How to reduce physical food contamination through maintenance.

This article has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Regular planned maintenance of the building, structure, equipment and utensils is essential to reduce the risk of physical food contamination, whilst also ensuring that equipment is working properly in order to produce safe food.Physical food contamination refers to a foreign object entering food. This can be pest droppings or something like a finger nail and we have discussed various types of physical contamination in other articles which you can see by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Here we are focussing on the importance of equipment and building maintenance because it forms a big risk for food businesses and needs its own focus to prevent physical contamination. Planned inspections and maintenance checks will ensure that issues are identified before they become a serious problem. ## Walls, flooring and ceilings

In food areas walls must be smooth and constructed of non-porous, non-absorbent, hard wearing, washable, non-toxic materials. Walls must be light in colour to show dirt, to enable more efficient cleaning. Tiles, if cracked must be replace. Pipework must be close but not tight to room edges, so that cleaning can take place.

In food areas floors must be constructed of materials that are non-absorbent, non-porous, non-toxic, washable and non-slip.Ideally non-slip flooring should curve up the wall at the edges where it should be sealed, this will alleviate dirty corners and edges where food debris, dirt and bacteria can accumulate.

Damaged flooring or joints of flooring must be repaired quickly to avoid dirt and grime build up as well as serious trip hazards.

Most altro and safety floors by their non-slip nature will require regular deck scrubbing to keep the floor clean and avoid slipping incidents.In food areas, ceilings must be constructed of suitable materials that are non-absorbent, non-porous, washable and non-toxic.

Suspended ceiling panels have advantages such as good thermal insulation however they must be of a cleanable construction.

Damaged ceiling tiles must be replaced quickly to avoid physical contamination.

Lighting

Kitchen lighting must be such that it provides good visibility, this is important where food is prepared. Good lighting will allow thorough cleaning and inspection for pest activity. Fluorescent strip lighting must be fitted either with shatterproof tubes or with diffuser covers to avoid physical contamination.

Drainage and hot water

Drainage systems must be kept clean and in good repair. External manhole covers must be intact. Internal drainage gullies or channels must be covered adequately with drainage covers that are removable for regular cleaning and disinfection. The drainage system should be routinely inspected.It is a legal requirement to provide potable hot running water to a food premises. It is illegal to operate a food business without potable hot and cold running water available to hand wash basins. Hot and cold running water is essential for hand washing and cleaning/disinfection processes. If hot and cold potable water is not available, immediate repair and/or replacement of the heating system must take place, the business must temporarily close until sufficient hot and cold water is available.

Extractor fans and ducting

Extractors must be regularly checked and maintained to enable sufficient venting of carbon monoxide, cooking fumes and smoke, water vapour, heat and airborne fat vapours. They should also vent clean air into the building from outside via a filtering system. They must also be checked regularly and cleaned to comply with fire safety regulations in regard to the buildup of fat residues, especially in regard to ducting where fat residues can build up easily. The filters must be cleaned weekly by running them through the dishwasher and any external areas of the canopies must be degreased and sanitised weekly.

Good ventilation in the kitchen will help to keep temperatures down, this will inhibit bacterial growth, prevent condensation forming on walls and ceilings and provide a more pleasant working environment for staff.

Bulk equipment

Regular maintenance checks and inspections should be made to large equipment used for cooking, hot holding and chilling/freezing. Contact details for approved contractors must be recorded and be easily accessible to managers when needed. Breakdowns of cooking, hot holding and chilling equipment can compromise food safety as well as lead to high wastage costs. ## Temperature probes

Temperature probes must be kept in good condition. They must be kept clean and disinfected at all times. They must be checked regularly to confirm that they are working correctly. If they are not working properly, they must be replaced or sent for repair or recalibration. ## Damaged utensils and crockery

Utensils that have been damaged, cracked or have loose parts must be discarded and replaced as soon as possible. Utensils should be made of suitable materials such as stainless steel. Wooden items such as spoons, spatulas, chopping boards etc. must be avoided as they present a contamination risk as they are not impervious to microbiological contaminants. Crockery and glassware with cracks or chips must be discarded immediately as cracks can harbour harmful bacteria. Crockery and glassware should be placed inverted if possible when not in use to avoid contamination during storage.

Corrective actions if things go wrong

• •Have a contingency plan for when major equipment breaks down such as using alternative equipment or changing the menu.
• •Maintain a list of engineers for equipment and call them immediately when required.
• •Train food handlers so that they are aware of what maintenance issues to look out for so that they are reported immediately.
• •Retrain staff if necessary and give extra supervision.