The four Cs of food hygiene: build a safer daily routine
Cleaning, cooking, chilling and preventing cross-contamination work together. Use the four Cs to build a clear daily routine, spot gaps in practice and give every team member a useful starting point.
Clean effectively, not just visibly
Remove dirt and food debris, then apply disinfection where required by your procedure. Use suitable products and follow their dilution, contact time and rinsing instructions. Include touch points, utensils and equipment as well as the worktop. Handwashing with soap and warm water belongs in the routine, particularly between tasks.
Cook using a reliable method
Follow a safe cooking method appropriate to the food. Visual cues alone can be unreliable. Where your procedure uses a temperature probe, keep it clean, disinfected and working correctly, and check the appropriate part of the food. Decide what staff must do if a cooking check fails before the food is served.
Keep chilled food under control
Use the storage conditions stated for each product and your own safe procedures. Check refrigeration using an agreed method, keep space for air to circulate and put suitable deliveries away promptly. Do not assume a cabinet setting proves that every product is at the correct temperature.
- Label and rotate stock using the applicable dates.
- Investigate readings outside your safe limits.
- Record what happened and the action taken.
Separate raw food from ready-to-eat food
Think about ingredients, hands, equipment and surfaces. Keep raw-food tasks away from foods that will receive no further cooking. Staff should be able to show how separation and cleaning work during a busy shift. Use the four Cs as a team briefing, then check the official detail and the procedures for your own business.