DON'T FORGET: If you use the full chefsbk.com system, you can store your current processes in your INFORMATION CENTRE, rather than keep them in folders.
This is your central information hub for your team, where everyone can reference your processes.
Using this sharing method means everyone sees same processes in an up to date and consistent way, which may not always be the case if paper based information hasn't been updated in a timely manner.
Any updates made to the information centre are automatic and instant for local chefsbk's or within 24 hours for organisations using content hubs.
No paper required.
Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. It happens when harmful bacteria, viruses or allergens are spread onto food from other food, surfaces, hands or equipment.
Use the drop down box below to choose which Safe Method section you wish to complete.
It is essential for staff to follow good personal hygiene practices to help prevent foodborne illnesses due to bacteria and viruses spreading to food.
How do you ensure your team are fit for work?
How do you check food handlers have been free from symptoms for 48 hours before returning to work?
SAFETY POINT:
Staff should always wash their hands thoroughly with warm water before preparing food. (See the ‘Handwashing’ method in the Cleaning section of SFBB.)
WHY?
Is one of the best ways to prevent harmful bacteria and viruses from spreading
DO YOU DO THIS?
Are all staff trained to wash their hands before preparing food?
SAFETY POINT:
Work clothes should be appropriate for staff duties and protect food
from contamination. Ideally, they should be light - coloured with no external pockets. It is also a good
idea to wear a clean apron or disposable apron over work clothes.
WHY? Work clothes should minimise skin
coming into contact with food and
prevent hairs, fibres and the contents
of pockets (which can carry bacteria)
getting into food. Light colours show
dirt clearly.
.
LIST what kind of clothes your team should be wearing at work, in the kitchen, front of house etc
.
REMEMBER to add these requirements to any processes you provide to your staff.
SAFETY POINT
All staff should wear clean clothes when working with food. Ideally, they should change into clean work clothes before starting work and not wear these clothes outside food preparation
.
WHY?
Clothes can bring dirt and bacteria into food preparation areas. Wearing clean clothes helps to prevent this
.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Do your staff wear clean work clothes?
SAFETY POINT
Ideally, work clothes should be long-sleeved and light-coloured (to show the dirt) with no external pockets. It is also a good idea to wear a clean apron or disposable apron over work clothes
WHY?
Clothes can bring dirt and bacteria into food preparation areas. Wearing clean clothes helps to prevent this
. HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Do your staff change clothes before starting work? Do you have changing facilities for them and storage their normal clothes?
Where do you store clean uniforms and aprons?
SAFETY POINT:
Staff should change aprons after working with raw food e.g. meat, poultry, eggs or unwashed vegetables.
WHY?
Aprons help to stop dirt and bacteria from getting onto work clothes and they can be removed easily for washing, or thrown away if disposable
, HOW DO YOU DO THIS? WHAT KIND OF APRONS DO YOU USE? WHICH TASKS DO YOU USE THEM FOR?
MANAGE IT:
It is good practice to keep a clean set of work clothes or disposable aprons for visitors.
WHY?
Anyone entering the kitchen can bring in bacteria on their clothes.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Where do you keep clean uniforms/ disposable aprons?
SAFETY POINT
It is good practice for staff to keep hair tied back and wear a hat or hairnet when preparing food.
WHY?
If hair is not tied back or covered, it is more likely to fall into food and staff are more likely to touch their hair.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS?
SAFETY POINT
Staff should not wear watches or jewellery when preparing food (except a plain wedding band)
WHY?
Watches and jewellery can collect and spread dirt and harmful bacteria, or fall in the food
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Do your staff take off watches and jewellery before preparing food?
SAFETY POINT:
Staff should not smoke or use E-cigarettes, drink, eat or chew gum while handling food.
Staff should also avoid touching their face, hair
or nose, or coughing and sneezing over or near
food, and wash hands if they do.
Staff should also take extra care when handling money and other payment methods.
WHY?
