Summary
The main purpose of this article is to influence the adequate performance of food service workers, who are responsible for providing safe food in the facilities where they work, due to the positive impact of guaranteeing the food safety of their clients.
It is essential to be updated on the standards that establish good practices in food preparation, due to the importance of its implementation for the marketing of restaurants and hotels and to improve its position in the national and international market. So to be more competitive, the requirement to comply with them is a top priority.
Abstract
This article has as a main purpose to influence in the appropriate behavior of workers involved in the food environment and have the responsibility of offering innocuous food where they work. It has a positive impact and guarantees the alimentary safety of the clients.
It is indispensable to be up-to-dated about the norms that establish the good practice in the elaboration of the food because of the importance the implementation has for the marketing of restaurants and hotels and to improve their position in the national and international market. For that reason to be more competitive, the demand in the execution of the good practice is a top priority.
Knowledge of the main regulations when handling food is essential to guarantee its safety. As a food is known to be innocuous, it must be free of any substance, object or matter foreign to its composition, present the microorganisms at their permissible levels and possess optimal organoleptic properties and nutritional value, that is, it is suitable for consumption, does not harm the health of the consumer.
Food during its preparation is exposed to dangers that affect its safety such as: Biological (Pathogenic bacteria, organisms that produce toxins, molds, parasites, viruses, prions), Physical (Metal filings and machines, glass, jewelry, stones, hairs, bone chips) and Chemicals such as toxins of natural origin, food additives, pesticide residues, residues of veterinary drugs, environmental contaminants, chemical contaminants resulting from packaging and allergens.
That is why during its manufacture the logical order established for the different operations of the technological process is taken into account, avoiding to transfer the food to previous stages of it, since they must follow a route to cleaner areas (known as the Principle of march towards ahead). The circulation of personnel, equipment, raw materials, among others, corresponding to dirty areas, should not be allowed in the clean area. The preparation areas for raw and processed products must be completely independent and heated, the utensils, tanks and personnel cannot be interchanged, avoiding any manifestation of interlocking processes.
Cross contamination is one of the major causes of diseases caused by contaminated food. The forms of cross contamination can be: Manipulator - Food, Food - Food, Contact surface - Food.
Will the knowledge and requirement of Good Food Processing Practices be important or not to prevent them? Of course it does, but: What aspects do Good Food Manufacturing Practices include?
Well, they are those hygiene actions and elaboration procedures that include recommendations on raw materials, products, facilities, equipment and personnel. They are the processes that control the operating conditions within an establishment with the aim of obtaining safe food.
To guarantee compliance with the BPE, the catering centers where food is manufactured and offered must comply with a series of requirements that include the project and construction of the hotel facility, transportation, suppliers, reception, storage, interior structure of the area kitchen, exhibition and supply, environmental sanitation, equipment and accessories, water safety, waste treatment, hygiene services for handlers, in addition to the sanitary requirements that these must meet, training and personnel training, cleaning and disinfection and pest control.
Now, in a facility that is already built and performing food services where it begins to demand, because of the transportation either of the supplier or the institution itself and it would be taken into account that the means used have a design and construction materials that allow effective cleaning and disinfecting if required, prevent products from being contaminated, as well as maintaining an adequate temperature, degree of humidity, and other conditions necessary to protect food against the growth of undesirable microorganisms. Transportation must be carried out at times where the damage or deterioration of the products is reduced and their duration is as required according to the characteristics of the food, there must be a separation between them,in addition to not being transported together with toxic substances, nor with others that may affect their safety and with deteriorated or in poor condition products.
Once the food arrives at the facility, it must be received, where there must be an updated record of the health certificates issued by the Institute of Nutrition and Hygiene of the food, chemical and biological products that it purchases. The warehouse manager must check the quality specifications of the food he receives, as well as hygiene, identification through labeling and the good condition of the packaging., also verifies temperatures, which should not be received above 7 0C refrigerated food or above -12 0C for frozen foods, measured in the center of the product. The storekeeper then writes down the date of receipt, food evaluated, health registration number, if it meets specifications, temperature if applicable, expiration date, name of the checker and signature.
