WHEN A CUSTOMER FINDS A HAIR IN FOOD

I was sitting in a newly opened kopitiam, savoring a plate of economy noodles. The half-boiled egg was fried to perfection, the stuffed bean curd was smooth and melted in the mouth, paired with a spoonful of homemade chili sauce that had just the right balance of sour and spicy. The noodles were not greasy, served at a comforting warm temperature. At that moment, I was secretly pleased with myself for discovering a wonderful new breakfast spot.

 

However, life always loves to play a subtle joke on you at your most pleasant moments. As I gently nudged my chopsticks, my professional habit caught a glimpse of something unusual. It was an extremely fine black hair, lying lazily among the noodles as if silently provoking me. I gently traced it with my chopsticks, patiently lifted it out, and placed it on the table. Upon closer inspection, this hair was quite long—roughly between half a foot to a foot in length—with its end still lingeringly clinging to a strand of noodle.

I looked around, glancing over the busy figures, but did not see a single employee without a hairnet. That was strange. I didn't feel particularly disgusted; I just found it somewhat amusing. Anyone else would have stood up in a rage and made a huge fuss. Instead, I leisurely finished my noodles. When paying the bill, I gently reminded the lady at the cashier. She blushed in astonishment, apologized repeatedly, and turned around to grab the hair to question her colleagues in the kitchen. I didn't stick around to watch; I picked up my bag, walked to my car, and drove to the office.

 

Many people think that a hair is just a little unhygienic, so many people (including myself) choose to pick it out and continue eating. Little do they know, a hair actually harbors hidden dangers. Hair may carry Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium is one of the common pathogens causing food poisoning and is widely found on human skin, hair, nasal cavities, throat mucous membranes, and wounds. Besides contaminating food, this bacterium can secrete toxins. Certain enterotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus have strong heat resistance, and ordinary cooking processes may not completely destroy toxins that have already formed.

 

Here comes the question: Since it sounds so serious, why do we rarely hear news about "food poisoning caused by a single hair in food"? Wasn't there a problem with the bowl of noodles I ate? The answer is: finding a hair does not mean that this food will necessarily lead to food poisoning. What really needs attention is what happens after the contamination. If food is contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and left under temperature and time conditions suitable for bacterial growth, bacteria may multiply rapidly and produce enterotoxins. Once a sufficient amount of toxin is reached, it can cause food poisoning. Food operators must be extremely cautious!

 

Therefore, food handlers must wear hairnets during food preparation to effectively prevent hair from falling into the food. When wearing a hairnet, ensure that all hair is completely covered, especially the hair easily exposed at the forehead, sides, and back. Long hair should also be properly tied up and tucked inside the hairnet. Whenever I mention this, students always ask: "Is wearing just a cap okay?" I believe that if only a cap can be worn, the hair must at least be neatly combed, and employees with long hair must tuck all their hair completely into the cap. In addition, food handlers must maintain good personal hygiene at all times.

 

A single hair may not directly cause a case of food poisoning. But if food operators are willing to take every detail that could potentially affect food safety seriously—even a tiny hair like this—it represents an attitude toward food safety. And while customers might not always put it into words, they can definitely feel it. Eating with peace of mind is sometimes just that simple.

 

If you found a hair in your food, would you quietly pick it out and keep eating, or would you make a direct complaint to the establishment? Welcome to share what you would do in the comments section.

 

WHAT IS FOOD HANDLER TRAINING COURSE?

Whenever customers consult me about the courses I teach, the most common name I heard is Kursus Kendalian Makanan... 卫生课, 卫生牌, etc. In fact, the official name of the course is Kursus Latihan Pengendali Makanan (LPM).  The name is a bit long, so let's simply refer to it as LPM. As the name suggests, this course is an awareness program designed by the Health Department for food handlers. Most customers understand that anyone in Malaysia working in the food business must attend this 3-hour course and obtain a certificate, or risk being fined. Therefore, from time to time, I received inquiries like: 

"Can we take a shortcut? Can I skip the class, or have someone else attend on my behalf, and you just issue me the certificate? 

