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.