The reality is that bacteria can develop on foods and surfaces unseen by the human eye. As a result, foodservice businesses need to be aware of the causes of bacteria and vigilant in best food safety practice.

One aspect for foodservice businesses to consider is the bacteria that can develop on the foodstuffs themselves. Raw foods, because they are not sterilised, can carry bacteria – as the European E. coli outbreak in 2011 demonstrated.

Kitchens need to ensure the food that is delivered to the premises is up to the expected standard and has been checked for temperature. Once it’s been delivered, the food should be properly and safely stored, both in terms of temperature, and to avoid cross-contamination.

Alongside the food themselves, invisible bacteria can develop – and then quickly spread – across surfaces in a kitchen. Every surface should be considered when thinking about where bacteria develops. Knives and chopping boards are obvious sources, but counter tops and sponges can be sources too. A bacteria-carrying sponge used to wipe other surfaces can soon spread the bacteria across the food preparation area.

Of course one of the most significant sites to watch out for when avoiding the spread of bacteria is the hands of your kitchen staff. Without thorough food safety processes to guard against the spread, your kitchen staff can handle one bacteria-carrying foodstuff or utensil and quickly move the bacteria on to another.

So how do you deal with this invisible threat? Simple, consistent processes are the best way to avoid the risk of bacteria contamination. Make sure staff know to wash their hands in warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs, for instance.

Wash vegetables and scrub the harder ones, such as cucumbers, then pat dry with paper towel.

Wash utensils before and after use, or sanitise them, as well as surfaces. Cleaning wipes can be particularly effective for sanitation here. Regularly wash sponges and towels too.

Simple processes that are clearly outlined to kitchen staff are the cornerstone of a hygienic foodservice environment. Bacteria may be an invisible threat to food safety, but there’s no excuse for ignoring it.

Getting organised
The new website was designed for ultimate user-friendliness, and product segments have been reorganised to ensure that users get the information they want, when they need it. Huib Kamps, Marketing Manager, explains. ‘Our customers told us that they wanted more clarity about our product segments and the options for each product,’ he says. ‘The new site ensures that they’ll get it.’

Product segments are represented on the home page with bold new icons, so that visitors know exactly where they need to go to get the products they want. Products within each segment are logically organised and contain the same, reliable information our customers have come to expect.

New features, more connections
The new site also contains exciting features we’ve never had before. A Food & Service blog will offer tips and advice about food safety and hygiene, to further our reputation as an expert in safe, hygienic clean-ups. Connections to social media will allow visitors to ‘share’ our products, follow our progress, and stay connected. What’s more, the Distribution Network icon connects us directly with our global sales force.

‘We’re extremely pleased with the new site,’ Huib says. ‘We’ve been able to address our customers’ needs, and, at the same time, bring a fresh, new look and helpful new features to the site. We’ll be able to make better connections to our visitors than ever before.’

Visit www.chicopee-europe.com today and see the improvements for yourself!

It’s a question you probably won’t have spent much time considering before – but you should. The design of a kitchen can make a big difference to how you keep it clean: which means it can also have an impact on food safety and hygiene standards.

It is for this reason that new establishments can – and should – take their time to consider and plan the layout of kitchens, guided by the expertise of kitchen staff and advice (http://www.smhp.nhs.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Nalg54P5MoI%3D&tabid=164&mid=749) from regulatory bodies.

Guidance is straightforward and clear: the kitchen needs to be big enough for the service to be provided safely and hygienically, and should avoid instances where cross-contamination of food can occur. This goes for clean and dirty activities too – so food preparation and dish cleaning should be clearly separated.

Making sure your processes are clearly separated, so a safe and hygienic service can be provided by the kitchen, is vital. Think about simple things like how cleaning cloths and towels are stored and replaced; whether you make cleaning wipes available in all the necessary places for the kitchen; and how easily someone could use raw meat equipment for fish and vice versa, for instance, seriously risking a food safety compromise due to cross-contamination.

As always, each food outlet will have different circumstances: different varieties of food, different kitchen sizes and layouts, different work patterns. Yet the one thing that has to remain the same throughout the food service industry is high standards of food safety and hygiene.

Make sure your processes are clearly defined and separated; your operations are clear and logical; and your kitchen is well stocked with cleaning products and wipes. Then, no matter how your kitchen is designed, you should be well placed to ensure food safety and hygiene.

