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Causes And Prevention Of Hazards In The Food Preparation Area
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
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However, with development and progress in technology, health hazards in
the kitchen became important issues especially for companies that were
more interested in quality service delivery through a health conscious
workforce. It is believed that the legendary French cook Auguste
Escoffier popularized health and safety in the kitchen throughout the
world from the late 17th century in the hotels and restaurants where he
worked. It was who created the kitchen bridgade system and pioneered
major charges in the kitchen ranging from hygiene (kitchen, food and
personal) to safety this partnership with Cesar Ritz built up a
reputations of safety and comfort for guests who stayed at the savory
and the Ritz hotels throughout the world.
Thoroughly planned kitchen
have today become the trend both an individual and commercial residences
which has further enhanced food preparation activities. However, it is
not enough to have beautifully designed kitchen but also to have health
conscious employees who take pride in their jobs and as such carryout
their work with utmost care.
Health hazards within the food
preparation area are still common place and the health and safety
executive show statistics that indicate that health hazards ranging from
food safety to staff safety are still on the increase food brone
illnesses from food contamination has a devastating effect on the
business and every employer would want to prevent any foods safety
incident that could cause the closure of the business or the deaths of a
customer.
Health and safety policies should be pivotal to the
business operation and a continuous exercise aimed at reversing the
hazards inherent in the operation. Hazards prone areas that should be
treated with care include the work surface of the preparation area,
equipments used for preparation and food handling practise. Other areas
of consideration should also be the lighting, ventilation and drainage
as well as waste disposal in the kitchen.
1.2PLANNING AND LAYOUT
The
planning and layout of a food preparation depends on the type of
operation. Hotel kitchens tend to be layer and more organised with the
partie system, fast-food outlets like quick service restaurants and pubs
tend to have smaller kitchen but with lightly sophisticated equipment
for quick cooking and high dependence on convenience foods.
However,
whatever the scope of operation a properly planned preparation area can
contribute significantly to good food hygiene and prevention of health
hazards. A well planned kitchen inbines a sense of pride with the staff
which reflects in the entire kitchen operation.
Adequate work space
should be provided for each process and effort must be made to separate
dirty and clean processes. Vegetable preparation and washing areas
should be separate from the actual food preparation and service areas.
The layout must ensure a continuous work flow in one direction in order
that cross-over of foods and any cross-contamination is avoided. Gossip
of each workers path by staff should not be more than is absolutely
necessary.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
Page 2 of 4
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