We cannot emphasize enough on how vital it is to maintain high hygiene standards in restaurants and food processing units. Hygiene in restaurants is not just crucial to ensure the health and safety of the personnel and customers, but also because it plays a significant role in building the brand image of the restaurant. Hygiene is the first most crucial aspect of running a restaurant because no customer would like to dine in a restaurant that has zero hygiene standards. Besides to acquire an FSSAI license for running a restaurant, high stands on hygiene is a pre-requisite.

Here are a few facts on food safety

• 1 in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food, and 420,000 people die as a result of it.
• Contaminated food contains harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances, and causes more than 200 diseases – ranging from diarrhoea, cancers to neurological disorders
• Foodborne diseases have a higher fatal impact on fragile groups such as young children, immune-compromised people, pregnant ladies, etc.
• Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli are among the most common food-borne pathogens that affect millions of people severely and at times fatally.

Handwashing is crucial in preventing contamination of food by chefs and food handling personnel. Harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus and viruses (e.g. norovirus) present on the hands of food handlers can be effectively removed if proper handwashing techniques are implemented.

People involved in the food handling and production department should sanitize their hands every 3 hours while on duty but it is difficult to be in compliant when most restaurants in India do not have hand-washing stations either at the cooking area or inside the toilet or both.

In order to reduce the illnesses caused by food contamination, one of the most critical components is the training of the staff members about how to maintain personal hygiene at restaurants. Food handlers in the restaurant or food processing industries can prove to be the most crucial factor for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. They should wash their hands with water and high-quality soap as often as required. They should wash their hands:

• Before starting work
• Before handling cooked or ready-to-eat food
• After handling or preparing raw food
• After handling waste
• After cleaning duties
• After using the washroom
• After blowing nose, sneezing or coughing
• After handling money

In the large kitchen and all food preparation areas, an easily accessible designated sink should be provided near the working areas for the chefs and workers who are handling produce. Moreover, the sink should be equipped with proper handwashing equipment such as water, soap dispensers, and dry towels.

With our partnership with GOJO, we can help you create a culture of compliance using the world’s best hand sanitation solutions. GOJO and Purell products are formulated using the latest technology available, and are scientifically proven to help reduce the spread of germs, and help promote FSSAI compliance to assure food safety and hygiene.

GOJO hand hygiene solutions for restaurants and food processing units

GOJO hand soaps and Purell advanced hand sanitizers are the perfect solutions for restaurants and food processing units when it comes to maintaining high hygiene standards and reducing food contamination. By installing GOJO hand soap touch-free dispensers near the sinks and Purell advanced hand sanitizer dispensers near working stations and around the restaurant you are showing how committed you are towards maintaining a clean, hygienic and well-maintained facility.

GOJO green certified hand soaps and hand sanitizers have been scientifically tested to fight against 30 challenging microbes. All GOJO hand hygiene products feature factory-sealed refills that help lock out microbes and protect the health of personnel. And every new refill comes with a fresh nozzle, so there’s no long-term exposure to the microbes in the environment

It’s a shame if restaurants and eating joints in the country do not pay enough attention toward high standards of food safety and hygiene that are practiced globally despite having the best of the hand hygiene products available.

Preparing and serving food is a highly respected profession in India. When this becomes a business, it deserves the same revere and treatment as it is given at homes. Retaining proper hygiene and following standard food safety practices is not just good for customers, but also for the growth of the restaurant business.