If you’re looking for insurance, the Torrance-based Olson Duncan Agency offers a wide range of coverage, including the food and beverage sector. When selling food and drink, it’s important that the space you are selling from is clean and free of bacteria and pathogens. A company shouldn’t want to be selling consumable things in a dirty environment—it’s unsafe and will lead to lawsuits. Another thing that is important is to keep things organized and separated. Learn about these helpful tips that prevent cross-contamination in the food and beverage sector, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Have a Personal Hygiene Program

Always keep an area clean. Simple things like making sure employees know what kind of bacteria they can spread can help with reducing the amount of dirt and grime. In the food and beverage sector, it’s important to implement personal hygiene policies that will ensure that employees are doing the most that they can to keep their areas clean.

• Instill good practices such as proper hand washing, hand care and glove use.
• If an employee has hair, an employer should make sure it is pulled up and out of the way.

While a lot of it is common sense, it’s good to go over with employees so they know what’s expected of them when they come to work. This helps with preventing cross-contamination in the long run.

Wash Your Hands

This is the best way to prevent the spread of bacteria. Make sure everyone knows how important it is to wash your hands. It’s the best way to know that your company isn’t contributing to cross-contamination. If you deal with raw meat, seafood or poultry, every employee should know that they need to wash their hands after handling anything. But it doesn’t stop at just washing hands. Employees need to not dry their hands on their work clothes as well.

Keep Equipment Separate

Another sure way to prevent cross-contamination is by keeping equipment used on food and drinks separate. Each type of consumable needs to be process on their own individual piece of equipment. When cleaning the equipment, it needs to stay separate from other equipment. Cutting boards and knives should also stay separate, ensuring that no one is getting sick later.

Always Clean and Sanitize

Keeping an area clean is the another great way to ensure that no cross-contamination is possible. All work surfaces, utensils and equipment should be cleaned and sanitized after each task. These are just a few of the ways to prevent the spread of pathogens onto prep areas, equipment, utensils, or other food.

About ISU / The Olson Duncan Agency

At ISU -The Olson Duncan Agency, our goal is to provide clients with a total solution, not just a quote or a contract. We provide businesses and individuals with insurance and risk management solutions, and we aim to provide real value and build trustworthy, long-term relationships with our clients. To learn more about our services, give us a call today at (310) 373-6441 to speak with one of our professionals.