[:en]
I. HYGIENE IN FOOD PREPARATION AND FOODSERVICE IN RESTAURANTS,
HOTELS, RESORTS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS
Each year a large number of people affected by foodborne diseases (ETA) are reported. These diseases are caused by the consumption of poorly processed or poorly handled or prepared foods and are manifested by various symptoms, which may include vomiting, diarrhea, colic and intestinal pain, fever, nausea, prostration, and even neurological disorders and other manifestations derived from parasites, amoebas and viruses, and including death.
In the case of hotels and restaurants in resorts and other places as cruise ships, the problem presents an additional facet. For many people that are not resident in the area and vacationers, in many cases foreigners, a foodborne illness additionally to the typical health problems, could represent serious alterations in the enjoyment of their vacation and significant economic losses associated. All this entails the loss of prestige of the institution where this type of problem arises and even the possibility of facing claims and lawsuits and worse, the damage to health of the affected people.
For such reasons, the Management, Supervisors and all personnel involved in all food preparation and service operations are responsible for maintaining optimal hygienic and sanitary conditions at all stages, including the acquisition or purchase of food. food, reception, quality control, storage, preparation and service, as well as other aspects regarding the washing and cleaning of utensils and premises, waste disposal and pest control. The sanitary practices have to do consequently, with the purchase and provision of healthy quality foods from the sanitary point of view, with its hygienic storage, and with the physical facilities and equipment for processing foods. Also, the procedures used for handling and washing of utensils and equipment, the health and personal hygiene and hygienic habits of food handlers and, with the techniques of sanitary handling of the food, including the effective control of times and temperatures of preparation and service. In a similar way, is important to consider the aspects related to the training and preparation of the personnel in the indicated topics. The aspects related to the hygienic design of kitchen equipment and the physical facilities for food preparation and service will not be discussed in this course, however, they are of paramount importance to have a satisfactory operation from the hygienic point of view.
Hygiene in the preparation, service and handling of food is a lifestyle, difficult to acquire in a course or in a few hours of training, therefore, it must be an attitude that comes from inside the people rather than from imposed norms, forged from the school and especially in the family. For example: personal hygiene, hand washing after going to the bathroom, keeping the house and surroundings clean, not throwing garbage in unsuitable places, and preparing and handling food properly. As it is never too late to learn, this text presents the most important norms as a reminder for some or as learning for others. For these reasons, it is necessary that for all personnel involved in the preparation and handling of food, take the problem of hygiene and health as a personal problem, that is incorporated into their lifestyles as a permanent attitude. The understanding and knowledge of the basic principles that affect hygiene and sanitation in the preparation and handling of food and in food service will positively help to create these habits and to realize their permanent necessity, not only in the kitchen and restaurant, but also at home. This is the fundamental objective of this course.
The areas of importance that will be studied in this basic course, in order to establish a program of good hygiene and sanitation in food service in hotels, restaurants and other institutions include the following:
1. Principles that affect the deterioration of foods and factors that affect microbial growth. Foodborne diseases
2. Contamination of food and foodborne diseases
3. Personal habits of hygiene
4. Procedures for washing hands
5. Sanitary procedures for the preparation of food
6. Sanitary procedures for food service
7. Procedures for washing dishes, glasses and cutlery
8. Procedures for washing kitchen utensils
9. Maintenance and care of the kitchen equipment
10. Cleaning and sanitizing agents
11. Waste disposal and pest control
12. General hygiene in kitchens and foodservice premises
13. Sanitary procedures for buying and storing foods
14. Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP)
[:]