Food Workplace Safety

Food safety in a workplace is important because it can prevent the spread of diseases such as a salmonella, E.coli, or Norwalk virus infection. There are measures that workers at restaurants, school cafeterias, hospitals, and other establishments can take to handle food property.

Personal Hygiene

• You can prevent food contamination by wearing disposable gloves when handling food and washing your hands regularly, especially after going to the bathroom. If your gloves become torn or you handle raw meat, change your gloves.

Food Storage

• Freeze meat if you do not use it within two days, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Store eggs and produce in a refrigerator until you use them. Store other food items, such as canned goods, in a cool dry place, such as a cupboard or pantry area.

Surfaces and Utensils

• If you are using a cutting board or tabletop to cut food, use it for only certain foods. Do not use the same cutting boards, surfaces, or utensils for different foods, such as vegetables and meat, without cleaning or washing them.

Cooking Foods

• Cook certain foods, such as meat and eggs, at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Put a cover over food while cooking on the stove, use a food thermometer, and turn food while you are cooking it so that the food is cooked evenly.

Emergency Situations

• If there is an emergency that causes the power to go out, make sure frozen foods are stored in a place at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and refrigerated foods are in a place at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.