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Personal Hygiene

Definition

Personal hygiene refers to the practices that individuals follow to maintain cleanliness and prevent contamination, especially in environments where food is produced, processed, or handled. In the food manufacturing industry, maintaining high standards of personal hygiene is essential to ensure the safety and quality of the food produced, as improper hygiene can lead to foodborne illnesses, contamination, and potentially product recalls.

Personal hygiene in the context of food manufacturing encompasses a range of behaviours, practices, and controls that employees must follow to minimise the risk of transferring harmful microorganisms and other contaminants from their bodies to the food products they handle.

Key Personal Hygiene Practices in Food Manufacturing

1. Hand Hygiene
• Handwashing: Employees must wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before entering food production areas, after using the toilet, after touching raw materials, after handling waste, and after any activity that could introduce contaminants to food. Handwashing must be done for at least 20 seconds, ensuring that all parts of the hands, including fingers, nails, and wrists, are thoroughly cleaned.
• Hand Sanitising: In areas where handwashing facilities are not readily available or in addition to washing, alcohol-based hand sanitisers can be used. However, hand sanitisers should not be a substitute for proper handwashing.
2. Clothing and Protective Gear
• Workwear: Employees should wear appropriate protective clothing to prevent contamination. This includes hair nets, beard nets, gloves, aprons, and clean overalls. Protective clothing should be kept clean, in good condition, and changed regularly, particularly when switching between tasks (e.g., from raw to ready-to-eat food handling).
• Footwear: Specific footwear is often required to avoid cross-contamination between different areas of a facility (e.g., between different allergen-handling zones). Footwear should be easy to clean, non-slip, and appropriate for the environment.
3. Personal Grooming
• Hair and Nails: Hair should be covered with a hair net to prevent hair from falling into food. Fingernails should be short and clean, with no nail polish or false nails. Facial hair should be covered with a beard snood or hood.
• Personal Cleanliness: Employees should ensure their bodies are clean and free from odour, as perfumes/deodorants can affect product quality. Personal hygiene training often includes guidelines on maintaining overall cleanliness and grooming.
4. Illness Reporting
• Employees who are unwell, especially with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, or fever, should not attend site. Sick workers should report their illness to their supervisors (normally by phone), and employers should have policies in place that preclude anyone with certain symptoms from entering the production facility.
5. Jewellery and Personal Items
• Jewellery: Employees should remove any jewellery, including rings, bracelets, and watches, before entering food production areas. Jewellery can trap bacteria, contaminate food, or pose a physical hazard if it falls into food products.
• Personal Items: Personal items, such as mobile phones, should not be brought into food production areas, as they can serve as vectors for contamination. Designated areas should be provided for employees to store personal belongings.

Regulatory Requirements and Standards

1. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points):
   As part of HACCP, companies are required to ensure that personnel hygiene practices are in place to prevent contamination at every stage of production. This includes monitoring and controlling personal hygiene as part of the broader food safety plan. Regular audits and reviews of hygiene practices must be conducted to ensure compliance with HACCP principles.
2. GHPs (Good Hygiene Practices):
   GHPs are a set of basic principles that include practices for personal hygiene as part of an overall hygiene programme in food manufacturing. Key aspects include proper handwashing, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and protocols for handling food safely.
3. ISO 22000:
   ISO 22000 is a global standard with specified requirements for a food safety management system. Personal hygiene is an integral part of this standard, requiring food manufacturers to implement policies, procedures, and controls to ensure that all staff involved in food production are properly trained in hygiene practices.
4. Regulations:
• In the EU, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 outlines general hygiene requirements for food businesses, including specific obligations related to food handler hygiene.

Training and Education

Training is essential to ensure that all employees understand the importance of personal hygiene and are aware of the procedures that must be followed. Regular training should cover:

• The basics of personal hygiene, including handwashing techniques.
• The importance of using protective clothing and equipment.
• How to manage illness and report potential contamination risks.
• How to properly handle food to prevent contamination (e.g., when changing tasks or moving between different production areas).
• Hygiene protocols for visitors, contractors, and temporary workers who may enter production areas.

Training should be reinforced with regular hygiene audits and feedback, ensuring compliance with both company standards and regulatory requirements.

Best Practices for Personal Hygiene Management

1. Regular Audits and Inspections:
   To ensure that hygiene standards are consistently met, regular inspections and hygiene audits should be conducted. These audits should assess employee practices, the condition of protective clothing, cleanliness of work areas, and overall adherence to hygiene protocols.
2. Incentivising Hygiene Compliance:
   Encouraging a culture of cleanliness can be achieved by rewarding good hygiene practices. Recognition or incentives for compliance can motivate employees to consistently maintain high standards of personal hygiene.
3. Effective Hygiene Monitoring Systems:
   Companies can implement hygiene monitoring systems to track personal hygiene practices and identify potential areas for improvement. Monitoring could include hand hygiene compliance checks, swabbing food contact surfaces for microbial testing, and employee hygiene assessments.
4. Continuous Improvement:
   Personal hygiene protocols should be part of an ongoing continuous improvement plan. As part of a food safety management system, companies should regularly review and update hygiene practices, ensuring they adapt to new risks or changes in regulations.

Conclusion

Personal hygiene in food manufacturing is a critical aspect of ensuring the safety and quality of food products. Proper hygiene practices not only protect consumers from foodborne illnesses but also contribute to the overall efficiency and reputation of a food business. By adhering to industry standards and regulations, providing regular training, and implementing continuous improvement processes, companies can maintain high levels of hygiene and mitigate the risk of contamination in food production.

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