For the
most part people keep their fridges clean at their homes but things get a bit
complicated when you consider that a fridge in an office setting is shared by
many. Some offices are so jam packed
that you can see items from 20-coworkers in there.
If you do
not have a proper cleaning schedule in place things may get really messy really
fast. When it comes to safe food
handling you need to remember that everything that comes into contact with food
needs to be kept clean (yes we’re talking about you Mr. refrigerator and
freezer.
First
things first, whether it’s in your home or at your office proper temperature of
your fridge and freezer is just good practice.
Your fridge should never exceed 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above this promotes the growth of
harmful bacteria which may cause food borne illnesses. Your freezer should also not exceed 0 degrees
Fahrenheit. Remember anything between 40
and 140 degrees Fahrenheit is considered the “Danger Zone” this is the area in
which bacteria grow the most rapidly sometimes even doubling in numbers in only
20 minutes.
Along with
proper temperature proper cleaning is a must.
If your office does not have a cleaning schedule go ahead and start one
up. Trust us when your co-workers read
all about food borne illnesses they will be more than happy to pitch in.
Make it a
habit to throw out perishable food left in your fridge at least once a
week. These foods may grow mold which
may contain harmful spores that can contaminate other types of foods. Left-over’s should never be kept more than 4
days. Some leftovers may not have been
cooled down properly and may have a lot of bacteria growth in them. To be on the safe side make sure all your left
over’s a cooled down quickly so you don’t promote bacteria growth.
Storage is
also important when keeping your fridge clean and healthy. Raw meats should always be kept on the bottom
with chicken leading the way. Above that
you can have you meats and fish. All raw and fresh produce should be kept
towards the very top to avoid any cross contamination.
Hopefully
these tips will keep you and your co-workers healthy. These are just recommendations for office
staff but if you work in the hospitality industry then these rules are
required. To learn more about food
industry regulations contact Ken Kuscher for the following services:
- Florida ServSafe Food Manager
- Florida Food Service Educators
- Florida Food Service Expert Witness
- Florida Food Manager Certification
- Florida Food Handler Certificates
No comments:
Post a Comment