Sanitation practices in the Food and Beverage Industry
Charles Jullian E. Fontillas
Sanitation practices in the Food and Beverage Industry
1) provide appropriate clothing to prevent product contamination. Factory clothing should be hygienically designed to prevent foreign bodies from shedding directly (i.e., lint, buttons) or indirectly (i.e., outside pockets from which objects can fall out into product). Whenever possible, smocks should not have outside pockets. Many aprons, gloves and smocks used in food production are constructed and designed to prevent microbial cross-contamination of the product from the employee.
2) DON’T allow jewelry in the production area, period. In the era of tongue rings and body piercings, it is good to have a completely restrictive policy to prevent foreign material inclusions from personnel to the line. In addition, a pre-shift check of the condition of clothing or footwear for frayed edges or loose items, such as buttons or snaps, can help control inadvertent foreign material contamination of product during the shift.
3) DO provide appropriate hand washing resources for the number and placement of your employees. If 200 employees are going back to the line at the same time after break, there has to be enough hand washing stations to accommodate that flux of employees. If hand washing stations are not placed in convenient locations, employees may skip washing. In some operations and in some production areas, employees need access to hand washing stations more frequently than just at start-up and at break, so the key is keeping the units accessible and well-stocked so that employees will use them. If personnel have to travel to find a sink, it isn’t going to happen.
4) DO make sure that production tools are cleanable and maintained in good condition. For example, scratches or cracks in the handle of a food-contact knife creates a great niche for microbial growth and contamination. Eventually, the microorganisms are going to slough out onto your product. Tools should be
Sanitation practices in the Food and Beverage Industry
1) provide appropriate clothing to prevent product contamination. Factory clothing should be hygienically designed to prevent foreign bodies from shedding directly (i.e., lint, buttons) or indirectly (i.e., outside pockets from which objects can fall out into product). Whenever possible, smocks should not have outside pockets. Many aprons, gloves and smocks used in food production are constructed and designed to prevent microbial cross-contamination of the product from the employee.
2) DON’T allow jewelry in the production area, period. In the era of tongue rings and body piercings, it is good to have a completely restrictive policy to prevent foreign material inclusions from personnel to the line. In addition, a pre-shift check of the condition of clothing or footwear for frayed edges or loose items, such as buttons or snaps, can help control inadvertent foreign material contamination of product during the shift.
3) DO provide appropriate hand washing resources for the number and placement of your employees. If 200 employees are going back to the line at the same time after break, there has to be enough hand washing stations to accommodate that flux of employees. If hand washing stations are not placed in convenient locations, employees may skip washing. In some operations and in some production areas, employees need access to hand washing stations more frequently than just at start-up and at break, so the key is keeping the units accessible and well-stocked so that employees will use them. If personnel have to travel to find a sink, it isn’t going to happen.
4) DO make sure that production tools are cleanable and maintained in good condition. For example, scratches or cracks in the handle of a food-contact knife creates a great niche for microbial growth and contamination. Eventually, the microorganisms are going to slough out onto your product. Tools should be