Food Hygiene

Food that has not been stored, prepared or transported properly can cause food poisoning or lose some of its nutritional value. Foods that grow in the soil or have been in contact with dirty water may have been contaminated before they are even handled. Safe methods of storage, transport and preparation can reduce the risk of disease and illness.

Food poisoning can be prevented if:

• correct temperatures are maintained during storage and transport
• food handling practices are safe
• contamination is avoided

To reduce the risk of disease and sickness through food bought in community stores, it is important that:

• hygiene is good in places where food is stored, prepared, handled and sold
• out-of-date food is not sold
• contaminated food is not sold or served
• food in freezers, chillers and refrigerators are always stored at the right temperature
• cooking temperatures are high enough to kill harmful bacteria when food is being cooked
• disease carrying pests are controlled
• food is transported safely to the store.

Time and temperature control

These are critical when it comes to the transport of food, and storage between purchase and preparation, and again before eating. In hot weather conditions bacteria does not require much time to multiply to levels that may be dangerous to health. Food should therefore never stand or be stored in the temperature danger zone, between 5°C and 60°C. So if food is meant to be served cold, it should be held in a chilled environment of less than 5°C. If food is meant to be served hot, it must be kept in an oven or heated storage bay that maintains a temperature over 60°C. Fresh foods like fruit and vegetables keep better if stored at temperatures lower than 5°C. Food cannot be refrozen once thawed out.

The Community Store

In hot weather conditions the community store has a major influence on the diet and health of people in Indigenous communities. In a remote area it is often the only place where people can buy groceries. A well-managed store can improve diet markedly by providing a supply of high quality fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and healthier types of takeways such as sandwiches.

Effective food transport must be considered as the long distances, rough roads or long sea trips and extreme temperatures can lead to the deterioration of foods and products on the way to the community store. Temperature will have to be controlled, appropriate storage provided, contamination prevented and quality guaranteed.

Common concerns for food hygiene in Community Stores are:

• handwashing facities in all food preparation and ablution areas with paper hand towel dispensers and liquid anti-bacterial soap
• double bowl sinks in wash up areas
• rangehood installed if cooked food is sold
• floors must be coved at floor/wall junctions with the cove no less than 25mm in radius and finished a minimum of 75mm up the wall
• stainless steel used for the benches
• insects (mainly flies) excluded by using air curtains
• dogs excluded by methods such as cattle prods, turnstiles, revolving gates and owner education
• appropriate rubbish bins outside the store need to be fitted with tight fitting lids and should be emptied on a daily basis.

Adapted from The Bush Book Volume 2: facts and approaches to key public health issues, 2002, NT Government Department of Health and Community Services, Darwin, 2-37 and
Harris G (Ed), 2000, Environmental Health Handbook - a practical guide for remote communities, Menzies School of Health Research pg 29-37 ISBN 0 9587722 2 3

For further information go to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website: www.anzfa.gov.au