Maintenance
and sanitation is also major steps within operations of the food premises.
Maintenance is engineering part of your food premises. So, we will discuss that
soon after in genuinely. Sanitation is another subject area regarding your
final product quality. It is also major task in food premises. There are
compulsory requirements to setup within your premises. Top management of your
premises like the brain to lead all others. Quality Assurance department is
like the heart of your system. It should
be required set of laboratories to achieve future targets and maintain your
process's quality assurance standards. While your drafting that kind of
important tasks should be considered. Sanitation process must be controlled by
together with engineering and quality assurance department.
Premises & Physical
Maintenance
Food
premises, their fixtures, fittings, equipment and utensils should be maintained
to an acceptable standard of cleanliness, and in a good state of repair and
working order having regard to their use. There should be effective systems in
place to ensure adequate and appropriate maintenance, cleaning and sanitizing
of their facilities and equipment, control pests, remove waste and monitor and record
the effectiveness of maintenance and sanitizing procedures.
The
walls, floors, doors, artificial ceilings, woodwork and all other parts should
be kept clean, free of visible impossible matters or unpleasant odours,
especially that there should be no accumulation of reject, food waste or recycled matters except
in proper containers, dirt, grease and other visible matters that may unfavorably
affect the standard of cleanliness of the premises, such as mould and cobwebs.
Those kept in such good order, repair and condition so that they are not
broken, split, chipped or worn out, etc. as to enable them to be effectively
cleaned and prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, the risk of infestation
by pests and entry of birds.
Doors
especially their handles, knobs or plates that may come into contact with food
handlers' hands, windows, window frames,
and window shelves and other surrounds to openings in walls and ceilings should
be effectively cleaned. They should also be maintained in such a condition that
they will not allow pest infestation. Pest controlling process is important.
Closest
Surroundings, such as Streets, lanes and other public places or the common part
of a building, which are within 6 m of the food premises, should be kept clean
and free of litter or waste.
Food contact surfaces of equipment and
utensils, such as crockery, dishes and tableware, should be maintained in a
good condition of repair and working condition. They should be smooth, free of
cracks and crevices, and be kept clean and free from harmful matters by
standard cleaning and sanitizing at a frequency that prevents accumulation of
grease deposits, dirt and other residues, having regard to their use. A food contact surface should be cleaned and
sanitized between each use for raw food and ready to eat food. If an equipment
or utensil is used continuously at room temperature for handling potentially
hazardous foods such as meat slicers, it
should be cleaned and sanitized at least once every 4 hours. Food contact
surfaces of equipment and utensils should be maintained in a clean and sanitary
condition to prevent contamination of food. Special care should be taken to
clean and sanitize the equipment and utensils that have been used for handling
raw food before being used again for handling ready to eat food to avoid cross contamination.
Cutting surfaces such as chopping blocks
and cutting boards which are subject to scraping and making should be
resurfaced if they become too difficult to be effectively cleaned and
sanitized, and should be discarded if resurfacing is impossible.
Any part of a thermometer, especially
the temperature probe, that will be inserted into the food for temperature
measurement is a food contact surface, which should be cleaned and sanitized
between uses, particularly between each use for measuring the temperature of
raw food and ready to eat food.
Chipped or cracked eating or drinking
utensils cause food safety risk because such defects can harbor dirt and
bacteria, and spoil the surfaces' ability to be effectively cleaned and
sanitized, by this means allowing the spread of infectious diseases. Besides,
they may contaminate food directly if broken or chipped pieces fall into the
food, and the exposed sharp edges can easily cause injuries to customers.
All parts of the premises, fixtures,
fittings and equipment should be maintained at all times in a state of good
repair and working condition to prevent contamination of food by plaster,
paint, broken glass or leaking pipes, etc., enable effective cleaning and, if
necessary, sanitizing, ensure pests cannot gain access to the premises from
hollow spaces in ceilings, walls, etc. and ensure that the equipment works as
planned.
Kitchens and Food Rooms' Floors should be free from buildup of food
waste, dirt, grease or other visible intolerable matters. They should be washed
with detergents at least once daily. Hot water or steam may be used for better
removal of grease. Covings between floor and wall junctions should be kept
clean, in good repair and be attached tightly to their positions. Floor
surfaces should be maintained in good condition, free of cracks, crevices or
other defects. There should be no dips or hollows. Wall materials such as tiles
or stainless steel should be tightly attached to the surfaces. Walls of food rooms and kitchens should be
cleaned frequently, about once daily or more if necessary. Wall surfaces or
ceilings should be clear of unnecessary fittings or decorations such as posters
or pictures as far as possible.
