Important notes food safety

All persons who handle food need to be able to:
•access and apply predetermined safe food handling procedures for hospitality and tourism workplaces
•identify potential food safety risks, and apply methods of food hazard controls
•identify individual responsibilities in relation to maintaining compliance to food safety legislation
•take action to ensure the non conta...mination of food and other items

Food hygiene practices are particularly important for all hospitality businesses as poor food safety practices can risk the health of customers, colleagues and self. All workers must be able to identify potential food safety hazards and follow procedures of a food safety program within each business operation, whether it be hospitality and accommodation, commercial catering or a retail venue.

 

Hygiene and safety

A few guidelines to remember on hygiene and safety in a bar

Always be clean, tidy and diplomatic.

Always rinse/wash bar equipment like cocktail shakers and strainers after use, even between drinks.

Always wash and dry your hands frequently, especially after contact with citrus fruit/juices. This helps prevent hand dermititis.
...
Look after your hands, especially your fingernails, as these are always in view. Keep fingernails short, and if using nail polish, use neutral colours.

Don't smoke or drink while working behind a bar, it is considered unsanitary and in many countries is also illegal.

Don't allow a champagne corks to 'pop' on removal, this is of bad taste and dangerous.

Handle a glass soda siphon by the plastic or metal part only. The heat of your hand may cause the glass to shatter.

Never fill a glass to the brim.

 

 

The importance of food safety management & training in restaurants

Regardless of whether a business has a great menu, a strong customer base, or friendly staff, failing to effectively implement and maintain food safety standards can cause serious problems for business owners and their staff.

Penalties for failing to maintain food safety standards range from improvement notices, through to two y...ears imprisonment if convicted

Not ignoring the obvious benefits to customer health and the avoidance of legal proceedings that high standards of food safety bring, effective food safety procedures can also add further value to restaurants, cafes and other catering outlets. Through effective management systems, businesses can control and reduce food wastage costs, support consistent product quality and help ensure overall customer satisfaction. Quality food safety procedures are consequently not just a necessity for customer wellbeing and legal compliance, but can enhance business success and profitability also.

local councils provide very good resources for implementing food safety procedures. These provide business owners with the basics to protect themselves and their business. However, every business is different and in order to better meet the needs of individual operations and to provide a greater degree of due diligence, a bespoke food safety management system may be beneficial in some circumstances.

Whichever type of system is in place within a business, the most important aspect of its success is that the team involved are sufficiently trained and competent to implement and maintain it; and that management are fully equipped to monitor effectively and consistently. By ensuring food handlers are trained to at least level 2 in a reputable food safety qualification, this helps businesses meet their legal obligation to ensure staff are trained to a level commensurate with their job roles. Further training on how to best utilise a food safety management system will be beneficial to maintaining standards