Appropriate Handwashing Method

There are many bare hand contacts when food handlers display and chop siu mei and lo mei. Therefore, if food handlers' hands are dirty, they can contaminate the food. Food handlers should observe good personal hygiene, including the adoption of appropriate handwashing method , to ensure safe handling of food.

Application of the Food Safety Plan

The food trade can promote and enhance food safety via implementing the Food Safety Plan. The purpose of the plan is to identify and control hazards during the food manufacturing process in order to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning. The following paragraphs will describe the procedures for developing a Food Safety Plan (please refer to the booklet entitled "How to Implement a Food Safety Plan" for details):

• Draw a flow diagram

  Prior to formulating the Food Safety Plan, it is essential to draw a flow diagram to show the sequence of each step from purchasing to the point of service. Flow diagrams are different if the modes of operation are different. The following flow diagram shows the process for the sale of siu mei and lo mei:

• Formulate a Food Safety Plan

  Some basic requirements (e.g. personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitation, pest control, waste disposal, and staff training, etc.) must be in place so that the Food Safety Plan can be implemented effectively to control food hazards. A simplified Food Safety Plan is proposed as follows for food handlers' reference.

  Process: Purchase (e.g. Roasted pork)

   

   

Hazard	Preventive measures/ Control limits	Monitoring procedures*	Areas for improvement
Contamination of roasted pork by pathogens or chemicals during the manufacturing process	Only purchase from licensed and reliable suppliers	Only order from suppliers on the approved list Regularly (e.g. once every two months) inspect suppliers’ premises to see if- l          Hygienic conditions meet the required standard l          Food Safety Plan is implemented	Regularly update suppliers' information Encourage suppliers to implement Food Safety Plan

* Monitoring should include four aspects: 1. What; 2. How; 3. When ;and 4. Who.

Process:   Receiving

Hazard	Preventive measures/ Control limits	Monitoring procedures*	Areas for improvement
Contamination of roasted pork by pathogens	Roasted pork is in good condition and has not gone off	At receiving, visual checking of general conditions of roasted pork (e.g. colour, smell, etc.)	Reject substandard roasted pork Inform supplier to avoid recurrence of the problem Record relevant information for future reference when selecting supplier again
Contamination of roasted pork  by pathogens during the transportation process	Roasted pork is well protected	At receiving, visual checking to see if- l     Roasted pork is well wrapped/covered to prevent contamination with pathogens l     Delivery vehicle is hygienic and not transporting raw foods simultaneously
Contamination of roasted pork by pathogens after receiving	Roasted pork is well protected	After receiving, roasted pork should be stored inside siu mei and lo mei showcase or other hygienic environment immediately	Store roasted pork properly at once and trim off the contaminated portion Review the receiving process and see if the delivery time is inappropriate or excessive amount of roasted pork has been ordered such that there is insufficient storage space.

* Monitoring should include four aspects: 1. What; 2. How; 3. When ;and 4. Who.

Process:   Storage

Hazard	Preventive measures/ Control limits	Monitoring procedures*	Areas for improvement
Contamination of roasted pork by pathogens during storage	Utensils and storage area should be kept clean to prevent contamination of roasted pork	Visual checking of utensils and storage area	Clean the utensils and storage area immediately, and trim off the contaminated portion of roasted pork
	No raw food is stored	Visual checking of the storage area to ensure no storage of raw food	Remove the raw food and discard the contaminated roasted pork

 

 

 

 

 

* Monitoring should include four aspects: 1. What; 2. How; 3. When ;and 4. Who.

Process:   Display / Sale

Hazard	Preventive measures/ Control limits	Monitoring procedures*	Areas for improvement
Contamination of roasted pork by pathogens during display or sale	Staff should wash hands frequently to ensure hands are clean  Sufficient handwashing facilities (such as soap and paper towels) should be provided	Visual checking of staff’s hands hygiene and their handwashing practices, and adequacy of washing facilities	Staff should attend training course regularly Display the poster of “How to wash your hands?” at suitable locations Install / refill handwashing facilities
	Cutting boards, knives, wiping towels and trays should be cleaned regularly (e.g. Wiping towels should be cleaned frequently and should be sanitized at least twice a day. Trays should be cleaned and sanitized at least twice a day)	Visual checking of cleanliness of the utensils	Clean the utensils immediately. Review the cleaning schedule, procedures and methods
Growth of pathogens in contaminated roasted pork during display	Prolonged display at ambient temperature is not allowed	Order roasted pork 2 or 3 times a day	Reliable estimate of the quantity of roasted pork required to shorten display time at ambient temperature
	Trays should be cleaned regularly (e.g. Trays should be cleaned and sanitized at least twice a day)	Visual checking of the cleanliness of the trays	Clean the trays immediately Review the cleaning schedule, procedures and methods

* Monitoring should include four aspects: 1. What; 2. How; 3. When ;and 4. Who.