       If food is contaminated, consumers have a high chance of falling ill. This not only affects the establishment’s reputation, but also runs the risk of legal consequences.

3.       Food contamination may also be introduced by human in certain forms, mainly: hands/skin, breath, hair, perspiration and viruses through sneezing/coughing.

         Do’s:

·         Have a good sense of hygiene
·         Good skin conditions (not having any skin disorders – e.g Eczema)
·         Good dental hygiene
·         Short and clean fingernails with no evidence of nail-biting
·         Neat and tidy hairstyle without any loose fringe or hair strands
·         Smart casual attire/ neatly ironed uniform
·         Clean non-slip covered shoes, suitable for the work area 

·         *No make-up or accessories on during work

*This is because volatile compounds from the make-up might get into the food prepared by them. Or otherwise they might not have the good habit of washing their hands regularly thus preparing food for consumers after touching or having any physical contact with their make-up. In addition, accessories like jewelleries such as earrings or studs etc. might unintentionally drop into the dishes in turn causing harm to the consumers as choking hazards. Superiors of the staffs should also be well aware of any history foodborne illness or food-related diseases contracted by the employees/food handlers and instill preventive measures or ensure that good personal hygiene is practiced for the welfare of the public.

Staff hygiene

            Hands

Hands are crucial as they come into contact with the food most and have the highest potential to be neglected. It is not uncommon to see workers in hawker centres are not washing their hands after using the washroom or clearing waste food. This poses a health risk if they were to come into contact with ready to eat food.

Do’s:

·         Wash hands regularly, e.g after handling waste food, after using the washroom.

·         Wash hands thoroughly in room temperature or ambient water with non-perfumed soap.

·         Dry hands thoroughly after washing.

·         Keep nails short and clean.

·         No nail polish/varnish.

Skin

Exposed cuts and skin lesions are prone to bacterial growth and infection when left untreated. When these bacteria come into contact with food, the food will become unsafe to eat. Staff with infected cuts should not be allowed to handle cooked food.

                Do’s:

·         Cover wounds with water proof plasters that are detectable (striking colours such as green or blue, to ensure that it is noticeable if it accidentally drops into food)

·         Wound dressing that is worn out or missing should be reported and replaced immediately

Hair Hair, while not posing a threat to human health, is considered unhygienic and unsightly if found in food.

Do’s:

·         Shampoo regularly

·         Ensure that hair is neatly tied up with no loose strands (for girls) or maintained short and neat with no long sideburns or tails (for guys)

·         Hairnets or hats should be worn at all times

Sneezing and coughing Sneezing and coughing releases airborne viruses and bacteria at a considerable distance. If not kept in check, these bacteria and virus might enter food and make it unsafe for consumption.
 Do’s:

·         Cover mouth when sneezing or coughing (Wear a mask if needed)

·         Wash hands thoroughly after sneezing or coughing

Smoking Smoking while preparing food is prohibited and very unsanitary. Ash from the cigarette may fall into food, or even worse, if the cigarette bud ends up in food. Do’s:

·         Do not smoke during preparation of food.

Potential Problems of Poor Hygiene

Poor hygiene causes many problems, mainly and most importantly, health problems. It also causes economic problems for the establishment affected.

1. Health problems

Damage to the body. Cause by physical, chemical & microbial contamination. It can be prevented if good personal hygiene is practiced.

• Physical contamination: when foreign materials unintentionally introduced/ naturally occuring objects to the food products. Eg, bones in fish, metal fragments in meat, hair, insects

• Damage to mouth teeth / gums 

• Disrupt respiratory tract 

• Damage to the digestive tract 

• Lacerations of the mouth 

• Lacerations of tongue 

• Chipped teeth

• Broken fillings 

• Damage to prosthetic 

• Choking 

• Aspiration 

• Esophageal laceration 

• Esophageal perforation 

• Fistula formation  

• Chemical contamination: Cause by chemical compound & food allergen. Eg, weed killers, pesticides, heavy metals, sanitizers. 

• Acute poisoning

• Damage of health

• Death in some cases

• Food allergy symptoms (Eg, rashes, fainting, swelling of hands, feets, vomitting, stomach cramps etc)

• Microbial contamination: Cause by organisms or substances produced by organisms that pose a threat to human health (Eg, bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi)

• Vomitting

• Diarrhea

• Stomach cramps

• Indigestion 

• Digestive problems

All the above contamination can cause death in some cases. 

     2.  Economic problems

Loss of money due poor hygiene which causes foodborne illnesses. Price establishment have to pay for not practicing good personal hygiene.

• Decrease in productivity
• Medical expense / hospitalisation
• Long term disability claim
• Legal fees
• Testing of food supplies
• Time & money cleaning & santising the establishment
• Discarding / destroying food supplies that may or may not be contaminated
• Higher costs due to the restraining of the employes
• Increased insurance premiums
• Loss of prestige & reputation
• Loss of customers & sales
• Lowered employee morale
• Employee absenteeism
• Negative media coverage
• Closure of food establishment

If death occurs, no amount of money will be able to make it up.  

Instead of allowing the problems listed above, why not practice good personal hygiene and have a good environment to prepare food? :)  

Poor Personal Hygiene

What is poor Personal Hygiene?

Poor Hygiene = No sense of Cleanliness

Why it happens?

Food handler has no morale and legal responsibility.
Food handlers whom are not in good health and behave with no sense of cleanliness will cause direct food contamination.
Most importantly, food handler does not show any interest in learning how to prevent food poisoning.

