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Cleaning Practices
It is imperative for commercial kitchens to have excellent cleaning practices in place. These dramatically reduce the risk of fire, ensure compliance with Health & Safety regulations, lower insurance premiums, improve ventilation for smoke and odour removal and improved hygiene standards.
Clean all kitchen surfaces after food preparation. Raw meat, poultry, fish and other raw foods can easily cross-contaminate other food types. After handling these foods always wash hands, utensils and surfaces thoroughly, and before any contact with other food, especially cooked and ready-to-eat foods.
Wash all crockery and utensils after use, and change the water regularly before rinsing in clean, hot water, and wherever possible leave everything to drain until dry. Tea towels can be a source of cross-contamination so they should be used sparingly; make sure they dry out after use, and change them regularly. It is actually preferable to use disposable cloths or paper towels.
All food cupboards should be kept clean, cool, tidy and dry. When taking cans from cupboards, wipe the tops to remove any dust before opening them, and don't forget to clean the can opener.
Kitchen rubbish bins are an obvious breeding ground for germs, so empty them regularly, especially in the summer. Use a lidded bin with a bin liner, and tie up the rubbish bags before removing them to avoid food waste from spilling onto the floor. Even with a liner, bins get dirty so clean them out with hot water and disinfectant at regular intervals.
Left without interference, bacteria will double in numbers every 20 minutes, and cleanliness in the kitchen is the first line of defence against them.
The owner’s manual and any training materials, such as videos, that are included with kitchen equipment can be very helpful in outlining the proper steps to take when cleaning it. Turnover in the food preparation and food retail industries is high, so it’s critical that operators train their employees on these important procedures.
It’s also important to use the proper tools for cleaning, especially with the ubiquitous stainless steel products. Soft cloths and plastic scouring pads are preferred, although stainless steel pads can be used, as long as the motion is in the direction of the manufacturer’s polishing marks. Alkaline, alkaline-chlorinated or non-chloride containing cleaners should be used.
Softening hard water can do a lot to reduce deposits.
Rinse equipment and wipe it dry.
All maintenance of equipment should be performed with clean hands: these is always the possibility that any transferred food debris or oils may prevent proper sealing or functioning of equipment, and that bacterial colonies might establish themselves inside, for example, a slicer face plate, resulting in the contamination of any product subsequently sliced.
One effort in the quest for cleanliness in commercial kitchens is the inclusion of built-in antimicrobial product protection in food, beverage equipment and kitchen supplies. Chemical protection can be incorporated into plastic during the manufacturing process, and works to continually inhibit the growth of bacteria, mould, mildew and fungi that lead to the proliferation of stain- and odour-causing microorganisms. This provides an added level of, rather than substitution for, product protection when used in conjunction with normal cleaning practices.
Poor cleanliness conditions in the kitchen also tend to exert a negative influence on workers’ attitudes, discouraging frequent hand washing, and the downward spiral continues as they don’t perceive cleanliness as being a management priority, despite all the signage and mission statements to the contrary.
And on the all-important customer side, consumer research studies have indicated that the main indicator for customers themselves about the cleanliness of the kitchen is the cleanliness of the tableware. Clean glasses, dishes and utensils speak volumes about the attention to cleanliness in the kitchen, and this is possibly the single most important factor driving repeat business. If a customer sits down and has to ask for a clean fork, they lose confidence in the food they are about to eat, word will get around, and the business will inevitably suffer.