FCS Newsletter April 2017foodconsulting.co.za/.../uploads/2017/05/FCS-Newslett… · ·...
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1| Page CONTENTS Hepatitis A 1 Staff Hygiene 2 Gloves 3 Hairnets 3 Get to Know FCS 4 April 2017- Volume 3, Issue 4 HEPATITIS A Hepatitis A is a viral foodborne disease that occurs sporadically and in epidemics worldwide, but is most common in developing countries. The virus is primarily spread when an uninfected (and unvaccinated) person ingests food or water that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. The disease is closely associated with unsafe water or food, inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. Symptoms The incubation period is 14-28 days following which, symptoms will appear. These symptoms can mild to severe, and can include, fever, malaise, diarrhoea and jaundice. Who is at Risk? Anyone who is not vaccinated is at risk. Treatment and Prevention There is no specific treatment for this disease and the recovery time can take weeks to months. To prevent the spread of Hepatitis A, one of the best defences, after vaccination, is for all food handling staff to maintain good personal hygiene and practice regular handwashing and sanitising. FCS is on Social Media! Remember to like and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook. https://www.linkedin.c om/company/food- consulting-services https://www.facebook .com/foodconsultings ervices/
Transcript of FCS Newsletter April 2017foodconsulting.co.za/.../uploads/2017/05/FCS-Newslett… · ·...
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CONTENTSHepatitisA 1StaffHygiene 2Gloves 3Hairnets 3GettoKnowFCS 4
April2017-Volume3,Issue4
HEPATITISAHepatitis A is a viral foodborne disease that occurs sporadically and in epidemicsworldwide,butismostcommonindevelopingcountries.Thevirusisprimarilyspreadwhen an uninfected (and unvaccinated) person ingests food or water that iscontaminatedwiththefaecesofaninfectedperson.Thediseaseiscloselyassociatedwithunsafewaterorfood,inadequatesanitationandpoorpersonalhygiene.
Symptoms
The incubationperiod is14-28days followingwhich, symptomswillappear.Thesesymptomscanmildtosevere,andcaninclude,fever,malaise,diarrhoeaandjaundice.
WhoisatRisk?
Anyonewhoisnotvaccinatedisatrisk.
TreatmentandPrevention
Thereisnospecifictreatmentforthisdiseaseandtherecoverytimecantakeweekstomonths.TopreventthespreadofHepatitisA,oneofthebestdefences,aftervaccination,isforallfoodhandlingstafftomaintaingoodpersonalhygieneandpracticeregularhandwashingandsanitising.
FCSisonSocialMedia!
Remember to like and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/food-consulting-services
https://www.facebook.com/foodconsultingservices/
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COVERINGTHEBASICS:STAFFHYGIENE
Personalhygieneisanintegralpartofpreparingandservinghealthyfoods.Neatness,cleanliness and maintaining hygiene is expected in every food and hospitalityestablishment.Employersandstaffhavealegalandmoralobligationtoprotecttheirclientsfrombecomingillfollowingtheconsumptionoftheirproducts.
Personalhygienebeginsathome.Employeescancarrypathogensontheirskinandintheirhair,so itisessentialthatthereisahighstandardofpersonalcleanlinessandproper sanitationpractices. It is vital that employerscommunicateproper hygienestandards,suchascleanhair,bodyandclothing,priortoemployment,andemployersmustupholdthesestandardswithperiodictraining.
Pathogenscanalsobecarried internally. Ifastaffmember isaffected,orhasbeenexposedto,acommunicablediseasesuchasflu,respiratoryproblems,diarrhoeaetc.theyshouldnotbeallowedtoworkinanyareawherefoodorfoodingredientscanbecontaminated.Anyemployeethatdisplayssymptomssuchfever,dizziness,vomitingorasorethroughwithjaundiceorfevershouldbeexcludedfromthekitchen.
Nostaffshouldbeallowedtosmoke,eatordrinkwhilehandlingfood.Smoking,eatingor drinking will lead to staff members touching their face and mouths, wherebyharmfulbacteriacanbespreadtotheirhandsandthenontofood.
