Most foodborne illness does not come from exotic hazards. It comes from the same handful of slips repeated in kitchens, plants and markets every day. The World Health Organization groups the remedies into five keys, and they remain the best starting point for any team.
1. Keep clean
Hands, surfaces and equipment carry bacteria from raw food to ready-to-eat food. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap, and clean and sanitise food-contact surfaces — cleaning removes dirt, sanitising kills what is left.
2. Separate raw and cooked
Use separate boards, knives and containers for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Store raw products below ready-to-eat food in the fridge so nothing can drip down.
3. Cook thoroughly
Cook until the core reaches at least 70 °C. Colour is not a reliable test — a probe thermometer is.
4. Keep food at safe temperatures
Bacteria multiply fastest between 5 °C and 60 °C. Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours, and keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
5. Use safe water and raw materials
Buy from approved suppliers, check delivery temperatures, and use safe water for washing produce and making ice.
A system only works if the people on the line understand why each step matters. Training is not an extra — it is the system.
Making it stick
- Put the five keys on the wall where the work happens.
- Turn each key into one check on the opening or closing list.
- Praise the person who stops a mistake, not only the one who fixes it.
