WHY IS PERSONAL HYGIENE IMPORTANT?

People employed in, or visiting, food plants are an important potential source of microbiological and physical hazards. Procedures are needed to minimise the risk of such hazards causing illness or injury to consumers.

For example:

• Bacteria (germs) may be transferred from people to food through handling food, by coughing over food or from contact with dirty clothing.
• People who are sick may be suffering from an infection that can be transmitted by food, such as Salmonella food poisoning, viral gastro-enteritis, bacterial skin infections, even typhoid or dysentery.
• Foreign objects such as hair, pieces of jewellery, pencils, buttons, fibres from clothing etc. may fall onto food.
• People may also cause cross contamination as they move around a food plant, by transferring dirt and bacteria on clothing or footwear, especially if they pass from dirty to clean areas.