High Season Focus on Hygiene and Food Preparation

​For most hotels December is the busiest season of the year. High volumes of food is prepared, served and eaten. This means that there are natural risks that increase as a result of the higher volumes. 


Take extra precautions to manage food poisoning risks over the festive season.


Check up on these potential high risk areas


Larger volumes of food, mean that there is less space to store in the refrigeration units you have. 


Less space means that there is a high chance that raw meats get stored with Ready to Eat Foods etc.

Hot foods must be served HOT and cold foods COLD - Check your temperature controls in hot and cold plates. 
check and log the storage temperatures in buffet lines. Hot foods must not be hated longer than 2 hours and cold no longer than 4 hours. 

Put smaller portions out in quieter periods (If any) 

Suppliers close over the season, make sure you have  enough supplies, not only of food but chemicals such as hand soap, cleaners and sanitizers. 

It’s crazy busy, don’t leave easily contaminated food out in ambient temperatures for longer than is necessary.

Staff in the kitchen are focused on preparing the meals, which will be in large batches to cope with the increased numbers of orders. Ensure you are monitoring all these areas.

As the amount of foods you are preparing increases, so does the risk of food poisoning - ensure you are completing all paperwork and logs just in case an outbreak of food poisoning occurs..... 

Take care of your staff. Ensure they take regular breaks - ensure their temperatures are controlled also :) 

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