According to Regulation 30 of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, all food handlers must attend the Food Handler Training Course and obtain a certificate. Violators can be fined up to RM10,000 or imprisoned for up to two years. When health officers inspect food premises, they will definitely check whether all food handlers hold this certificate. So, is the value of this course merely a document for officers to inspect? Absolutely not! There are several benefits you might not have noticed yet.

New employees, especially those who have never worked in a food establishment, may feel uncertain about food handling tasks. Let's think about where they typically learn how to handle food:

• Probably they learn from movies
• Probably they learn from parents or elders (if their family business is/was in the F&B industry)
• Probably they learn from watching other F&B employees
• From bosses, superiors, or senior colleagues
• or based on their own assumptions (because "that's how mom does it at home")

Attending the LPM course allows employees to understand the basic requirements for keeping food clean and safe, which are also necessary knowledge for complying with Ministry of Health regulations. After taking this course, food handlers can independently check whether their daily operations are correct. Moreover, employees who are willing to honestly sit through a 3-hour class literally show a the willingness to work in a food establishment.

Therefore, bosses can use this opportunity to test whether new employees are truly willing to work in the food sector. I once had an employee who, even after attending my class, continued to wear nail polish and heavy makeup to work over the following days. The boss was baffled, thinking I had given the wrong advice, and asked me to have a conversation with his staff. When guide them, I found out that this employee didn't misunderstand what I taught—she simply lacked the mindset to be a competent food handler. I also learned that their previous job was working as a front-desk receptionist in heels and full makeup.  After that session, not long ago, I heard they quit their job.

A leader once told me: "It's great that our QA (Quality Assurance) team is rigorous, but if we can cultivate everyone as a QC, then we won't have to worry about food safety." Everyone is a valuable asset to the company and can help safeguard food hygiene and safety. Therefore, training is an indispensable part of any business. Through this course, employees not only learn food handling concepts and comply with Ministry of Health regulations, but they also obtain a permanent certificate that is valid nationwide. One stone kills 3 birds eh?

Students will learn the following in class:

• Personal hygiene, especially when handling food
• How to select qualified tools, keep them clean, and use them properly
• How to maintain hygiene inside and outside food premises and control pests
• How to select save raw food, along with proper handling and storage methods
• How to produce/prepare safe food
• How to handle cooked food... and more.

Look at these contents.  If we were to cover everything in detail, I feel 3 hours of teaching is barely enough. However, just give me three hours!

Some bosses have asked: "Do bosses need to take the class? Surely not, right?"

I believe that if you are in management, you need to understand the correct concepts of food handling even more. Once you understand this course, you can supervise whether your employees are doing things right. This way, if a problem is found, it can be corrected immediately rather than waiting for health officers to inspect and discover operational errors.

Even though employees have completed the 3-hour course and get high score in the tests, it does not mean they have "graduated" or are ready to "take charge." NO! After taking the class, food handlers need practice and must cultivate good habits; they must not only do the job right, but also do it skillfully. At this point, if management exercises strict control, the food safety standards of the establishment will gradually improve, and a culture of maintaining food safety will eventually form.

Regulations state that everyone handling food in an establishment must take this course. I believe management, especially business licensees, should take the class so they can easily supervise the work of food handlers. Furthermore, applications for various food licenses—such as canteen tenders, MeSTI (processing plants), BeSS (restaurants), and Home-based Food enterprises—all require the licensee to hold a Food Handler Training Course certificate.

In recent years, I have noticed that the Food Handler Training Course has gradually become even more crucial. Many major cities have begun implementing policies where a primary condition for supplying local food products to government sectors is having certification. To obtain that certification, all food handlers must possess LPM certificate.

It may seem like this course is merely an "entry ticket" to getting certified, but let's think about this: if your employees realised the importance of food hygiene and food safety and started to practise accordingly after attending the training, they will surely be able to help you take great care of your food business.  Do you agree? Welcome to share your thoughts in the comments section.