Tips for Preventing Contamination in Food Products
It’s important for processing plants to have systems in place that keep employees and consumers safe. One of the biggest concerns is contamination. There are various things the plant can do to ensure the food they’re processing is handled properly. Here are a few tips for preventing contamination in food products.
Keep Everything Clean
Keeping everything clean is one of the best tips for preventing contamination in food products. Think about cross-contamination for example. If the kitchen is clean, there’s less risk of cross-contamination to occur. The same thing goes for a processing plant. The trucks and carts must be wiped down after each use. The equipment and machines must also be wiped down to prevent contamination. Make sure there’s a routine in place to ensure these tasks are completed on a regular basis.
Ensure Employees Are Healthy
If you’re trying to prevent contamination in food products, make sure employees are healthy. Taking the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe is more important than ever with the pandemic. It’s a good idea to have temperature checks every morning to ensure that everyone who’s working is healthy. Encourage employees to stay home if they’re unwell. Someone handling food while sick isn’t safe, so make sure everyone who’s on the job is feeling well. Encourage employees to be open about how they’re feeling. Many employees feel pressured to come to work, even when they’re sick. Let employees know that it’s okay to take off work if they’re sick. It’s also beneficial to have extra staff to cover shifts should someone get sick.
Keep Food at The Proper Temperature
To prevent food contamination, it’s important to keep the products at the proper temperature. Some food can be room temperature, whereas other food must be refrigerated. It’s important to keep this in mind when the products are being processed and transported. Mechanical refrigeration is something to consider if you transport food that’s temperature sensitive. The worst thing that could happen is that the food is delivered to the facility and it’s contaminated. This could happen if the transportation’s temperature isn’t regulated.