All of these lead to staff touching their face or mouth. Harmful bacteria can be spread from someone’s face or mouth to their hands and then onto food.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Are staff trained not to do these things?
SAFETY POINT:
Staff should be 'FIT FOR WORK’ at all times. This means that they must not be suffering from, or carrying, an illness or disease that could cause a problem with food safety.
WHY?
People who are not 'FIT FOR WORK’ could spread harmful bacteria or viruses to food. See the FSA website for more
information.
Do your food handlers understand the
importance of being ‘fit for work’ and
what they need to report?
SAFETY POINT:
Any member of staff who has diarrhoea and/or vomiting should report it to their manager immediately and either stay at home or go home straight away.
WHY?
People suffering from these symptoms often carry harmful bacteria on their hands and can spread them to food or equipment they touch.
SAFETY POINT:
Staff who have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting should not return to work until they have had no symptoms for 48 hours.
WHY?
Even if the diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped, someone can still carry harmful bacteria for 48 hours afterwards.
Do you check food handlers have been free of symptoms for 48 hours before returning to work?
SAFETY POINT:
Staff should tell their manager if they have any cuts or sores and these should be completely covered with a brightly coloured waterproof dressing.
WHY?
Cuts and sores can carry harmful bacteria. Covering them prevents bacteria spreading to food. Coloured
waterproof dressings can be seen more
easily if they drop into food.
WHAT TO DO IF THINGS GO WRONG:
If staff are not ‘FIT FOR WORK’, move them out of food handling areas or send them home. Throw away any unwrapped foods they have handled
HOW TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN
1. Train staff again on this safe method.
2. Improve staff supervision.
WRITE DOWN WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT YOU DID ABOUT IT IN YOUR DAILY OPENING CHECK SHEET (HYGIENE TAB)
.
MANAGE IT:
Make sure that all staff understand the importance of being ‘fit for work’ and what they need to report.
WHY?
This is so they understand how some types of illness can affect the safety of food and that they must tell their
manager if they have these types of illness.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Have each trained member of staff complete the Cross Contamination section of the SAFE METHOD COMPLETION RECORD held on the training tab.
MANAGE IT
It is a good idea to have a separate area where staff can change and store their outdoor clothes.
WHY?
Clothes could be a source of bacteria if they are left lying around.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Where do staff change and store their outdoor clothes?
MANAGE IT: It is good practice yo keep a clean set of work clothes or disposable aprons for visitors. WHY? Anyone entering the kitchen can bring in bacteria their clothes. WHERE DO YOU KEEP CLEAN UNIFORMS/ DISPOSABLE APRONS?
Cloths can be one of the top causes of cross-contamination in the kitchen. It is essential to use them safely to prevent bacteria, viruses or allergens from spreading.
SAFETY POINT:
Use disposable cloths wherever possible and throw them away after each task.
WHY?
This will make sure that any bacteria, viruses or allergens picked up by the cloth will not be spread.
SAFETY POINT:
Always use a new or freshly cleaned and disinfected cloth to wipe work surfaces, equipment or utensils that will be used to prepare and serve food. Cloths used in food preparations
should only be used for these purposes and never used for
any other cleaning or tasks around the kitchen.
WHY?
It is especially important to protect fresh food (for example,
raw vegetables, fruits and salads) and ready-to-eat food from
pathogens that could cause foodborne illness. This is
because the food will not be cooked, so any bacteria or
viruses on the food will not be killed.
SAFETY POINT:
Thoroughly wash and disinfect re-usable cloths after
using them with food and any equipment or surfaces that
come into contact with food .
WHY?
Raw meat/poultry are more likely
to contain harmful bacteria than other foods. The soil on vegetables can also contain harmful bacteria.
SAFETY POINT:
If using re-usable cloths, make sure they are thoroughly
washed, disinfected and dried properly between tasks (not
just when they look dirty).
Ideally, wash cloths in a washing machine on a very hot cycle.
A suitably high temperature can be obtained using a hot cycle
of 90°C.
