Personal hygiene of Food Handlers, Importance of the personal hygiene and its effect, Food safety regulations and standards and training of stuff.

1. By:
Dr. Waleed Foad
MSc.Public Health in Nutrition
Clinical Nutrition Specialist
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE)
Member of the American Society of Nutrition
Email: wfoad@outlook.com

2. Food Handlers
 Food sanitation rests directly upon the state of
personal hygiene and habits of the personnel
working in the food establishments.
 Proper handling of foods, utensils and dishes
together with emphasis upon the necessity for
good personal hygiene are of great importance.

3. Food Handlers
 The infections which are likely to be
transmitted by the food handlers are diarrheas,
dysenteries, typhoid and para-typhoid fevers,
viral hepatitis, protozoa cysts, eggs of
helminthes.
 Education of food handlers in matters of
personal hygiene, food handling, utensils,
dishwashing, and insect and rodent control is
the best means of promoting food hygiene.
Many of the food handlers have little
educational background.

4. Food Handlers
 The first essential is to have a complete medical
examination carried out of all food handlers at the time
of employment.
 Any person with a history of typhoid fever, diphtheria,
chronic dysentery, tuberculosis or any other communicable
disease should not be employed.
 Give Reason: The day to day health appraisal of the
food handlers is also equally important
Answer: To exclude currently ill or infected workers
from handling e.g. infected wounds, ear-nose-and-throat
infections or skin infections should not be permitted to
handle food or utensils

5. Staff and volunteers who work with food need to:
 keep fingernails short and clean
 bathe/shower regularly
 keep hair clean
 wear clean clothes and hair restraint (cover)
 remove and store aprons before leaving area
 remove jewelry from hands/arms
 not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum
or tobacco
Personal hygiene of Food Handling Staff

6.  Cover with a clean, dry bandage that prevents
leaking
 bandages on hands should also be covered with
disposable gloves
Cover wounds on hands/arms

7.  One of the best ways to reduce risk of foodborne
illness
 up to 80% of infections
transmitted by hands
 harmful bacteria and viruses
can survive on unwashed
hands for hours
Washing hands

8.  Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20
seconds:
 before and after handling food
 after using restroom
 after touching one’s hair, face, body,
clothing, or anything else that could
contaminate hands
 Dry with a clean paper towel or a
hand dryer
Washing hands

9.  Gloves can keep hands from contaminating food
 Gloves used to handle food:
 should be designed for handling food
 should be used only once
 don’t take place of washing hands
 Food handlers should change gloves:
 before beginning a new task
 as soon as gloves are soiled or torn
 after handling raw meat, and before handling ready-to-
eat food
Single-use gloves

10. Serving Food
Wash hands before serving food
Clean/sanitary long handled spoons for
serving
Never touch parts of cups/plates that will
have contact with food
Cover wounds with bandages and cover
with gloves
Change gloves after contact with
contaminated surface

11. Serving Food
 Watch customer behavior – remove
contaminated food
 Use Sneeze guards if suspecting respiratory
infections.
 Don’t wear jewelry
 Don’t taste food with finger
 Report any illness to management, avoid
handling food
 Frequent hand washing

13. For Further Support:
Dr. Waleed Foad
Email: wfoad@outlook.com