The pandemic highlighted to everyone the importance of regular handwashing. In commercial kitchens, this has been standard practice for years. The CDC estimates that regular handwashing could prevent 1 million deaths each year.
Handwashing reduces the risk of foodborne disease by stopping cross-contamination. The problem is that handwashing alone is not enough. You need to do it the right way.
Let's explore how to wash your hands properly and why it's so important for food safety.
The Importance of Washing Your Hands Properly
Our hands have been called a cook's best tools. But they're only good if they're spotlessly clean. They contain lots of nooks and crannies where germs can linger if we're not careful.
Proper hand washing helps you to remove germs on your hands. It prevents you from accidentally spreading them to the food you're cooking. To do this effectively, you need to wash them the right way and often.
When to Wash Your Hands
You need to regularly wash your hands when you're preparing food for others to each. Hand washing for employees is essential at these times:
- Before you start preparing food
- After handling uncooked meat, fish, or eggs
- When using gloves - both before and after
- After any contact with garbage
- After cleaning countertops
- After sneezing, coughing, and blowing your nose
Before reaching to grab the salt or a spice container, stop and think. What did you just touch?
These automatic movements can easily spread germs around the kitchen. A USDA study found that 48% of participants cross-contaminated spice containers in this way! Make sure you're in the 52% that always remember.
How to Wash Your Hands
There are five stages to washing your hands properly. Don't be tempted to skip any!
- Wet your hands with clean water and soap them
- Rub the soap into all parts of your hands, including the backs and under your fingernails. Rub your hands together to clean in between your fingers
- Now scrub your hands for twenty seconds - that's longer than you think!
- Rinse your hands under clean water
- Dry your hands with an air dryer or some type of sanitary towel
This is the routine to follow every time. Don't be fooled into thinking that a quick splash of hand sanitizer is enough.
This procedure is the only way to ensure that your hands really are clean enough to safely prepare food. You'll have confidence that you've played your part in preventing cross-contamination.
How to Wash Your Hands Properly
It's easy to assume that everyone knows how to wash their hands properly. But if they don't, what else are your employees doing that could put your customers at risk?
No food business can risk an outbreak of foodborne illness. Effective training of everyone working will keep your customers safe and happy. At Cenza, Inc. we're proud to offer a range of food safety courses that can help you raise standards.
Check out our range of courses today!
Be Smart!