If you wash and disinfect cloths by hand, make sure all the
food and dirt has been removed by washing in hot soapy
water before you disinfect them. After washing, you can
disinfect by using boiling water or a suitable disinfectant,
following the manufacturer’s instructions (please note bleach
is not a suitable disinfectant).
WHY?
Using dirty cloths can spread bacteria and allergens very easily. Cloths that are not dried properly can increase
the risk of bacteria.
A hot wash cycle will clean the cloths thoroughly and kill bacteria (disinfect).
If food or dirt is still on the cloths, this will prevent the disinfection process from being effective, so harmful bacteria might not be killed.
HOW DO YOU CLEAN REUSABLE CLOTHS?
Holding hot items (e.g. oven trays) – use tea towel or chef’s cloth
The Best Cloth For The Job Is:
OVEN CLOTH
Do you do this?
Washing up dishes – use a dish cloth
The best cloth for this job is:
BLUE DISPOSABLE DISHCLOTH
Do you do this?
Use disposable cloths or paper towels for the following jobs:
Wiping surfaces:
The best cloth for this job is:
BLUE DISPOSABLE Centre feed roll
Do you do this?
Mopping up spills:
The best cloth for this job is:
BLUE DISPOSABLE Centre feed roll.
Do you do this?
Wiping hands:
The best cloth for this job is:
DISPOSABLE FOLDED TOWELS.
Do you do this?
Wiping sides of dishes before serving:
The best cloth for this job is:
DISPOSABLE FOLDED TOWELS.
Do you do this?
Drying ingredients:
The best cloth for this job is:
DISPOSABLE FOLDED TOWELS.
Do you do this?
If you notice dirty cloths in the kitchen remove them for cleaning immediately or throw them away.
If you think staff have used a dirty cloth, wash, disinfect and dry any equipment, work surfaces or utensils it has touched and throw away any food that might have been contaminated.
HOW TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN:
Consider using disposable cloths if you are not using them already.
Increase your supply disposable/ clean cloths.
Train staff again on this safe method.
Improve supervision.
MANAGE IT:
Have a special place in the kitchen for dirty re-usable cloths before they are washed and used again.
WHY?
This is to prevent them being re-used before they have been washed.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Where do staff put dirty re-usable cloths?
Always keep a good supply of disposable/clean cloths in your kitchen.
WHY?
Staff are more likely to use clean cloths if plenty are available.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Where do you keep new/clean cloths?
Keeping raw and ready-to-eat food separate is essential to prevent harmful bacteria from
spreading. Raw foods include raw meats and unwashed salad, vegetables and fruits.
Ready-to-eat foods include cooked foods, washed salads, garnishes, desserts and other
foods that will not be cooked before eating. Additionally, allergen free food should be
kept separately where possible to avoid cross contamination.
For more information on separating foods visit the FSA website
SAFETY POINT:
DELIVERY AND COLLECTION
Plan delivery times so that, if possible raw foods arrive at different times to other foods. If delivered together, raw and ready to eat foods must be kept separate.
WHY?
This helps prevent harmful bacteria spreading from raw food to ready-to-eat foods.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Make a note in your diary when deliveries come?
DON'T FORGET:
If you use the full chefsbk.com system you can add this information to your suppliers.
SAFETY POINT:
STORAGE
Ideally, store raw and ready-to-eat food in separate fridges, freezers and display units. If they are in the same unit, store raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs below ready-to-eat food. Unwashed fruit and vegetables should also be kept separate from ready-to-eat food and above raw meat.
Use either separate containers for raw and
ready-to-eat foods or clean and heat disinfect
between uses. Guidance on how to vacuum
pack your chilled food products safely can be
found on the FSA website.
Cover cooked foods and other ready-to-eat food using lids, foil or cling film. Coverings for raw and ready to eat foods should be kept separate.Allergen free foods
should be stored separately.
WHY?
This helps to prevent harmful bacteria spreading from raw food to ready-to-eat food.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
How do you make sure raw and ready-to-eat food is stored separately?