We are present at the ISSA/Interclean fair in Amsterdam from
May 8 – 11, 2012, Amsterdam RAI.

Come and visit us on our stand 01.505! For up-to-date information on the exhibition programme, seminars, hotel accommodation and everything else there is to know about ISSA/INTERCLEAN, you can visit http://www.amsterdam.issainterclean.com/nl/nl/Pages/default.aspx

What’s new in the world of food hygiene?

The world of food and drinks products and services moves quickly. Similarly, so does the world of food hygiene – which makes opportunities to see the latest product developments first-hand vital.

On 25-27 March food hygiene firms will join food and drink businesses at the Food & Drink Expo (http://www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk/page.cfm/Link=1/t=m/goSection=1) at the Birmingham NEC, the UK’s largest food and drink trade show of the year.

Chicopee will be presenting the J Cloth 3000, the first certified compostable wipe, available in five colours. The biodegradable, compostable wipe is designed to meet both hygiene and sustainability standards for foodservice companies.

For those in the foodservice business, the UK Food & Drink Expo is a great chance to see the latest products, meet with others in the industry, and stay ahead of the latest developments in food hygiene and safety.

As Chicopee has noted before, understanding and appreciation of food safety and hygiene is of primary importance to any foodservice business. Why not take the opportunity to find out more about the food and drink industry, as well as food safety, on 25-27 March?

We look forward to seeing you on stand E190 at the UK Food & Drink Expo!

The answer is to apply common sense to everything you do.

A few practical changes can make all the difference when it comes to making food preparation hygienic and safe. While it is vital to be aware of the changing nature of food safety regulations, and to appreciate the important lessons on offer from food safety initiatives and training, kitchen staff can establish safe and hygienic practices by looking sensibly at the way they work.

It’s not enough to do things a certain way because that’s the way they’ve always been done. Taking a step back to assess how your kitchen works and implementing new, safer approaches can make a significant difference.

Simple things like making sure wash basins are situated by the entrances and exits of the kitchen will remind you to clean your hands each time you come in or out of the kitchen.

Colour-coded apparatus like knives, chopping boards and gloves make it easier to avoid cross-contaminating food.

Clear signage in logical places will provide a constant reminder of the simply steps that need to be taken to make the kitchen safe and to avoid hygiene issues.

And making cleaning products available in clear, logical places will serve as a constant reminder to staff to keep things clean.

They’re simple steps that may seem obvious – that is, until you’re rushing to get orders out in a busy service. So take the time to walk through a service, or observe staff at work; distinguish between the way you do things now and the way you should do them; and make sure your food service makes sense.

Taking time away from your business can be difficult to justify in most fields, particularly in the fast-paced foodservice industry. Yet industry events can provide an opportunity to get some invaluable perspective on products, trends and best practice approaches.

When it comes to food safety and hygiene, it’s important to spend time reflecting on your internal operations and processes, to identify areas of improvement. However it’s also crucial that your business doesn’t become too introspective. Some of the best suggestions for better food safety and hygiene practice will come from outside your own business.

On 25-27 March food hygiene firms will join food and drink businesses at the Food & Drink Expo (http://www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk/page.cfm/Link=1/t=m/goSection=1) at the Birmingham NEC, the UK’s largest food and drink trade show of the year.

For those in the foodservice business, the UK Food & Drink Expo is a great chance to see the latest products, meet with others in the industry, and stay ahead of the latest developments in food hygiene and safety.

For instance, Chicopee will be presenting the J Cloth 3000, the first certified compostable wipe that is available in five colours. The biodegradable, compostable wipe is designed to meet both hygiene and sustainability standards for foodservice companies.

Time is a precious commodity for foodservice businesses. You want to run a respected, efficient and hygienic kitchen serving high-quality food. Naturally, your instinct tells you to get more involved and work harder on every aspect to improve it.

From a food safety perspective, however, taking a step back and getting some perspective can sometimes offer the best opportunities to understand how you can improve. In this respect, industry events – with their mix of comprehensive information on new products and trends – provide a perfect dose of perspective.

I-Polish ensures a shining car body after polishing and keeps our employees satisfied due to the comfort when using the product. This product is very soft and glides easily over the car body.