According to the Principle of Forward March, the food is taken to the warehouses, its storage is carried out in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned warehouses, using the PEPS or FIFO (First in, First out), that is, first entries, first Departures. All foods that require refrigeration such as sausages and smoked products, dairy products, pastries or semi-finished products are stored in their corresponding chambers, at temperatures below 5ºC. Likewise, frozen products such as meat, fish, among others, are stored at a temperature not exceeding -18ºC and in the case of ice cream at -20ºC. For the proper traceability of the products, the temperature of the chambers is controlled in a register, so they are read three times a day, generally at 7:00, 12:00 and 17:00.
It is necessary to alert about the infrequent practice of washing and disinfecting fruits, vegetables, greens and eggs efficiently. Vegetables can be carriers of microbes and parasites that can transmit diseases to consumers, so they should be washed with plenty of running water and disinfected. The same happens with eggs, since salmonellosis caused by Salmonella sp., Is one of the diseases that is most produced by its consumption, and without a treatment that eliminates these agents, such as correct cooking and acidification, disinfection is essential. In the commercial network, three products are used mainly for disinfection: Sodium hypochlorite, Isodin and Argencín; In its application, the manufacturer's specifications for the dosage of the product must be met.
Another very controversial and inefficient aspect in the facilities is the defrosting of meats, the most frequent and deficient practice is by immersion in water, exposure to heat or room temperature. When defrosting is carried out as a separate operation from cooking, it should only be done in a purpose-built refrigerator or defrost chamber at a temperature of 5 ° C or lower for 24 to 48 hours, in running potable water maintained at a temperature not above at 21 ° C for no more than 4 hours as long as it is hermetically packed, and in a microwave oven only when the food will be immediately transferred to conventional cooking appliances as part of a continuous cooking process or when all the uninterrupted cooking process in the oven.
Frozen products, especially frozen vegetables, can be cooked without thawing. On the other hand, in the case of large pieces of meat or poultry, it is often necessary to defrost them before cooking. The thawed foods can not be frozen again but go to consumption in a period of 2-3 days !!!!
Knowledge of the temperature danger zone where they should not be kept, between 5 and 65 ° C, is vital for compliance with GMP in food preparation, since most microorganisms grow at these temperatures pathogens, causing foodborne illness.
That is why it is necessary to control the cooking temperature and the cooking process, there must be thermometers in the kitchen and a record must be kept. The products, especially meat products, are cooked at a temperature above 75ºC measured in its thermal center, avoiding the use of large portions of meat and guaranteeing adequate defrosting. The semi-raw or rare products can only be made from meat certified as pathogen-free and for the safe production of semi-raw beef, the thermal center must reach at least 63 ° C.
The temperatures that the food must reach in the thermal center during cooking so that its consumption is safe are:
- Roast beef, mutton and pork: 75ºC Roast chicken and whole turkey: 82ºC Roast pork rib: 71ºC Chicken breast: 77ºC Chicken thighs and viscera: 82ºC Semi-raw: 60ºC / Medium: 71ºC / Well cooked: 77ºC. Ham, sausages: 71ºC Sausages, mortadella: 75ºC Stuffed for poultry, empanadas, meats: 75ºC Burgers: 75ºC Empanadas, stuffed for poultry and meat: 74ºCHuevo Boiled: 100ºCRevoltillo and other forms: 71ºC
Immediately after cooking the food, those used for cold preparations should be cooled as quickly and efficiently as possible. The temperature in the center of the food drops from 65 ºC to 5 ºC in less than two hours; then the product should be stored immediately at 4 ºC. The storage period between the preparation of the chilled food and its consumption should not exceed five days, including cooking and consumption, provided it is stored at 4 ° C.