Describe how do you limit cross contamination
with allergens?
Are separate containers used for
allergen free foods?
Are separate containers used for raw
and ready-to-eat foods? If not, describe your process, including if NO are containers cleaned and disinfected between uses.
SAFETY POINT:
DEFROSTING.
Keep raw foods that are defrosting in the fridge in a covered container, below ready-to-eat food, or in a separate area of the kitchen away from other foods. (See the ‘Defrosting’ method in the Chilling section.)
WHY?
When foods are defrosting, the liquid that comes out can contain harmful bacteria, which could spread to other foods.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Where do you defrost foods?
SAFETY POINT: PREPARATION. Prepare raw meat/poultry and other foods in different areas. If this is not possible, separate by preparing them at different times and clean and then disinfect thoroughly between tasks using the "2 stage clean". Where possible, ready-to-eat food preparation should take place before raw food preparation. Where possible, allergen free foods should be prepared separately from allergen containing foods. Dedicated colour coded chopping boards and utensils should be used to prepare different foods, especially raw and cooked meat/poultry/ fish, fresh foods and allergens.
Which of the following controls do you
have in place? Different areas for raw and ready-to-eat
food preparation?
DON'T FORGET: If you use the full chefsbk.com system, the EQUIPMENT LIST used in recipes allow you to specify which colour coded boards should be used.
SAFETY POINT:
Do not wash raw meat or poultry.
WHY?
Washing meat does not kill bacteria and allergens, but it can splash harmful bacteria around the kitchen contaminating sinks, taps and surfaces and ready-to-eat food. More information can be found on the FSA website.
IMPORTANT:
Different area for the preparation of allergen
free food?
If not, are areas cleaned thoroughly before the preparation of allergen free food? More information can be found on the FSA
website. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS?
Wash unwashed vegetables, salad
and fruit in a separate, dedicated
sink under running water.
Where this is not possible, and the
sink is used for other tasks, clean
and disinfect the sink and use
a dedicated bowl to protect the
food during washing. Then place
in a colander for a final rinse under
running water.
Further information on two
stage cleaning is in the ‘Cleaning Effectively’ section.
WHY? To remove soil residues (which may contain
bacteria) and pesticides on the fruit, salad
and vegetables which may stop it being safe
to eat.
SAFETY POINT:
Always use separate equipment, such as vacuum packers, slicers or mincers, for raw and ready-to-eat food.
WHY?
It is not possible to remove harmful bacteria from complex machinery and these bacteria can spread to food.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
Do you use different complex equipment for raw and ready-to-eat food preparation (e.g. mincers etc)?
List the complex equipment you use and for what.
SAFETY POINT: Cooking e.g with grills, barbecues etc.
When you add raw meat make sure it does not touch or drip onto the food already cooking or onto ready-to-eat foods.
IMPORTANT: Remember to wash hands after handling raw meat or its packaging.
WHY?
Bacteria could spread from the raw meat to the other food and stop it being safe to eat.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
How do you keep raw meat separate from food already cooking?
Do you have separate probes for raw and ready-to-eat food temperature checks?
Equipment with moving parts:
You should never use the same equipment, such as vacuum packing machines, slicers and mincers, for both raw
and ready-to-eat food. These are complex pieces of machinery with lots of moving parts and it is very difficult to
clean them sufficiently, so bacteria from raw food could easily be transferred to ready-to-eat food.
To clean this equipment effectively, it needs to be taken apart. (Vacuum packing machines require a specialist to
do this.) If you are unsure of what to do, check with the Environmental Health Team at your local council.
If you think that ready to eat food has not been kept separate from raw food throw away the food.
If equipment/surfaces/utensils have been touched by raw food, wash, disinfect and dry them to prevent harmful bacteria from spreading.
HOW TO STOP THIS HAPPENING AGAIN
1. Re organise delivery times, storage and food preparation to make it easier to keep food separate.
2. Make sure you have enough storage space and it is well organised
3. Train staff again on the safe method.
4. Improve staff supervision.
For the Safe Method regarding Allergen Management see the dedicated Safe Method form.
