Hygiene, self-control and food safety
How the name is used to tell the story of the product
When you make food for sick elderly and vulnerable people food safety is especially important. An error that might give a healthy person a stomachache can be serious for a weakened patient. That's why hygiene and self-control are the foundation of the whole trade.
§Quality control — keeping an eye on it yourself.
Food companies must work according to a self-inspection program where they themselves monitor that food is handled safely. This means that you continuously check and document, e.g. cooling temperatures, heat penetration and hygiene. Self-inspection is not bureaucracy for bureaucracy's sake — it is the way to catch and prevent errors before they become illness.
§Temperature and cold chain
Most food bacteria grow fastest at body-warm temperatures. Therefore much is about temperature: cold food must be kept cold, hot food must be kept hot and cooling must happen quickly. The unbroken cold chain — from shopping through storage to serving — is one of the most important safety barriers in a large kitchen.
§Cross-contamination and separation
Cross-contamination is when bacteria or allergens move from one product to another — e.g. from raw meat to lettuce via the same chopping board. That is why raw and cooked are kept separate, different tools are used and thorough cleaning is done between tasks. It is one of the most common reasons people get sick from food.
§Allergens and diets as safety
Allergens are not just a matter of labeling, but also safety. For some, even small amounts of an allergen can be dangerous. When you make allergen-free or diet food, you must be sure that the right person gets the right food and that there has been no cross-contamination along the way.
- 01Keep track of which diets and allergies apply to whom.
- 02Avoid cross-contamination with allergen-free food.
- 03Make sure that the right food reaches the right person.
- 04Document when something deviates.
§Work environment and safety
The large kitchen is also a physical work environment with hot pots and ovens, sharp knives, heavy lifting and wet floors. Good lifting technique, attention to scalding and burns, non-slip shoes and order prevent accidents. Take care of both the food and yourself.
“The safe routine you repeat every day is what keeps the guests healthy.”
— Food safety principle