As a plumber, I am often asked how to clean surfaces that need to be ‘food safe‘ for cafes, restaurants and any establishments that prepare or manufacture food products or meals.

A colleague, Gavin Buckett, The Gourmet Guardian is a food safety specialist and has this advice to offer.

In the food industry, most people are aware that bacteria in food can be dangerous, especially if it is served by someone who hasn’t washed their hands or the food has been stored at the wrong temperature. Equally as well known, is that no one wants to find a Band-Aid, piece of metal or a cigarette butt in their food. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

HACCP is an internationally recognised preventative food management system, and ALL food safety hazards are categorised into only one of three different types.

The first example above is called a microbiological hazard and is caused by one of three problems.

1. The food hasn’t been handled, stored or transported properly.
2. The second example is called a physical hazard. A physical hazard is any foreign object or extraneous matter that you would not normally expect to find in that particular food product.
3. The third type of hazard is called a chemical hazard and is often forgotten or disregarded.

Chemical hazards are chemical substances that can cause poisoning or illness if they are not adequately removed or excessive levels are present. We all use chemicals to clean, but did you know that if you use the wrong chemical or use a chemical incorrectly, that what you are doing may be more dangerous than not washing your hands before handling food? Cleaning chemicals are vital in ensuring that dangerous bacteria’s are removed from our kitchens and food contact surfaces, but you must ensure that they are used correctly. In a separate Blog Post I have already explained how “Chemicals can clean, but chemicals can kill”, but in short, you must ensure that if you are using a chemical in a kitchen or food processing area, that the chemical is what I call “Food Safe”.

A Food Safe chemical is a chemical that:

• Is designed for use in the food industry
• Will not contaminate food or food products if used correctly

In Export Meat Establishments ALL chemicals that are used, must have been approved by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) . As a rule of thumb, I recommend to my clients to ONLY use chemicals that have been approved by AQIS, even if they aren’t export registered establishments. The cost of acquiring this approval is $200 and lasts for five years, so if a chemical supplier is not prepared to have the chemical registered then they can’t be serious about it’s suitability for use in the food industry. Once the chemical is approved, it must be used as it is intended to be used. Even if a chemical is deemed food safe, there are some chemicals that are not suitable to use on a food contact surface (such as a disinfectant or floor cleaner).

Always check on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) its:

• Intended use
• Correct dilution
• Any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that might be needed
• If it needs to air-dry OR be rinsed off after the exposure time

If the MSDS does not state that it is intended for use in food premises, then the chemical must not be used.