It is very important to prevent objects and chemicals getting into food.
SAFETY POINT: Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use and store cleaning chemicals. Store cleaning chemicals separately from food and make sure they are clearly labelled.
WHY?
This is to prevent these chemicals getting into food.
SAFETY POINT: Keep food covered.
WHY?
This helps stop things falling into the food.
SAFETY POINT:Make sure you control pests effectively (See PEST CONTROL Safe Method.)
WHY?
This is to stop insects, droppings etc getting into the food, as well as preventing the spread of bacteria.
SAFETY POINT: Make sure that any chemicals you use to control pests are used and stored in the correct way and clearly labelled.
WHY?
This is to prevent these chemicals getting into food.
SAFETY POINT: Always clear and clean as you go and take care to throw away packaging, string etc. as soon as you remove it. (See 'Clear and clean as you go' safe method in the Cleaning Section).
WHY?
Keeping surfaces clear and clean will help prevent chemicals and objects getting into food, as well as preventing the spread of bacteria.
SAFETY POINT: Repair or replace any equipment or utensils that are damaged or have loose parts.
WHY?
Loose parts may get into food by accident.
SAFETY POINT: It is a good idea to have a rule of no glass in the kitchen.
WHY?
This helps to prevent broken glass getting into food.
If Chemicals or objects, such as glass, insects or coloured waterproof dressings get into food throw the food away.
If you find pests or signs of pests, take action immediately. (See the Pest Control safe method).
If you find objects in food that has been delivered, reject the delivery, if possible, and contact your supplier immediately.
HOW TO STOP THIS HAPPENING AGAIN:
Review how you use and store chemicals in your business.
Review your pest control arrangements.
Train staff again on this safe method.
Improve staff supervision.
REMEMBER TO WRITE DOWN WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT YOU DID ABOUT IT ON YOUR DAILY REPORTS USING THE HYGIENE ISSUE SECTIONS.
When you clean work surfaces, make sure that any cleaning chemicals you use are suitable for surfaces touched by food. Check the manufacturer's instructions on how they should be used.
It is important to keep food covered to help protect it from harmful bacteria. This is especially important for cooked food and other ready-to-eat food. Always use containers or bags that have been designed to store food. Suggested food coverings include kitchen foil, cling film, plastic boxes with lids or freezer bags. Keep unused food coverings clean and operate food.
When you are covering food:
1. Check the manufacturer's instructions to see if the covering is suitable for what you are using it for.
2. Always make sure that the food is properly covered.
3. Take care not to let the covering fall into foods.
4. Never re-use foil, cling film, or freezer bags and do not store food in open tins.
5. Make sure that plastic boxes are washed, disinfected and dried between uses.
Avoid re-using food packaging to store food. Often packaging is designed to be used once with a certain food, so it might not be safe to use it again, or to use it with a different food. If food packaging is used in a way that it was not designed for, chemicals could transfer into the food. Instead, use re-usable containers that have been designed to store food.
Effective pest control is essential to keep pests out of your
premises and prevent them from spreading harmful
bacteria. Watch Food Safety coaching: Pest Control video.
SAFETY POINT:
Check your premises regularly for
signs of pests. Ensure your
premises are maintained in good
repair and condition to avoid the
risk of contamination from pests.
You could employ a pest control
contractor. See the ‘Suppliers
and contractors’ safe method in
the Management section..
WHY?
Pests carry harmful bacteria.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
When do you check for pests?
Do you employ a pest control contractor? (See also the ‘Suppliers and contractors’ safe method in the Management section).
SAFETY POINT:
Check deliveries thoroughly for signs of pests. Do not accept a delivery if it shows signs of pests such as gnawed packaging or insects, e.g. beetles.
WHY?
Pests could come into your premises in a delivery.
HOW DO YOU CHECK DELIVERIES?
SAFETY POINT:
Keep external areas tidy and free from weeds. Make sure bins for
storing food waste have
close-fitting lids and are
easy to clean and clean
and disinfect regularly.
