How should the hygiene of food handlers be monitored?

Hygiene is a subject that has been talked about for a long time and it is still important to address this topic – food handler hygiene.

It is extremely important to control the hygiene of the facility, as well as the hygiene of the workers, especially the food handlers.

Food handlers are extremely important in guaranteeing a safe product! These professionals are part of the guarantee of quality control and food safety.

Lack of hygiene on the part of the food handlers is one of the main ways in which food can become contaminated, especially if they wash their hands incorrectly and do not wash them enough while working in the kitchen.

It is extremely important to monitor and ensure the physical health of the establishment’s workers and food handlers. All food handlers and/or workers who are injured must be rescued immediately and properly, so as not to contaminate the entire space and the food. Workers should not work if they have the flu, diarrhea, vomiting or any other reason that could in any way, directly or indirectly, contaminate the food and its preparation.

It is essential to understand that only the use of rigorous control and the implementation of a food safety methodology guarantees the hygiene and control of the entire production process and, through this system, food that does not endanger the health of consumers can be obtained. Therefore, the food handler and all the workers involved must be aware of their importance in obtaining products that do not harm the health of consumers.

I’d like to share a curiosity that highlights the importance of this subject.

“Inadequate habits can contaminate food or even transfer microorganisms from one food to another. A very frightening figure from the World Health Organization reveals that food handlers are responsible for up to 26% of outbreaks of illness caused by bacteria.” (SILVA et all., 2006). ”

As soon as we get onto the subject of personal hygiene, the first thing to talk about is hand hygiene. Let’s remind ourselves when we should wash our hands.

Wash your hands before:

1. Handling ready-made food;
2. Starting a new activity;
3. Touching clean utensils;
4. Put on gloves.

Wash your hands after:

1. Use the toilets;
2. Coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose;
3. After touching your nose, mouth or eyes;
4. Scratching any part of the body;
5. Using cleaning materials;
6. Smoking;
7. Eating;
8. Collecting garbage and other waste;
9. Touching boxes and bags.

Wash your hands whenever:

1. Handling food;
2. Changing activities;
3. Hands are dirty.

The food handler must always maintain:

1. Good personal hygiene habits;
2. Hair clean and properly protected by caps;
3. Daily shaving;
4. Brushed teeth;
5. Short, clean nails without nail polish (including foundation);
6. No make-up of any kind;
7. Use odorless or mild deodorants;
8. Avoid using any kind of cream or lotion on the hands;
9. Correct use of uniforms or protective clothing.

Prohibited habits when handling food:

1. Talking, singing, whistling, coughing, sneezing over food;
2. Chewing gum, toothpicks, matches or similar;
3. Sucking on candies, lollipops, etc;
4. Eating;
5. Spitting;
6. Scratching the nose, ear or any other part of the body;
7. Wiping sweat with hands, cloths or any part of the uniform;
8. Smoking;
9. Going to the toilet in an apron or coat;
10. Using utensils or food that has fallen on the floor;
11. Handling money;
12. Using dirty equipment or utensils.

But control is not just about hand hygiene, and nor should it be.

All handlers and workers must wear uniforms, protective clothing that is exclusive to the workplace. As a rule, the uniform consists of long pants, a short-sleeved shirt, closed protective shoes with non-slip soles, a cap and gloves, and must be kept clean and in good repair.

Another important issue is the color of the uniform: they should be light-colored, without pockets or buttons above the waist to prevent objects from falling into the food, and light-colored so that all dirt and cleanliness is evident.

Uniforms must be washed every day, and if workers wash their own uniforms, they must have more than one uniform and be informed of how to properly clean them.

Activities that are carried out in low-temperature conditions, such as in cold rooms, require the use of protective clothing. In the case of handling hot utensils, the equipment required is thermal insulating gloves, paying due attention to the hygiene of thermal gloves. When carrying out certain activities, such as handling meat, it is necessary to wear steel mesh gloves, mainly as a safety precaution for the handler. It is important to remember that these gloves must be properly sanitized after use.

In some cases, the use of disposable gloves is recommended, but it is considered mandatory in the case of hand injuries for protection. It is essential to sanitize your hands properly before putting on the gloves and after use! And remember, gloves should be replaced whenever:

1. Change activities (e.g. when you are handling raw food and start handling cooked and/or ready-made food);
2. Are torn or punctured;
3. Interrupting work.

Another important factor is the health checks that must be carried out, such as occupational health consultations and health surveillance (clinical health checks).

When a food handler becomes ill or has any illness or health problem that could result in the transmission of hazards to food, their entry into food handling or operation areas must be prohibited. For this reason, the handler must inform management or another person in charge of any suspected or confirmed health problem so that measures can be taken. It is not always necessary to remove the employee. In some cases, a possible measure is to direct the employee to another activity that does not involve handling food.

All people involved in operations that come into direct or indirect contact with food must receive training in food hygiene, according to their duties. Everyone must be aware of their role and responsibility in protecting food from contamination by foodborne pathogens or microorganisms that can cause spoilage. Handlers must have the necessary knowledge and sufficient experience to handle food hygienically.

Those who handle cleaning chemicals or other potentially dangerous chemical substances must know the safe techniques for handling these products.

New employees in a food company should receive training before they start work. In this way, they will be able to begin their tasks with the knowledge of the necessary precautions for safe and hygienic handling.

It’s important to remember that periodic training sessions should also be established by the company. The frequency and content of the training can be defined on the basis of consumer complaints, problems detected or failures in the process, technology updates, or any pertinent fact or issue that the company feels it needs to explore further with its workers.