National Nutrition and HIV/AIDS Guidelines for Service Providers of ...

8.5 Hygiene in the Kitchen
° Keep all food preparation surfaces clean.
° Use clean dishes and utensils to store, prepare, serve and eat food.
° Cover food to prevent both flies and dust from contaminating the food.
° Keep garbage in a covered bin (and empty it regularly) so it will not cause offensive smells and
attract flies, which can contaminate food with germs.
° Kitchen utensils should not be stored on the ground where they can be contaminated with
disease causing organisms. Instead they should be placed on a raised platform, where there is
sunlight and enough air circulation.
° Cleanliness is vital to food safety. Refrigerators should be defrosted and cleaned thoroughly
and regularly.
° Dish towels should be washed and boiled often to kill germs
° The use of dish towels to wipe hands after washing them should be discouraged because dish
towels can spread germs
8.6 Handling, Cooking and Storage of Food
° Wash vegetables and fruit with clean water. If it is not possible to wash fruits and vegetables
properly, remove the skin before eating to avoid contamination. Cut-off the bruised parts of
fruits and vegetables to remove any moulds and bacteria growing there.
° Throw away foods that have gone bad or well past the “sell-by” or expiration date.
° Wash utensils and surfaces touched by animal products with hot water and soap before
preparing other foods such as raw salads.
° Wooden boards should not be used for cutting animal products. Plastic cutting boards are
better.
° Keep meat and fish separate from other foods.
° Food from dented or bulging cans should not be consumed; once a can has been opened, the
food should be removed from the original can and kept in a clean non-metallic container.
Use clean cups and spoons to feed infants.
When cooking food:
° Cook food on a high heat to kill most germs and eat it as soon as possible after cooking.
° Do not overcook vegetables as vitamins and minerals will be lost.
° Cook meat and fish well, until there are no red juices.
° Boil eggs until hard and avoid using cracked eggs; do not eat soft-boiled eggs, raw eggs or any
food containing raw eggs.
For proper food storage:
° Store cooked and fresh food in a cool place or refrigerator where available, because germs
multiply more quickly in warm food.
° Store raw and cooked foods separately; use containers to avoid contact between them.
° Do not store foods for long periods in the refrigerator.
° Where there is no refrigerator, fresh products such as meat, chicken or fish should be
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