What is food hygiene and what are its conditions?
The main aim of food hygiene is to be able to issue safe and innocuous food for consumption. We packed food production and handling plants with thousands of items that threaten to jeopardize the safety of shipped products. Among them, we highlight pathogenic bacteria, biofilm, and allergens.
Cleaning and disinfection allow us to “isolate” all these threats and prevent them from becoming a danger, besides preventing the much-feared phenomenon of cross-contamination from occurring. Next, we define the concept of food hygiene and highlight its principles:
- What is food hygiene?
- Main conditions for food hygiene
- How does food temperature affect food hygiene?
- How does food storage affect food hygiene?
- How does food handling affect food hygiene?
- How does the cleaning and disinfection of facilities affect food hygiene?
- Do you need to renew your cleaning and disinfection products?
What is food hygiene?
The World Health Organization WHO defines the concept of food hygiene as the set of measures necessary to guarantee the healthiness of food from the moment we receive the raw material until the final product is dispatched. Through this practice, we can prevent food-borne diseases or contamination by allergens.
In this way, we can affirm that the main aim is to issue safe and healthy products for the final consumer.
Main conditions for food hygiene
There are different factors that intervene during the production chain and that can tip the balance towards a correct or incorrect shipment of food.
Below, we list what we consider to be the main conditioning factors:
- Food temperature (both cooking and storage)
- Storage conditions
- Food handling
- Cleaning and disinfection of facilities
How can food temperature affect hygiene?
Temperature sets the limits at which certain pathogenic bacteria can reproduce. In the food industry, it is common to hear talk frequently about maintaining the cold chain of food. This applies mainly to fresh foods, which should ideally be kept between 0ºC and 5ºC, and frozen foods, which should be kept at -18ºC. So, controlling the temperature during the transport and storage of food, is important to ensure that we maintain it at optimal levels during cooking.
How does food storage affect food hygiene?
In this article, we reviewed the principles for storing food in refrigerators and in this other for dry storage. As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, and food production and handling plant is full of elements that threaten the safety of the products shipped.
It is advisable to store food in dry places, away from direct light, and at a suitable temperature to prevent this from happening.
How can food handling affect it?
Handling food hygienically is crucial to prevent risks in the food industry. As a result, we must resort to individual protection equipment, for example, disposable gowns, gloves, hats, and masks. Hand washing should be done as often as possible during food handling.
How does the cleaning and disinfection of facilities affect hygiene?
Many pathogenic bacteria find the perfect habitat on surfaces and work items. The cleaning and disinfection of the facilities are two essential actions to prevent cross-contamination and guarantee a safe shipment of food.
We can help ourselves with a color coding of the cleaning material, specific detergent, disinfectant products,
, or treatments to prevent the appearance of biofilm, detect them and eliminate them.
All sanitizers used in food contact environments must be hospital-grade.
Do you need to renew your cleaning and disinfection products?
At SCS Group, we have over 10 years of experience offering hygiene solutions for the food industry.
We know the needs and problems of the sector. To have an extensive catalog that includes cleaning utensils, detergents, disinfectants, and hand hygiene products, among others. We are manufacturers of cellulose products and IIR surgical masks, and disposable hygienic masks.
Do you want to receive a personalized offer? Contact us and tell us your needs.