Monday, December 15, 2008

Customers Aren't Getting Sick From My Food!

By Malcolm J. Richmond

If you are someone who owns or manages a restaurant in Melbourne, you want to make sure that proper health and sanitation concerns are a top priority. It doesn't matter whether the restaurant is small or large; the concerns are all the same.

Almost everyone is aware of the health code issues facing the food industry. You hear about them on the news and you read about them in the newspaper. When a restaurant is cited for health code violations, the repercussions are something that can prove quite costly. Of course usually the first sign that there are health issues at a restaurant will manifests itself in the form of sick customers. Depending on the severity of the contamination and how it makes the customer feel, they may simply decide not to return to the restaurant or they may decide to file a lawsuit.

Recovering from the loss of reputation that results from poor food safety can be nigh on impossible. Because of this it makes much more sense to protect yourself and your customers by ensuring that your food safety standards are high to begin with.

At the most basic level good food hygiene is a matter of cleanliness. Anyone who touches food should follow proper precautions and should be educated as to the necessary procedures involved in storing and handling food. Food areas should also be kept clean.

Food needs to be cooked thoroughly and it needs to be at the correct temperature to ensure that bacteria aren't multiplying, no matter whether it's being served or stored.

Another big concern when it comes to restaurants and health code concerns is cross contamination. Food, especially meat, needs to be stored in a way that the juices don't drip on other foods, such as vegetables and other types of meat.

Soap and water running over hands should be an almost constant activity. It should be an impulse action! This is extremely important when achieving good food hygiene. Anyone who touches the food should know the safety procedures. Know that before and after you touch food, you should wash your hands with warm water and liquid soap, and when finished washing, your hands should be completely dried with a towel only for that purpose. Hand washing is the most important factor for good food hygiene and this should be remembered after using the bathroom, touching money, after breaks, or after, sneezing, itching, or blowing your nose.

You may think you are fairly knowledgeable on the topic of food safety, and while this may be true there is always something to be learned through consultation with an expert. There is a lot going on. You and your staff are no doubt constantly on the move. When trying to get a meal out in time it is not uncommon for learnt food safety practices to fly out the window. Small details that are overlooked may end up becoming large problems later on. Your business may end up in hot water not to mention the safety of your customers. Professional services exist and be called to examine your current procedures and offer suggestions on how to push your restaurant that extra mile! In a place such as Melbourne where news travels fast, knowledge that you and your customers are safe will enable you to focus on providing an enjoyable experience for all!

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