How it happens?

There are a couple of categories that show the food handler has no sense of personal hygiene.

• Staff 
• How they handle food 

• hands, skin, hair, nose and mouth and ears, Smoking and lastly, 

• Protective clothing

1. Staff

Everything of poor personal hygiene starts with the staff. If we had poor selection of staff, then would the chances of food poisoning occur at a higher rate.

     Pointers that we should not see or have in our staff (when preparing food):

• Does not have a clean, neat and tidy appearance
• Presence of skin infection
• Poor dental Health
• Hands are dirty, finger nails have nail polish on & nail biting
• Dyed hair and have the presence of dandruff
• Excessive jewellery worn 

• Such as rings, ear studs, necklaces, watches, nose and tongue piercings 

• Might get into the food by mistake, causing harm to the consumers 

•  Cause cuts, choking and even death in some cases 

• Can also enter the respiratory tract upon inhalation, causing the lungs to collapse / get a secondary infection / destruction of lung tissues from retained material 

• Another case would be that these materials enter the digestive tract, Causing esophageal laceration, esophageal perforation, fistula formation and laceration or perforation in the Stomach, Pharynx and intestine.  

• Personal history of diseases or still have diseases, foodborne illness and food poisoning. Such as Salmonella, E.coli, aids and tuberculosis.

• Could be passed from the food handler to other colleagues / consumers

      2.  Hands

We are always using our hands be it going to the bathroom, washing dishes, putting on make-up and so on and so forth. Therefore it is also very important that the staffs have clean hands and they should know what to do after handling raw food or after visiting the washrooms. Bacteria can be passed from the food handler’s hands to cooked food and this can and will cause food poisoning to the consumer. 

     Crucial point to take note of the staff:

• Does not wash his/her hands after contact with raw foods
• Does not wash his/her hands after emptying the bin
• Does not wash his/her hands before entering the room and comes in direct contact with food.
• Scratches hair or other parts of his/her body and comes in direct contact with food.
• Has soiled nails and handles food.
• Does not wear a glove when handling cooked food to serve the food consumer.
• Has a cut on his/her hand and does not wear a glove when handling raw and cooked food.
• Coughs / sneezes into hands, he/she does not wash their hands and comes in contact with cooked or raw food.
• Does not wash hands after visiting the washroom.

• High amount of bacteria such as E.coli on our hand if we does not wash our hands.

• When E.coli is consumed, it can cause severe cramps and diarrhea which might turn out bloody.

Most of the points above is to prevent germs, bacteria and other harmful organisms from entering the food through our hands. This will then result in food poisoning. Also, to prevent cross contamination when handling raw and cooked food. This is a very serious problem that they have to take note as it is a cross contamination. The consumer would end up eating the food and get down with food poisoning.

   3.  Other aspects of the body

After looking at the major parts in personal hygiene, we have to look at other aspects of our body which may affect our personal hygiene. 

     Don't(s) when preparing food:

• Coughs / sneezes into food 
• Bad flu
• Consume gums, sweet or chocolates whilst handling with foods
• Spitting while handling food
• Discharges from ears, eyes or nose should not handle food
• Cut / skin infection and handles food
• Use skin coloured plasters or bandages and comes in contact with food

• Wear a glove and use a bright coloured plaster

• To prevent the plaster from dropping into the food without being noticed and becomes a physical hazard

• Prevent bacteria from the wound from entering the food and cause food poisoning

• Female staff who did not gel their hair up 

• Hair might get into the food, bad reputation for the establishment

• Adjusting your hair while handling food at the same time

• Causes contamination

• Smoking in the food handling area

• Cigarette ends may drop into foods that are ready to serve

• Food contamination can occur  

     4.   Uniform

• Should wear the appropriate uniform when handling food

• Should not be dark coloured uniform

• Will be able to check if the uniform is soiled

• Soiled uniform can cause food contamination  and food poisoning 

• Change out of uniform when leaving food handling premises

• To prevent bringing bacteria in and out of food handling premises

• Bacteria may cause food contamination

• Should not wears slippers to work premises

• Prevent slip & accidents happening in food handling premises

Good & poor hygiene we saw in the food handlers

We visited the stall that day and noticed some of the good & poor hygiene that are practiced by the food handlers.

The food handler has long nails, accessories on while working. This is an example of poor hygiene. The accessories might get into the food without her realising. The accessories might have bacteria which may contaminate the food. As for the long nails, it might break and gets into the food without her realising it too. The nails might contain dirt which has bacteria in it and thus contaminate the food. These are examples of physical contamination that we are going to explain further in the the upcoming posts.

The food handlers wore earrings when handling the food. The earrings might get into the food without her realising. Thus, this is an example of poor hygiene. This is also an example of physical contamination.

However they have an uniform to be wore in the kitchen when handling the food. The colour of their uniform is also appropriate. We are able to see if the uniform is soiled. This is an example of good hygiene.

Hong Kong Street Ming Zhong

We have chosen Hong Kong Street Ming Zhong as the establishment to do our informative blog on. It is a tze char stall in Ang Mo Kio. The well known dish there are the chili crab and curry fish head. It is always crowded when its during dinner time. 

The large amount of people that patronises the stalls there makes personal hygiene even more important. As long as one personal does not practice good personal hygiene, it will lead to food poisoning. Sometimes the environment that the food handlers prepare food in might not be ideal, for example, the heat & the queue, and they might commit poor personal hygiene. This might become a habit over time.