What is
food handling?
It refers to the
good hygiene practices that a company's personnel in the food sector has when
maintaining direct contact with food. It includes preparation, transformation,
manufacture, storage, and transportation of the same. In
this work, the care and good handling of food are critical so that its
consumption is not toxic or harmful.
Therefore, it is
a system or growth responsible for verifying that products and food are perfect
for human consumption. It should be noted that this work
has become essential in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic because the
dispatch and acquisition of food need contact and even a selection of
consumers. And for this, producers, manufacturers, sellers, and consumers
must be up to date and are examples of the methods required to maintain hygiene.
What are
the food handling regulations?
As we've mentioned before, food handling is about the use of
guidelines and regulations, such as :
1. Wash hands at the launch and end of work, even when changing
activities.
2. Correctly clean each of the implements and
tools before
and after the end of the day.
3. Wash your
hands after handling raw food.
4. Use the necessary implements to maintain
hygiene:
gloves, mask, hairnet, and work clothing, among others.
5. Clean and disinfect the zones where food
is stored and handled at the beginning and end of the working day.
It should be well-known that with the arrival of the COVID-19
pandemic, this responsibility has increased. Because we are not only
talking about the possibility of poisoning people and causing the spread of the
disease. While both scenarios are detrimental, it is best to avoid them in
the best way.
For this reason, the company has also acquired more
responsibilities such as :
·
Have
the appropriate cleaning chemicals available, which are not inconvenient
when handling food.
·
Condition
the spaces to avoid the accumulation of dirt and batteries.
·
Carry
out a correct disinfection system.
·
Ensure
that the staff's clothing is in working
condition.
·
Require
the use of clothing from workers.
Types of
food handlers
Although their way of operating is no different because everyone
must comply with the regulations imposed, the food handler is classified in the
following ways :
·
High-risk refers to people who have
direct contact with food. Especially in the elaboration and processing of
it.
·
Low-risk: are those that have contact
with food after it has already been prepared and processed.
What is
the importance of food handling?
A company, business, or professional in this area of food,
whether in the production, preparation, and distribution of food, is necessary to comply
with specific regulations. Like the ones we mentioned above, although each
company has its system adapted to its product. It should be noted that it
is not just a protocol. One of the most critical sectors globally is the
food area because it directly contacts what we eat.
Likewise, these foods must have a hygiene and
correct preparation level to avoid the consequences of intoxication in consumers. This being one of the
many consequences that a poor diet can generate.
However, it is essential to emphasize that companies and manufacturers must ensure
that their products are not harmful to their customers. They
must respect consumers' health since many diseases today due to poor diet could
end in severe complications.
Likewise, the personnel in charge of this work
must be well trained to carry out their tasks correctly. There
is the card and certificate for obtaining it since it is a task that the
company or the worker must cover. But without it, the person cannot work
as a food handler, as it would be a risk and a serious fault. You have to
respect, and that is what defines: what is food handling. They are the
procedures that establish hygiene measures to guarantee that the products are
suitable for consumption.
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