Food handler team handle all kind of works in the food premise. So, every one of them must understand the correct food handling concept so that they can do the work correctly. The very first point is to make sure food handlers themselves healthy and clean (the physical appearance). Every food handler should take anti-typhoid vaccination and attending food handlers training course before joining the food company. The 3-hour training might not really give a strong foundation to the food handlers, but they would learn all the DOs and DON’Ts in the food premise.
When food handlers are commencing work, it is
advisable that every food handler to practise food handling concepts they had learned
in Food Handlers Training Course. they have
to familiarize the correct food handling practices and make them as a
habit. Practice makes perfects. When food handlers build the good habit, they
will automatically take care the food hygiene very well.
Before food handler enters food premise, it is good
that every food handler to have a self-check on their health status. As during the period of Movement Control
Operation, every food handler is required to screen their body temperature with
the prepared thermometers and applying sanitizers. Food handler who didn’t feel good or having
high temperature (>37.5oC) is not allowed to work. And food handlers who has contagious disease
(eg flu) is also not allowed to handle food.
They should take medication and only allowed to handle food when they
are recovered.
Food handlers should not wear accessories (ear rings,
watch, neck lace etc， including
handphone) and cosmetic (lipstick, fingernail oil, lotion, make ups etc) to
work. They must wear clean and light-colored uniform or attire (head cover, face mask and apron), and also covered shoe. Before
entering food premise, Food handlers can check if they have long fingernails.
If they are, the food handler has to cut the nails before entering the food
premise. After food
handlers had checked their wearing, they must proceed to wash their hands
before starting to handling food. In
food processing factory / workshop, hand washing station is constructed outside
the processing area entrance, where food handlers would wash hands before
entering food processing area.
There are some bad
practices that food handlers must avoid when they are preparing food. For instance, coughing on the food would
allowing microbe in the body to contaminate the food easily, touching the food
with bare hands would allowing the biological contaminant on hand is
transferring to the food (cross-contamination), holding money while wearing
glove would contaminate the glove and eventually contaminating the food
afterwards. Many more. Food handlers
would learn about the poor practices what could contaminate food.
Maintaining good
personal hygiene is every food handler’ responsibility as by doing so, the food
handler team would prevent food contamination which lead to food poisoning to
the customers.