Any furniture or equipment, which cannot
be moved by one man, should not be placed too near to any wall inside kitchens
or food preparation rooms as to block access to such places for cleaning.
Otherwise, heavy equipment can be installed with wheels to facilitate easy
removal for cleaning. Junctions between walls, and between walls and ceilings,
should be tightly sealed and maintained in good condition, and free from
cracks, crevices, holes or gaps or cracking materials. Any holes or gaps that
may allow access of pests to wall and ceiling cavities should be sealed up.
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Surfaces of ceiling should be smooth and
first finished in washable paint to facilitate cleaning, although frequent
cleaning is not necessary. Ceilings should be maintained in a good state of
repair so that there are no spaces or joints, and be kept in a clean and
sanitary condition.
Buildup of food waste, dirt and grease, etc.
provides food for pests and enables microbial growth, which are favorable to
food contamination. These dirt and waste may come from a variety of sources
including food spills, food handlers' shoes, cloths and food packaging, etc. brought into the
premises. Buildup of liquid on floors could provide a water source for pests
and support their presence in the premises. It could also be a source of
microbial contamination. Cracks, crevices or similar defects on walls, floors
or ceilings can harbor pests or become their breeding grounds. Effective,
frequent and regular cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance of floors, walls,
ceilings and equipment are then necessary for removal of food contaminants and
prevention of microbial breeding.
Non food contact surfaces of equipment
such as cupboards, refrigerators, wet refrigerators, racks, stoves, cooking
ranges and food lifts should be kept clean and in good state of repair and
working condition. Non food contact surfaces should be cleaned at a frequency
that prevents accumulation of dirt and grease, preferably once a week or more
as required. Cleaning has to be carried out in a systematic manner, for
example, in the cycle from walls, non food contact surfaces of equipment such
as cupboards, refrigerators, cooking ranges and then the floors. Systematic
cleaning of non food contact surfaces can be achieved by using below steps.
- Removing food debris and soil by clean
wiping cloths and brushes, etc.
- Rinsing with clean water
- Applying detergent and washing, with
brush or scourer to remove remaining debris or soil, if necessary
- Rinsing with clean water and air dry.
Similar to food contact surfaces, non
food contact surfaces should also be kept clean and in good repair to help
minimize the possibility of food contamination.
Cleaning
And Sanitizing Programme Of The Food Premises
Effective cleaning and sanitizing
programme can remove food leftovers, dirt and micro organisms, therefore
minimizing the risk of food contamination and food poisoning. To achieve the
standard of cleanliness, a cleaning or sanitizing programme should sooner be
developed to ensure that cleaning or sanitizing is conducted in a systematic
and regular manner. The programme may vary according to the size of operation
of food premises. A well planned cleaning or sanitizing programme should be
included areas and items of equipment and utensils to be cleaned or sanitized,
frequency of cleaning or sanitizing required for each item, specific standard
washing or cleaning or sanitizing procedures, equipment and methods to be used,
chemicals or processes to be used and
the staff responsible for each task.
The design of all food premises must
provide for suitable access for effective and efficient cleaning of all
equipment, fittings, surfaces and areas. Cleaning and sanitizing
of equipment and utensils should be done as separate processes. A surface needs
to be thoroughly cleaned before it is sanitized.
Cleaning is a process for removal of
contaminants such as food residues, dirt, grease and bacterial film from a
surface, which is achieved by the use of water and proper detergent. Systematic
cleaning can be achieved by pre scraping
the utensils or surfaces and rinsing with clean water to remove most of the
food residues, dirt and debris present, washing with warm water and detergent
by agitation to loosen the remaining food residues and dirt, rinsing with clean water to remove the
loosened food residues and dirt, and to get rid of the residues of detergent by
clean water.
Detergents
used for cleaning food contact surfaces should be appropriate for the task, and
be able to effectively remove food residues on equipment and utensils.
Agitation can be done manually with the use of cloth, scrapers, scourers or
brushes or mechanically by means of
mechanical dishwashers that can deliver water at such a pressure as to provide
the agitation required for removing food residues and other soil from the
surfaces of utensils or equipment.
