Poor production hygiene and deficiencies in hygiene management are still the main reason for complaints by official food inspection authorities.
These operational problems often lead to the deterioration of the microbiological quality of the food. The number of cases of pathogenic germs in food is increasing, including food spoilage and serious shortcomings in food safety.
This can sometimes have serious consequences for consumers. Older and weakened people in particular, as well as pregnant women and small children, are susceptible to food poisoning and can suffer damage to their health.
A list of the most common mistakes made when handling food is intended to show how easily hygiene measures can be implemented to reduce the risk of food poisoning:
- Food is stored directly on the floor (in the warehouse or in the Frigor or freezer room).
- Food is stored for too long and then processed further. Expired goods are still being used after the best-before date and consumption date.
- Food is not (correctly) declared, there is a lack of traceability, a date that provides information about the shelf life, such as a goods receipt date, opening date, production date, freezing or defrosting date.
- Food is handled incorrectly, for example, touched with unclean hands, not washed sufficiently, not peeled correctly, cut on unclean surfaces (chopping boards, for example) and then insufficiently heated or stored in a cool place.
- Food for raw consumption (e.g. salad) is treated on surfaces on which food that is not intended for raw consumption (raw meat) has previously been treated.
- Food is not adequately protected from foreign bodies such as hair, plastic splinters, pieces of glass, etc. Food is not stored (correctly) covered.
- Foods such as sauces, stews and pasta are not cooled properly. Cooling after heating is too slow and not under controlled conditions.
- Foods such as eggs, meat and fish are not heated through properly.
- Perishable food is stored too warm and/or for too long, for example at the buffet.
- Food is not kept sufficiently hot or cooled during transportation.
