Food safety is especially important in schools since children can be more susceptible to food-borne illnesses. The Australia Better Health Initiative focuses on creating a safer and healthier environment for school children. Though a large part of this initiative is for healthier eating, it does also deal with food safety as well. It is definitely true that kids need to learn how to eat healthy at a young age for a better adulthood, but they also need to be able to eat foods in canteens without illness.
There are millions of cases of food-borne illnesses in Australia each year. They result in more than one hundred deaths and hundreds of thousands of doctors’ appointments. Anyone can become ill from illnesses associated with bacteria or viruses in foods. Some groups are much more susceptible: the elderly, those with immune compromising diseases, and children. Kids can be especially in danger of food-borne illness, so school canteens must take extra precautions.
Working in a school canteen means you need to keep food safety in mind at all times. To begin with, your hygiene plays a big role in how you keep foods safe for children to eat. Always, always wash your hands before you touch food, before and after you prepare meals, and after you have served the children. Additionally, always wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet and before going back into the kitchen. You can’t just run your hands under the tap either.
To properly wash your hands, make sure the water is warm. Then, soap up your hands thoroughly, being sure to get between the fingers and under the nails. Then rinse thoroughly and dry with paper towels, not a towel. Fabric will harbour bacteria and can transfer it to you thus transferring it back to the food.
A few other hygiene steps you need to take include:
Personal hygiene is an important step toward food safety in the food canteen. If you prepare foods while your hands are dirty or you are ill, then you could be taking risks with the health of the children.
The second part of food safety in a school canteen is keeping the space itself clean and free of bacteria. Never allow the room to become a habitat for pests of any type. They spread germs and will be attracted to any foods that are left out or open. You should use food safe pest control, keep doors and windows sealed and shut and dispose of garbage properly.
Chopping boards should be properly sanitised and cleaned before use. Never use the same chopping board for meats and other foods like fruits and vegetables. Even if you are chopping vegetables of different types, you should clean and sanitise the board between each use.
Food storage is extremely important. When foods are waiting for use, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria if not stored properly. All items should be kept in sealed containers and promptly refrigerated before they reach the dangerous temperature zone.
Any foods that are on display for self-service should either be packaged in sealed wrapping or should have proper serving utensils such as tongs or spoons. Students should never have reason to directly touch any food in order to transfer it to their plate. Foods on display for self-service should be kept in the proper heat or cold units throughout the time that they are available. Food should never be left on a benchtop or in an environment with no temperature control.
Certain foods are considered high risk, and they need to be handled properly. The following is a list of foods that you need to be extra cautious with:
All of these items should be considered potentially hazardous and should always be handled in your canteen with an extra level of care.
Many people don’t thoroughly understand how to defrost foods, especially meats, and handling items the wrong way can result in bacteria growth. You have a couple of different options for defrosting foods. The first rule of thumb is to never ever defrost by placing the meats in a container of hot water. The outside edges of the food will reach the danger zone while the centre is still frozen. This will result in a bacteria breeding ground. Instead, use one of these two methods:
Additionally, you should never defrost foods by leaving them out on benchtops at room temperature. This is an almost guaranteed way of breeding bacteria, which will lead to food poisoning.
One of the most important things you should do in your school canteen is to hire a Food Safety Supervisor. Not only is it a smart decision, but also it is required by law in most parts of Australia. This type of supervisor will have training and certification to handle all food safety actions in your school canteen. A few things to keep in mind about choosing the right professional include:
Once you have chosen a Food Safety Supervisor for your school canteen, you need to notify the proper authority – usually your local council. They will require documentation proving that your Food Safety Supervisor is qualified to work in the school canteen environment. Because having a Food Safety Supervisor on staff is required by law, it is also a requirement that you keep the authorities notified if the person doing this role leaves and is replaced by a new supervisor.
A school canteen must be a clean and safe environment. Children are quite susceptible to food-borne illness and you must take the proper steps to always ensure all foods are safe for consumption. That means practising safe personal hygiene for all staff members, knowing how to properly store foods, how to keep foods at the proper temperatures, and how to maintain a cleanliness. School canteens in most areas of Australia are required by law to have a Food Safety Supervisor on staff, so you need to make sure you either hire one or have one of your staff members trained on a nationally recognised course.