Sanitizing
Process Of Food Premises
After cleaning, food contact surfaces of
equipment and utensils can be sanitized by
being immersed in boiling water for not less than one minute inside a
sterilizer or immersed in a non toxic
solution containing a bactericidal agent of a type approved by the Food
standards at a temperature of not less than 24oC for at least one
minute or mechanically washed in a mechanical
dishwasher of a type approved by the Food standards.
Most of the bactericidal agents used in
food premises are chlorine based compounds. Instructions on how to use the
agents should always be followed, especially the optimal combination of the
temperature, pH and concentration of the agent. If the instructions are not
clear, further advice should be required from the supplier.
Drying
& Storing Of Cleaned Equipments
All cleaned and sanitized equipment and
utensils should be thoroughly dried by evaporation or air dry.
Cleaned and sanitized equipment should
be stored in a cupboard which has been cause to be evidence against the access
of dust and pests, if not for immediate use.
Utensils and equipment should be
sanitized, either mechanically or manually, after cleaning to minimize the risk
of food becoming contaminated with micro organisms when coming into contact
with the utensils or equipment. Bactericidal agent should be applied at the proper concentration, temperature and for
the appropriate length of time to achieve pleasing reduction in bacterial
level, whose effectiveness is a function of the time and temperature that the
utensils and equipment to be sanitized are exposed to.
Sanitized equipment and utensils should
be allowed to dry as quickly as possible as most micro organisms cannot survive
in the absence of water. Drying by towels or storing on a dirty surface may
lead to re-contamination of cleaned and sanitized surface.
Air
Filters And Filter Flag Indicators
Air filters or grilles of
ventilating systems should be removable for cleaning, and be cleaned frequently
to prevent accumulation of dirt and dust. Filters should be cleaned by water
and detergent, or be replaced, when the filter gauge or differential pressure switch shows an
increase of 50 Pascal over the designed air filter pressure drop, or when the
filter flag indicator shows "dirty". Additionally, air filters should
be installed in such a manner that all incoming air must pass through them
before distributed within the premises. All grilles should be tightly fixed in
their positions to guard against entry of rodents.
Fused
Running Hour Meters
Each fused running hour meter installed for
ventilating systems should be checked frequently to ensure that it is
functioning properly.
Annual
Inspection
Ventilating systems in food premises should be inspected at
intervals not exceeding 12 months by registered specialist contractor. Air
supplied to food premises should be of sufficient quality and quantity to
replace contaminated air for the health of workers and customers.
Maintenance
Of Refrigerators Including Chillers And Walk In Freezers
Refrigerators for storing fresh food
should be kept at a temperature not exceeding 10oC, if possible at
or below 4oC. A thermometer should be provided to each refrigerator
indicating the temperature at which the food is being stored. Doors of
refrigerators should be kept closed at all times except during use.
Overstocking of food in refrigerators, should be avoided to ensure free
circulation of cold air in the refrigerator and maintenance of food at proper
temperatures. Inside surfaces of refrigerators including their border should be
cleaned frequently. Over frozen refrigerators should be defrosted without
delay.
Linens
Or Cloths
Cloths or linens such as wiping towels,
table cloths, aprons, clothing, uniforms, etc. may be used in food premises.
They should be of light colour, kept clean and in a sanitary condition. Clean cloths
should be free from food residues or other soiling matters. They should be
washed if they become wet, sticky or soiled. Cloths required to be sterilized,
such as dry wiping cloths for polishing dried utensils, should be washed and
sterilized after each use either by dipping in boiling water for not less than
one minute or using a bactericidal agent approved by relevant bodies. Cloths or Linens should be
used for one single purpose only. ( wiping towels used for wiping food spills
on table surfaces should not be used for any other purpose such as for
polishing dried utensils).
Laundering those linens should be
practiced according to the cleaning procedure. It will facilitate favorable
conditions of linens to prevent cross contamination by food handlers for the
processes of food premises. Aprons, clothing and uniforms should be clean and
fit to wear. Buttons should be avoided for those who directly handle food to
prevent them from coming off and falling into food. These clothing should be
washed at least once a day, or when they become soiled or sticky. Storage of
used cloths should be kept in suitable vessels or laundry bags away from food
preparation areas to prevent contamination of food, food contact surfaces, food
equipment and utensils.
Use of cloths for drying of food contact
surfaces of equipment is not recommended as the cloth is likely to contain
bacteria or contaminants that would be transmitted to the equipment during the
drying process. Food contact surfaces should be air dried. Dry cloth may be
used for polishing dried utensils.