Oneoftheeasiestandmosteffectivewaysofdemonstratinggoodhygienepracticesare frequent hand washing. Frequent hand washing with proper hand washingtechniqueswillremoveharmfulbacteria,suchasE.coliandSalmonella,andviruses.Handsshouldbewashedasoftenasnecessary,especiallywhenenteringthekitchenandbetweenalltasks.
Oneoftheeasiestandmosteffectivewaysofdemonstratinggoodhygienepracticesarefrequenthandwashing.Frequenthandwashingwithproperhandwashingtechniqueswillremoveharmfulbacteria,suchasE.coliandSalmonella,andviruses.Handsshouldbewashedasoftenasnecessary,especiallywhenenteringthekitchenandbetweenalltasks.
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WEARINGOFGLOVES
Thereseemstobeamisimpressionthatwearinggloveswillmagicallyrenderthewearerfreeandimpervioustocontamination.However,thewearingofglovesbyfoodhandlersishighlydiscouragedforanumberofreasons:
• Weoftenseestaffwearingglovespickuprefusebinlids,foodofftheflooretc.
• Staffoftenbelievethatwearingglovesentitlesthemtonotwashtheirhandfrequently,orevenbeforedonningthegloves.
• Glovesincreasetheperspirationofthewearer,makinghandswarmandclammywhichisanidealbreedinggroundforbacteria.
• Glovesthatcomeintocontactwithcontaminatedsurfaceswillpickupbacteriaaswithhands.
• Staffmaynotbeabletoworkefficientlyastheirsenseoftouchiscompromisedandcouldincreasetheriskofinjury.
• Thefrequentchangingofglovesincreasesoperationalexpense.• Mostantibacterialhandwashsoapsaredesignedtoleaveatraceof
bacteriainhibitingchemicalontheskinevenafterrinsing.
HAIRNETS
Itisgoodpracticeforallstafftokeephairtiedback(iflong)andallhaircoveredinfoodhandlingestablishment.Beardnetsarealsoessentialformalestaff.Ifhairisnotcovered,itismorelikelytofallintofood.BUTdidyouknowthatevenifaheadiscleanshaventhatitisarequirementtowearahairnet?Duetotheheatinmostkitchens,staffwillperspire.Thehairnetscanactasanabsorbent,preventingperspirationfromdrippingintothefoodandpreventthefoodhandlerfromtouchingtheirfacewhilehandlingfood.
HandWashingProcedure
• Wetyourhandswithclean,runningwaterandapplysoap
• Latheryourhandsbyrubbingthemtogetherwiththesoap,besuretolatherbetweenyourfingers,underyournailsandthebackofyourhands
• Scrubyourhandsforatleast20seconds(longenoughtosignhappybirthdaytwice!)
• Rinseyourhandswellundercleanrunningwater
• Dryhandswithpapertowel,(andclosetapwithpapertowel).
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GETTOKNOWFCS
Accreditationandaffiliations
FCSreceivedISO/IEC17025accreditationthroughSANASinAugust2001.
Beinganaccreditedlaboratorymeansthatwenotonly
havetheconfidenceinourpersonnel,ourqualityoftestingandthetestresultsweprovidetoour
clients,butalsothatwearecompetentinourdutiesandthatourclientsandotherlaboratoriescanhaveconfidenceintheserviceswe
render.Ourtestingmethodsare
assessedonthesameprinciplesasotheraccreditedlaboratories
throughouttheworld.
NAME:IraFortuin
POSITIONATFCS:HygieneAuditor
COUNTRYOFBIRTH:SouthAfrica
HIGHESTQUALIFICATION:MastersinBiotechnology
FAVOURITENONWORKACTIVITY:Surfing,gym,travelling,spendingtimewithfamilyandfriends
FAVOURITEMUSIC/MUSICIAN/GROUP/BAND:Planetshakers
THECOUNTRYYOUWOULDLIKETOEXPLORETHEMOST:Florence,ItalyandMacchuPicchu,Peru
NAME:RikusDicks
POSITIONATFCS:ChiefConsultant(CapeTown)
COUNTRYOFBIRTH:SouthAfrica
HIGHESTQUALIFICATION:B.scEnvironmentalandBiologicalScience
FAVOURITENONWORKACTIVITY:Camping
FAVOURITEMUSIC/MUSICIAN/GROUP/BAND:Metal,MichaelJackson,InFlames
