The world is confronting an unprecedented threat from the COVID-19 pandemic people are following the advice from government directives on how to behave with introduction of physical distancing measures as one of the ways to reduce the transmission of this disease.
Compliance with these measures has forced many businesses to close or to reduce their flow tremendously, schools, universities, travel restrictions and partial to no social gatherings. Whoever got the opportunity has shifted to working from home to carry their business and meetings it has become the normal practices. However Food industry businesses and workers personnel do not have this possibility of working from home and are required to continue to working in the kitchens and production unit with shifting their models to carry out and delivery. This call to keep everyone involved safe and contribute to keep the move forward of the food chain functional and sound. This is also essential to keep trust and consumer confidence in the safety, accessibility of food.
Food business needs to have in place Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) focusing on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) to manage food safety risks and prevent food contamination. this include the control of several stage of the business
· Good hygiene practices
· Cleaning and sanitation
· Zoning of processing areas
· Supplier control
· Storage
· Distribution and transport
· Personnel hygiene and fitness to work
All the basic conditions and activities necessary to maintain a hygienic food processing environment that will lay down a strong base of hygiene controls at each stage of the food processing, production, and marketing chain for the prevention of food contamination.
If the operation has already a FSMS in place the person in charge needs to be involved in the new intervention discussion for the food safety review. If the operation does not have a FSMS it needs to assign one person responsible for seeing if food safety risks could arise from additional measures. The assigned person must communicate with food safety authorities for advice.
It is an urgent requirement for all food businesses to ensure compliance with procedures to protect food workers from contracting COVID-19, to stop exposure to or transmission of the virus, and to reinforce food hygiene and sanitation practices.
For more information on how to implement Food safety management system , Cooking pot F&B consultancy can help, please complete this contact form or call and we will be happy to guide you through the process.