Food Handling in Canteens

Personal hygiene

Good personal hygiene is essential to ensure that:

• food is not contaminated with food-poisoning bacteria or other matter, such as:
  • foreign objects
  • chemicals
• hands and other parts of the body do not transfer food-poisoning bacteria to food

Personal hygiene practices include:

• hand washing — always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water:
  • before handling food
  • after any other activity that may carry bacteria to food
    • visiting the toilet
    • coughing or sneezing
    • handling garbage
    • touching hair or other body parts
• personal cleanliness — when handling food:
  • tie long hair back or cover it with a cap or other approved headwear
  • wear limited jewellery
  • wear clean protective clothing over normal clothing
  • store personal items and spare clothes away from any areas involving food handling
• personal behaviour and habits — do not:
  • smoke
  • chew gum
  • undertake any other unhygienic practice in food handling areas
• illness — individuals suffering from diseases that can be transmitted through food must not handle food
• injuries — all wounds or cuts on hands or arms are to be completely covered with brightly coloured wound strip or bandage:
  • both the wound strip and gloves must be changed at least hourly or sooner if there is a change in tasks
  • if the wound is on the hands, disposable gloves must be worn over the top of the wound strip

For more information visit Food — how to keep it safe at health.vic