THE PROBLEM OF BEING TOO BUSY
One reason for skipping important aspects of hygiene could be caterers taking on more than they can chew, said Ms Low, who has more than 20 years of experience in the industry.
“There are standard operating procedures to follow. But sometimes, when it comes to peak periods (and) last-minute orders … food handlers may compromise on processes,” she said.
For instance, instead of thawing poultry in the chiller, which would take longer, they may opt to defrost it in open air instead. This can lead to contamination.
Dr Khaw, who has more than 15 years’ experience in food safety management and lab accreditation, said food safety issues arise when ingredients are not thoroughly thawed and chefs do not check food temperatures when cooking.
“(If) the core temperature of the food product didn’t reach the 60 degrees Celsius and above requirement, that may cause higher risk of food poisoning,” he said.
Even though food handlers are required to wear masks or spit guards, they may forget when they are too busy, he added.
Another possibility is failing to clean equipment with sanitiser, resulting in them becoming contaminated with bacteria, and passing them onto food items, said Ms Low.