Foods such as meats, cooked, roasted and ground, pasta, cold salads, creamy sweets, dessert, custard, and egg and milk products are consumed or refrigerated immediately after processing or cooking at a lower temperature at 5 ° C for a period not exceeding 24 hours until the moment of consumption. Likewise, frozen products such as meat, fish, among others, are kept at a temperature not higher than -18ºC and in the case of ice cream at -20ºC.
Another aspect that must be controlled is that only fats and oils intended for this purpose are used for cooking, they must not be excessively heated, they must be filtered before each operation, since they can constitute a danger to the consumer's health, and therefore its quality must be strictly controlled.
It is the responsibility of each establishment that prepares and manipulates food for human consumption, to take the witness samples of those that are prepared in advance of their consumption, as is the case of those offered in the buffet, in employee dining rooms and cold preparations. in restaurants, among others, samples are not taken from those that are made to order. This is done for the purpose of determining responsibility for the occurrence of an illness.
The regulations establish a minimum of 150g of food that constitutes an epidemiological risk in foodborne illnesses, sterile containers must be used (sterile bottles with screw caps or first-use nylon), they must be taken approximately 50% of the time of Once the service and / or consumption has been carried out, it should never be immediately after the food is prepared or at the end of the sale. The experience in its realization has validated that in the case of the buffet, it must be collected before its service in it, because once exposed on the exhibition table it can be in contact with customers and the identification of those responsible is difficult.
Each sample must be correctly identified and labeled where it is specified: type of food, date and time taken, and the name of the person who takes the sample and who produces it. They must be kept for 48 hours at refrigeration temperatures between 2 and 5ºC.
Compliance with the regulations for the display and supply of food is very important to guarantee the safety of the food, at the buffet tables, they are exposed to contamination from the handlers and the client, therefore they must be mechanically protected with glass in conventional furniture or in containers as the case may be and each one must have their utensil to avoid cross contamination.
Once the food is prepared, preservation mechanisms must be applied so that they remain unchanged until consumption, they are never kept at room temperature. In the case of food from the cold area, they are kept in refrigerated refrigerators at a temperature of 0 - 4oC and protected with a transparent filin until the moment of the exhibition, where they are exposed on cold tables at a temperature between 0oC and 5oC, on the other hand, food from the hot area is displayed on hot tables at a temperature above 65oC.
The hot and cold tables must have thermometers that record the temperature, which is recorded every hour in a register established for this purpose. The food is served at the buffet tables in small portions, in flat containers to avoid excessive handling and exposure and the shortest possible time should elapse between its preparation and consumption. Return is not supported for any use.
The time that must elapse after cooking a food until it is consumed must not be more than 2 hours if it is kept at room temperature, and it can be exposed up to 4 hours at temperatures higher than 65 ° C in thermal tables or other means or until 24 hours at less than 5 ° C.
However, all the stages or processes through which the food passes from the moment it is received at the facility to its service have been analyzed, in the same way other aspects are related within the GMP that influence the safety of food during its elaboration, such as the security of water, waste treatment, vector control, hygiene services, prevention of contamination by the handler and cleaning and disinfection program.
To guarantee the safety of the water in the installation, a sufficient supply of drinking water must be available, with continuous service and a reserve of at least 72 hours. Must be chlorinated once a day, the residual chlorine level will be between 0.3 mg / l and 1 mg / l and two residual chlorine readings will be taken daily, with samples taken at different locations. A record must be kept indicating the place, reading and name of the person who carried out the verification.
This supply system must come from a safe source, it must have appropriate facilities for its storage, distribution and temperature control. Cisterns, tanks and the rest of the system are physically cleaned and disinfected at least every six months. The date, system conditions and name of the person responsible for the activity must be recorded, among other elements.
In food handling and as an ingredient only potable water will be used, except in the fire fighting system, steam production, refrigeration and other similar non-food applications, in these cases non-potable water is used and its system supply will be independent and properly identified.
Ice and steam used in direct or indirect contact with food is produced, handled and stored in a way that protects them from contamination and does not pose a threat to the safety and suitability of food.
