Food safety - Avoiding cross-contamination

If you run any kind of establishment that prepares or sells food, then being fully informed about food safety is key. This will ensure you comply with all the relevant legal requirements along with being a safe place for people to use.

Cross-contamination - the hidden danger

Cross-contamination is one of the main ways that businesses who deal with food can fall foul of proper food safety. Ensuring you and your staff are fully educated in this key area will help to keep your kitchen, and the food you prepare, safe for the public.

Don't make the mistake of under-estimating how serious this problem can be. Not only can it see you lose custom if people become ill after eating on your premises, but it can negatively affect your food hygiene rating too.

But what is cross-contamination?

This happens when dangerous bacteria are passed between food surfaces, food preparation tools or different foods themselves. The most common example of cross-contamination is when raw food comes into contact with prepared food. Another very common mistake is people using the same knives or chopping boards to prepare their food but not cleaning them in between.

How can you avoid it?

As one of the major causes of food poisoning, avoiding this deadly food safety issue is essential. Here are a few ways to make sure you aren't cross-contaminating:

• Proper kitchen cleaning - one of the most effective methods is to make sure your kitchen itself is clean and not harbouring bacteria that could get onto food. Many food outlets will use a professional company for this to be sure of a top-quality job.

• Proper training - make sure anyone who will be dealing with food within your business knows how to avoid cross-contamination. This includes a variety of factors such as disinfecting their preparation equipment and work area before they begin any food preparation and after they have dealt with raw food. They should also be aware of the importance of washing their hands before preparing any food and after touching raw food.

• Proper food separation - keep raw and prepared foods separate at all times, and always store raw food below other foods in the fridge to ensure any raw food juices don’t drip down and cause contamination. It is best to use completely separate fridge's and working areas for raw and ready-to-eat foods if possible.

Make sure your kitchen is cross-contamination free

If you need a commercial kitchen cleaning company to make sure you are safe from cross-contamination, give Kitchen & Duct Cleaning Ltd a call today. Our professional and effective service will help keep your kitchen completely clean and free from harmful bacteria that could otherwise cause issues.

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