5 Must-Have Safety Protocols in Commercial Kitchen

Research says that 1 in 6 people fall ill from foodborne diseases every day. Mostly it is the elderly and pregnant women at the risk of getting sick with food poisoning. So, it is even more important to keep the commercial kitchen well cleaned and maintained while preparing food as it keeps employees and guests both in a safe state.

Once you’ve got all the food preparation equipment in place, the first protocol required for maintaining the kitchen is to follow the rules of cleanliness and safety. Also, you must be aware of the checks done by the Australian health department and how and when you can operate with full certification.

However, it is not always very convenient and easy to follow all the safety protocols. That’s why you need help from staff members to make sure that all the rules are followed for the smooth functioning of the commercial kitchen.

Now, let’s take a quick rundown of the necessary health and safety standards to keep your customers safe so you have repeated visits to your restaurant:

Promote Hand Hygiene

This is the most important step towards keeping everything sanitized in the commercial kitchen. Set up a dedicated hand washing station for your staff so they use it every day before touching the vegetables and other stuff in the kitchen.

This keeps everyone protected as even the tiniest bacteria can make a person fall sick. So, make sure everyone washes their hands for at least 20 seconds under the running water.

Wear Gloves

While preparing food, it is essential for everyone to wear gloves. Also, when switching to the different ingredients, they need to change gloves as well. If not done, your guests may catch the bacteria from that particular dish.

Thus, it is best to keep a stack of gloves at the kitchen counters so anyone in the kitchen can easily access and use them.

Wash Fruits and Vegetables Properly

Before cooking any dish, it is a common practice to nicely wash all the fruits and vegetables that are to be used in preparing the food. Since vegetables are peeled, it is good to wash them in running water so it's free from all sorts of bacteria.

Don’t Make Sick Cooks Work

By letting your sick staff work in the kitchen, you not just put customers’ health at risk but also of fellow employees. Of course, you don’t need food safety protocols to tell you if your workers are ill. So, it is good to keep them away from the kitchen and let them rest till they fully recover.

Train Your Staff Well

Who wouldn’t want the kitchen to run smoothly? Every restaurant owner would want the kitchen to be spick and span and for that, it is mandatory to train your kitchen staff. Direct them to read articles on food safety tips so they stay updated on the latest developments happening in the hotel industry.

Without proper training, your staff may tend to forget things and this increases the risk of your guests falling sick. Each staff member should be taught the right way to do the task and should be given guidelines about what not to do.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the above-mentioned safety protocols will give you a few insights and an idea of what is expected from your commercial kitchen and staff working there. Following these tips will actually increase the footfall and customers returning to your restaurant to relish their favorite meals.

But, it is wise to check these tips with your local health department so everyone stays on the same page, after all, it’s a matter of health and safety of your workers and customers as well.