Home Catering: Health and Safety Standards

Article Submitted By: Food Trade Consultants

Passing the health and safety standards mainly depends on the common sense of the home catering business owner. Simply put, you need to put yourself in the shoes customer. You want to be served safe and clean food by your caterer. So when preparing food for other people, put the same high standards that you would expect as a customer.

Health and Safety standards exist to protect customers. There are laws that need to be followed. Here are the most basic ones that you need to pay attention to.

Premises

This includes all of the rooms you use in your business. The most obvious thing is that you need to have the place well maintained and tidy. Keep the kitchen clean and disinfected. There should be proper ventilation and an appropriate temperature that will help maintain the freshness of the food.

Equipment

 The tools and equipment doesn’t all have to be new but they need to all be working well. Everything needs to be clean and used in a way that it was made to be used.
Waste

Do not let food waste or other garbage to pile up where the food preparation takes place. There should be a proper disposal bin readily available in the area and it should be closed to avoid contamination.

Food Preparation

Wear suitable attire for cooking. Have an apron and if you have long hair, it is advisable to put on a hair net or tie the hair back to avoid having hair on food. Wash your hands regularly whenever you use the toilet or handle raw food.

Raw meat and vegetables should be handled using different sets of utensils. Do not smoke in the kitchen. If you have to, step out of the premises. Avoid touching your hair and other body parts while making the food. If you are coming down with flu or feeling unwell, it is better to not work because it’s easy to spread the virus through touching the food or coughing and sneezing towards the direction of the food.