WHY?
Weeds and rubbish can attract pests and provide them with food and shelter.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU CHECK EXTERNAL AREAS?
For a guide to identifying pests refer to SFBB Types of Pest chart
If you see signs of pest infestation, call a pest contractor immediately. Write the contact details for your contractor on the Contacts list in the diary.
If you think any equipment, surfaces or utensils have been touched by pests, they should be washed, disinfected and dried to stop harmful bacteria from spreading.
If you think food has been touched by pests in any way, throw it away.
HOW TO STOP THIS HAPPENING AGAIN:
Make your pest checks more frequent.
Maintain high standards of cleanliness and housekeeping to discourage activity.
Improve staff training on recognising signs of pest and encourage them to report problems immediately.
If you have persistent problems with pests, consider employing a pest contractor, if you do not have one already.
REMEMBER TO WRITE DOWN WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT YOU DID ABOUT IT.
Never let pest control bait/ chemicals, including sprays, come into contact with food, packaging, equipment or surfaces, because they are likely to be poisonous to people.
1. Make sure no food or dirty plates etc. are left out when the business is closed - these are a source of food for pests.
2. Make sure that checks for pests are carried out regularly.
3. Use the Chefsbk reminder function to make sure checks are carried out on time.
4. If you have a pest contractor, keep a record of their contact details and visits in your diary, as well as any feedback or action points they recommend. Make a note of when you have carried these out.
Effective maintenance is essential to allow you to clean properly
and keep pests out.
SAFETY POINT:
All surfaces in the kitchen should be smooth and easy to clean.
Repair structural damage as soon as it happens e.g. damp/chipped plaster, broken tiles, holes in walls or windows.
WHY?
Structural damage can make your premises harder to clean. It can attract pests, dirt and allows harmful bacteria to collect.
SAFETY POINT
Check extractor fans and filters regularly to make sure they are working properly and are free from grease and dirt.
This is to make sure the fans and filters can do their job properly.
SAFETY METHOD
Replace chopping boards that are scratched, pitted or scored.
WHY?
Dirt and harmful bacteria can collect in any areas where the board is not smooth.
SAFETY METHOD
Repair or replace any equipment or utensils that are damaged or have loose parts.
WHY?
Dirt and harmful bacteria can collect in damaged equipment/utensils. Loose parts may fall into food.
SAFETY METHOD
Throw away any cracked or chipped dishes and other tableware.
WHY?
Dirt and harmful bacteria can collect in cracks or chips.
SAFETY METHOD
Make sure your cooking, hot holding and chilling equipment is well maintained and working properly.
WHY?
If it does not work properly, food may not be kept safe.
SAFETY METHOD
Temperature probes should be checked regularly to make sure their readings are accurate.
WHY?
If your probe is not accurate, then it will not give a reliable measure of whether food is at a safe temperature. (See the ‘Prove it’ safe method in the Management section.)
WHAT TO DO IF THINGS GO WRONG
1. If you think that equipment might not be working properly, check it straight away.
Do not wait until it has broken down.
Check that staff are using the equipment properly.
2. Look at the manufacturer's instructions to see if there is a troubleshooting section.
3. Contact the equipment manufacturer or your maintenance contractor, if you have one.
4. Use alternative equipment until the fault has been corrected.
HOW TO STOP THIS HAPPENING AGAIN
1. Make your maintenance checks more frequent.
Encourage staff to report any structural damage problems with equipment, so you know about problems early.
Train staff again on this safe method.
Improve staff supervision.
MANAGE IT
1. Check your premises regularly for structural damage or problems with equipment.
2. Put problems right as soon as possible, before they get worse affect food safety.Make a note in your diary of what you do.
3. Put reminders in your Calendar tab for maintenance checks, and make a note of any repairs you make.
4. It is a good idea to plan regular maintenance and servicing to keep the premises and its equipment in good condition.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
Do you do this? (write any detail).
