Topic 9: Maintain a Sustainable Clean Environment

Importance of a Clean Premises

Inspires customer confidence in food safety and ensures a professional appearance.

Prohibited Accumulations

Garbage, food waste, dirt, grease, and other visible matter on fixtures, fittings, and equipment.

Definition of Cleaning

Removal of all dirt, food residue, grease, and deposits so surfaces are clean to touch and free of visible matter.

Definition of Sanitising

Using heat or chemicals to reduce food poisoning bacteria to a safe and acceptable level.

Surfaces Requiring Sanitising

All food contact surfaces, as well as eating and drinking utensils.

Common Cleaning Tools

Cloths, brushes, abrasive pads, scrapers, and paper towels.

Common Cleaning Chemicals

Detergents, sanitisers, degreasers, glass cleaners, and dishwashing detergents.

Cleaning Procedures Sequence

Allow to cool, check if cleaning is needed, ensure tools are ready, pre-clean, wash, rinse, and sanitise.

Storage Area Requirements

Must be clean, at the required temperature, free from vermin/pests, and free from defects.

Examples of Single-Use Items

Wrappings, food containers, plastic cutlery, beverage lids, napkins, toothpicks, and straws.

Waste and Food Disposal

Staff must separate items for re-use compared with those requiring safe disposal.

Reporting Maintenance Issues

Faulty cooking and cleaning equipment must be reported so they can be fixed.

Handling Broken Items

Must be correctly removed and recorded to prevent injury to handlers.

Three Elements of Pest Control

Physical exclusion (build them out), chemical/mechanical control (chase them out), and sound housekeeping (starve them out).