Top 11 best practices of a Food Safety Officer

A Food Safety officer’s primary duty is to control and reduce hazards. So let’s discuss the top 11 best practices of a food safety officer to control food safety hazards pointing to Physical hazards.

Likewise, a food safety checklist is formulated or made based on the below best practices.

Food Safety Officer’s top 11 practices

So the very basic idea of control of food safety hazards starts from the

1. Food Premises

Premises mean the surrounding of the food industry building to control the food safety hazards. A food safety Officer must ensure it is away from public garbage, and have a clean and hygienic environment. Drainages must be closed and working.

2. Air Circulation & Ventilation Systems

All food processing and handling areas must be well ventilated and at the same time closed from the outer environment. This prevents from any dirt and pests entering the food handling areas to reduce physical hazards.

3. Lighting

Food handling areas, storage rooms, cold storage rooms, and restrooms must be well-lit. Therefore it helps in reducing visible contamination and thus reducing food safety hazards.

4. Room Floors, walls, and ceiling

Floors must be well tiled and make sure to have epoxy floors in the food industry. This is an anti-slippery floor. Walls and ceilings must be well painted with light colors so any visible dirt can be identified soon.

5. Doors &Windows

Doors and windows build in such a way that ensures no extraneous pests enter the food handling and storage areas. No tear outs, holes, and paint tears are allowed.

TOP 11 CHECKPOINTS TO CONTROL PHYSICAL HAZRADS FOR A FOOD SAFETY OFFICER

6. Type of Materials used inside the industry

Materials used in the food industry play a major factor in controlling hazards. Utensils, processing tables, machines, and equipment must be made of stainless steel. This is because the material is dependent on the migration of food to the type of metal used. High-quality plastics (PET) storage containers must be used.

7. Restroom, Handwashing, and Cleaning Facilities

Every employee in your industry must be provided with all facilities ranging from handwashing to restrooms for hygienic practices.

A handwashing station, sanitizer dispenser, and Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) should be abundantly available to food handlers and to the personnel’s entering the food handling zones.

8. Calibration of Equipment’s

Equipment pertaining to food processing must be calibrated annually and the records must be maintained.

The food safety officer must design and implement maintenance plans for each piece of equipment. Therefore this helps in ease during a breakdown of equipment.

9. Pest Control Plan

Well, an effective pest control plan with an approved pest control contractor improves food safety. Simultaneously audit periodically the pests as it is a major concern of hazards in the food industry.

11. Control Occupational Safety Hazards

Safety First !! Therefore employee safety during the occupation is very important. So a food safety officer must be concerned about the hazards which can come in contact with an employee, especially food handlers.

Types of Hazards in the Food Industry

There are three types of hazards that cause greater risk in the food industry and are broadly classified into:

• Physical Hazards
• Chemical Hazards
• Microbiological Hazards

So in the food business, it is very important to keep the consumers safe and maintain the integrity of the business. To gain this, control of food safety hazards is significant.

Above all Food Safety is an important topic for a healthier nation. This increases the confidence in a country’s total production of food. When food processing comes to retail or wholesale levels, food safety is the prime concern. It is a manufacturer’s responsibility to sell safe and compliant food products.

You are a CID in your industry. So go ahead with your Food Safety Checklist with the the TOP 10 POINTS !!!!1