For the treatment of waste, appropriate measures must be taken for its removal and storage and its accumulation should not be allowed in food handling and storage areas or in other work areas or in surrounding areas. There must be labeled tanks for the collection of organic and inorganic waste in each area, the waste warehouses must be kept clean and disinfected daily. The collection of organic waste should be carried out once a day and inorganic waste should be carried out regularly as needed.
Vector control is also essential in establishments for food service, in the interior and exterior areas the entry of animals must be prevented, it is necessary to ensure good hygiene practices and good surveillance to avoid the appearance of pests and limiting the need for pesticides. Holes, drains and other places should be kept tightly closed and in open windows, doors and ventilation openings covered with metal nets
The establishment must have in writing the measures it takes, in the form of a program, to avoid the vectors, have a sketch of the unit with the location of the permanent posts for rodents and have a control book, where they note: applied treatments, purposes, date of treatment, company that applied it, health license, name of the person applying it and chemical used; as well as notes by facility personnel and health personnel of any vector findings. Treatments are only applied on clean premises and surfaces.
For the proper performance of the workers, the Hygiene services must be well endowed, in order to ensure the maintenance of an appropriate degree of hygiene and avoid the risk of food contamination. The sanitary services must be correctly located, marked and completely separated from the food handling areas and will not have direct access to them, they must exist for both sexes, with natural and artificial ventilation, with sufficient cabinets or lockers and equipped with self-closing doors. In addition, the hygienic design must be appropriate, for sinks with hot and cold water supply, preferably with pedal, with disinfectant gel, hand dryers or single-use sanitary towels.Showers and faucets should be removed periodically and cleaned with a descaler to remove limescale and other soiling.
Food processing personnel are required to undergo pre-employment and periodic medical examinations, in addition to having undergone training and the knowledge acquired must be verified by examination. In the case of those handlers who are known or suspected to be carriers of a disease that can be transmitted through food, they are not allowed access to any food handling area, immediately informing management about the disease or symptoms and undergo medical examinations if indicated by clinical or epidemiological reasons to know exactly their state of health. Among the health states to be reported are the following: jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, sore throat with fever, overheating of the ears, eyes or nose,Visibly infected skin lesions (boils, cuts, etc.). Cuts and injuries to personnel, when personnel are allowed to continue working, are covered with appropriate waterproof bandages.
Food handlers must maintain a high degree of personal hygiene, wear appropriate protective clothing, hats and footwear, which are kept clean, the maximum guarantee of the daily use of clean uniforms is achieved when the institution provides the laundry service to their workers because the laundry washed in the house can carry contamination from it or be poorly washed.
One of the main causes of the appearance of food diseases is the transmission of microorganisms through the hands of the handlers; the skin is never free of bacteria, given the conditions of humidity, protein, a medium pH and hot temperature, it is an excellent place for its growth; the same conditions apply to the mouth, nose, eyes, throat and ears. The practice of washing hands is possibly the most important action to take to prevent them. Now, how do you wash your hands?:
- Roll the sleeves up to the elbow. Rinse the hands and forearms with running hot water. Rub with detergent or soap, taking special care in the folds or wrinkles of the hands and nails. Form a foam and extend it to the elbow. Brush the nails. Rinse from the hands towards the elbow with running water to remove all dirt and detergent. Repeat the previous steps until all dirt is removed from the hands and forearms. hands and forearms with a disposable paper towel (preferably) or with a hot air dryer. Close the water jet with the same towel. Do not touch the key with your hands. Throw away the paper towel without touching the basket.
Personnel should always wash their hands, when their level of cleanliness may affect food safety: before starting handling, immediately after using the toilet and handling contaminated material. They should avoid behaviors such as: touching ready-to-eat food if they have dirty hands, smoking, spitting, chewing or eating, sneezing or coughing on unprotected food and not wearing jewelry, watches, brooches or other objects, in addition they can only carry out cleaning dirty premises or areas after finishing their work day.
