Notes on Clean Kitchen Premises and Equipment

Resource Description

Clean Kitchen Premises and Equipment
Commercial Kitchen Work Environment
Variations in commercial kitchen environments
Kitchens in a commercial setting can come in various forms. These include:-
* The traditional commercial kitchen found in restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, hotels and
catering organisations, such as function centres.
* Temporary or permanent kitchen, such as those found at food trade shows.
* Food preparation areas, e.g. sandwich preparation for airline catering.
Hygiene and cross-contamination issues
Hygiene and cross-contamination issues may include:-
* Poor personal and environmental hygiene practices, e.g. poor personal grooming and
failure to clean the kitchen environment regularly.
* Poor food handling practices which can cause cross-contamination, e.g. not washing
hands and working while sick.
* A lack of correct food storage and stock rotation practices, e.g. not following storage
principles and not storing items at the correct temperature.
Importance of cleaning services
Cleaning the kitchen environment is just as important as the care taken when preparing
and serving food to customers. A clean kitchen prevents cross-contamination, reduces
the risk of food-borne illnesses and is a vital part of providing quality products and
services.
Industry and workplace standards for the presentation of kitchen premises
Cleaning and sanitising a commercial kitchen premises must be completed to industry
standards to comply with legislation and regulations set down by governments and to
prevent the spread of food born illnesses. Presenting kitchen premises to industry and
workplace standards involves:-
* Following cleaning schedules on a daily basis.
* Choosing the correct cleaning agents for designated tasks.
* Removing any contaminated linen.
* Completing cleaning tasks within commercial time constraints.

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Thursday, 14 July 2016

Cleaning Regimes
Importance and purposes of cleaning regimes
Cleaning regimes are an important part of the food preparation process and are
designed to ensure high levels of environmental hygiene and to prevent food-borne
illnesses. Effective cleaning practices and regular cleaning regimes also extend the life
of equipment and surfaces and help to ensure customer satisfaction.
Cleaning of premises and equipment as part of food safety
Regular cleaning and following cleaning regimes is an essential part of any food safety
program. A food safety program is only successful if the basic requirements of cleaning
and sanitising are met. By following a cleaning regime, an establishment is creating an
excellent foundation for any food safety program they have implemented.
In a food safety program, such as HACCP, controlling cross-, pest and vermin
contamination and liming the growth of food poisoning bacteria through cleaning is a
critical point in the process. By using cleaning regimes as a critical point in food
preparation, the worker is reducing the possible risk of food-borne illnesses.
Time and task management in cleaning regimes
Time and task management in terms of cleaning can be organised into the 3 simple
steps outlined below.
1. Planning and Organising – Includes having written cleaning schedules, well
organised stock, supplies and sign-off books, and regular staff meetings to
disseminate information.
2. Efficiently sequencing stages of cleaning kitchen premises and equipment – Staff
should be fully aware of when kitchen surfaces should be cleaned during the food
preparation process and also know how to clean equipment according to the
manufacturers’ instructions.
3. Cleaning within commercially realistic timeframes – Commercial kitchens are busy
places and therefore cleaning should take place before and after service periods and
be conducted in a thorough, well-organised and timely manner.