Video on Personal Hygiene

Videos on Cross Contamination

Staff Selection

Rules to go by when choosing staff
1. Medical screening
-Ascertain applicants medical history related to foodborne illness and food poisoning/persistant diarrhea
-Complete medical questionnaire
-Interview by a doctor or nurse if necessary
-Do a stool/blood test if necessary

2.Personal appearance and attitude

Attire and Appearances

Protective clothing should be clean, washable, light-coloured, durable and without external pockets. It should completely cover ordinary clothing and should not be removed whilst food handling. Velcro are preferred to buttons as they are less likely to become detached. It is worn to protect the food from risk of contamination and must not be worn outside food premises or for travelling to and from work. Outdoor clothing must not be brought into food rooms and keep them in the staff lockers or cloakroom. Disposable apron can be used and use anti-slip, unlined and easy to clean boots for wet areas. Rubber gloves of different colour may be worn and gloves should not be left on food contact surfaces. Disposable gloves are more effective and hands must be throughly washed before putting on the gloves.

Good example:

Bad example:

Scalp contains pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus so it must be shampoo regularly. The scalp must be completely enclosed by suitable head covering (e.g. hairnets, helmets and hats). Combing of hair and adjustment of head covering should be done in cloakrooms, before putting on protective clothing. No hairgrips and clips are aloowed.

Why Personal Hygiene is important?

It is to ensure that food poisoning organisms and other contaminants are not introduced into food. food handlers should be in good health and have clean habits to prevent the direct contamination of food. food handlers should show a willingness to learn to prevent the indirect contimantion of food.
dirty staff with unhygiene practices will increase risk of food poisoning and ruin the company's good reputation.

Common Bad Habits

This is a prime example of bad food hygiene and possible cross-contamination. If prior to this the bowl used was unclean or touched by a contaminated food item or cloth then the bowl becomes contaminated as well. Using a contaminated bowl to scoop the food will result in the food in the pot being contaminated as well.

If the person had at least used a scoop to put the food in the bowl then the whole pot would not be contaminated, only the contents of the bowl would be contaminated

Hands, Jewellery, Smoking

Food handlers should not wear strong-smelling perfume or aftershave as they may taint foods, especially food with a high fat content.

Food handlers should not wear earrings, watches, jeweled rings or brooches to prevent microbial and physical contamination.

Wash hand regularly and thoroughly when entering food room before handling food, after visiting the washroom, in between handling raw and cooked food and after handling waste foods.

Wash hand in warm water (45-49^oC) with non-perfumed liquid/gel/foam soap, then dry properly. There must also be a hand drying system whether they are disposable paper towels, warm air or linen cabinet towels.


Principal agents in transferring pathogens to food and handling should be minimum. Fingernails should be kept short and clean.

Do not use nail varnish.

Smoking is prohibited in room containing open food or whilst handling open food. Smoking encourages coughing, causes unsatisfactory working environment for non-smokers and cause food contamination through the fingers touching the lips whilst smoking. Cigarette ends may drop into the open food and the ends that are contaminated with saliva may be placed on the work bench.