Personnel should always wash their hands, when their level of cleanliness may affect food safety: before starting handling, immediately after using the toilet and handling contaminated material. They should avoid behaviors such as: touching ready-to-eat food if they have dirty hands, smoking, spitting, chewing or eating, sneezing or coughing on unprotected food and not wearing jewelry, watches, brooches or other objects, in addition they can only carry out cleaning dirty premises or areas after finishing their work day.
Visitors or inspectors should take care not to cause food contamination and wear appropriate clothing. Persons outside the kitchen are not allowed to enter, nor is the crossing of personnel working in dirty areas into clean areas or vice versa during the process.
The Operational Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures complement the adequate compliance of the GMP as a guarantee in the Safety Management, for which the requirement in the compliance of the Cleaning and Disinfection Program is essential. For this purpose it must be located in a visible place. Where appropriate, programs will be drafted in consultation with relevant specialized advisers and when prepared in writing will specify:
- What is going to be cleaned and disinfected, when it is going to be done and its frequency in days and hours, how it is going to be done, with the detailed explanation of all the steps, from mechanical cleaning to rinsing, disinfection, etc. It will be done: from utensils, equipment, to chemicals and their concentrations. What time will it take to perform the task. What are the safety precautions that must be taken. Who executes the task. Who checks or controls.
Cleaning personnel must be trained to correctly carry out the cleaning and disinfection operations of the equipment, tools and areas that correspond to them. Maintenance personnel sanitize the ceilings at least every three months and weekly at the electrical connections and must also ensure the cleanliness of the fly trap lamps, which must be placed in efficient areas and ways.
The Cleaning and Disinfection Programs ensure that all parts of the installation are properly sanitized, and include the cleaning of equipment, containers, utensils, cutting boards, area surfaces and work tables, being constantly and effectively monitored and, when necessary, documents the adequacy and effectiveness of sanitization.
Cleaning and disinfection activities must be carried out using the established protection means, in addition to avoiding contact with the electrical fluid. Adequate material means such as brushes, hoses, descalers, disinfectants, including high-pressure mechanical equipment, must be available.
If you work as a storekeeper, food processor, food clerk, scrubber, or other related activities in the food service area, you are considered a food handler and have the responsibility of offering the customer safe food. If you take into account all the regulations on Good Handling Practices discussed in this article, you can be sure that you are providing food suitable for consumption, therefore, its installation will have a positive impact on customer perception, which will allow its marketing and improve its positioning in the national and international market. Therefore, the requirement to comply with them is a call to reflection to be increasingly competitive.
Bibliographic references
- CODEX. Guidelines for the application of the HACCP System. Spain, 5-10p. Federation of Tour Operators (FTO). Preferred Code of Practice Food Hygiene. 2000.ISO15161. Guidelines on the Application of ISO 9001: 2001 in the Food and Beverage Industry. ISO: 22000: 2005. Food Safety Management System_ requirements for any organization in the food chain. Lantero Ma. Isabel, Conference of the course of Innocuousness. Specialized diploma "Management of Food and Beverage Services". 2009.Lantero Ma. Isabel, Interview on safety issues as an expert on the subject. Carried out, May 2011.Martell González I. Notes for a Food Science Textbook. EHT from Varadero. 2011.Martell González, I. Support Material for SEHT Badge of Varadero. 2009.Martell González,I and collaborators. Design and Application of the Hazard Analysis System and Critical Control Points in hotels and facilities in the Varadero tourist center. EHT. Varadero. 2011.MINSAP. (. Epidemiological hygiene and health program in tourism. DOC-3. Guide for the sanitary evaluation of tourist facilities. Havana City, Cuba. 2008. 1-8p.MINSAP / MINTUR. Methodology for implantation in the facilities tourism of the Hazard Analysis System and Critical Control Points and its recognition, Havana City, Cuba, 2003. 1-4p.NC 492: 2006 Food Storage, General Sanitary Requirements.NC: 453: 2006. Collective Food. NC 488: 2009 Cleaning and Disinfection in the food chain - General procedures NC 143: 2010 Code of Practice - General Principles of Food Hygiene.
