Food and Nutrition Guidelines - Barnsley Council Online

10. Food hygiene and safety
Personal hygiene
Regular hand washing is important for
personal cleanliness.
Hands should be washed regularly throughout
the day and especially:
• BEFORE: preparing food; eating; helping
children to eat; attending to babies.
• BETWEEN: handling raw foods (meat, fish,
poultry and eggs) and touching any other
food or kitchen utensils.
It is very important that children are
taught basic hygiene themselves.
Children should wash their hands with
soap and water:
• Before eating meals and snacks.
• After using the toilet.
• After handling animals.
• After messy play.
Children should not eat food that has
fallen onto the floor.
• AFTER: preparing food, especially raw
foods; visiting the toilet; toileting children;
emptying rubbish/ waste bins; changing
nappies; coughing or sneezing, especially
if you are unwell; handling and stroking
animals; taking a break; smoking.
• Always use warm water. Its better to wet
hands before applying soap as this prevents
irritation. (Ideally use anti-bacterial liquid
soap).
• Rub hands together vigorously for about
15 seconds, making sure both sides of the
hands are washed fully, around the thumbs,
between each finger and around and under
nails.
• Rinse with clean water.
• Dry hands thoroughly - 1000 times as many
germs spread from damp hands than dry
hands. Use a clean dry towel, paper towel or
air dryer.
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