Basic Guidance Principles for Restaurants

Food Hygiene Rules

Segue slideRunning a restaurant

➔ Register the premises with the local authority

➔ Ensure the premises are designed & operated appropriately

➔ Provide adequate washing & personal hygiene facilities for staff

➔ All staff should be trained to an appropriate level

➔ Appropriate action must be taken to prevent the risk from food hazards

Segue slidePersonal Hygiene

➔ Correct handwashing is hugely important to prevent contamination

➔ 15-20 seconds should be spent rubbing soap into wet hands

➔ Use paper towels or an air dryer

➔ Don’t use tea towels or cloths to dry hands - they just collect bacteria!

➔ No watches, brooches, jewelled rings, earrings or strong perfumes

➔ Don’t handle food when suffering from any contagious illness

Segue slideFood Hazards

➔ Keep raw and high risk food separate

➔ Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone

➔ The danger zone is below 5°C or above 63°C

➔ Make sure you use tongs - avoid touching food with your hands

➔ Keep raw foods separate

➔ Food must be cooked thoroughly (at least 70°C for 2 minutes) to kill bacteria

➔ When hot-holding food, it must be kept at 63°C or above

Segue slideChilling & Freezing

➔ The freezer should be operating at a maximum temperature of -18°C

➔ Check the temperature of your fridge regularly and record it

➔ Ideally fridge temperatures should be 1°C – 4°C

➔ Don’t leave the freezer door open, or overload it above the load line

➔ Label all foods with the correct dates to ensure that stock is rotated correctly

➔ Ensure that you keep the raw foods on the lower shelves

➔ Do not put hot foods directly into the fridge

Segue slidePreventing Contamination

➔ Immediately clean work surfaces where raw meat has been handled

➔ Keep equipment used in the preparation of raw meats & poultry separate

➔ Maintain a high standard of general cleanliness of worktops & equipment

➔ Keep separate cloths & chopping boards for use with different kinds of food

➔ Keep wiping cloths used in raw food areas out of other areas

➔ Work with clean cloths, disinfect them regularly

➔ Remember a cloth is only as clean as the last place it wiped!

Segue slideServing Food

➔ Use tongs or spoons to pick up food - one for each kind of food

➔ Place paper, polythene or a container on scales before using them

➔ Never handle food & money at the same time

➔ Make sure animals are kept out of food premises (except guide dogs)

➔ Keep foods covered to prevent customers contaminating them

➔ Tie back hair & avoid long, painted or false nails

Segue slideStock Control

➔ Foods should be bought from reputable suppliers

➔ Regularly ensure physical objects or chemicals are not contaminating foods

➔ Move old stock to the front of the fridge where it will be used first

➔ Place new stock underneath old stock in freezers

➔ Rotate fresh produce by date & condition

➔ Remember FIFO – First In First Out

Segue slideWaste

➔ Food waste must be disposed of properly

➔ It can be a source of both bacterial & physical contamination

➔ There should be bins both inside & outside

➔ Indoor bins should have lids and ideally be foot operated

➔ Line all bins with a disposable polythene sack

➔ Rubbish should be removed throughout the day

➔ Outdoor bins should have a tight fitting lid or use a skip with a lid

Segue slideFind out more

➔ Take our quick online food hygiene quiz to test your knowledge

➔ Read more food hygiene posts on our hub

➔ Follow us on twitter @hst