HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Opunake Times, 20 August 1948, Page 3

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

FOOD HANDLING (By the Department of Health) Droplets loaded with germs are sprayed outward into the air every time we cough or sneeze unless we’re careful to use a handkerchief. These germs settle on our clothes, on tables and chairs, the food, dishes and the floor. Dust should not be stirred up. There should be no sweeping of kitchen or diningroom while food is being prepared or served. This is why it’s most important to keep food and dishes under cover to protect them from dust* and from sneezes and coughs, from careless customers and restaurant employees. Flies also infect food with dangerous germs. They readily move from something filthy to share a piece of pie or cake with us; Food and dishes must he kept protected from these nests and everyone must do bis part to get rid of them. The hands of food handlers are the most likely way of contaminating food. Before a food handler starts work the hands should bo carefully washed, and dried on a clean towel kept solely for that purpose. Throughout the period of duty the hands should not be allowed to get soiled with dangerous germs. That means that they should never touch the nose or mouth or hair, or handle any dirty object.

Smoking on duty is wrong. The hands must be washed after every smoke or visit to the 4oilet, and after we cough or sneeze and put our hands to cover our mouths. After blowing our noses we should wash our hands before touching food. Food, and dishes and utensils for handling food, must he kept protected from flies and cockroaches, rats and mice, and dirt. •Storage must be under cover. Pies, cakes, sandwiches and pastries on display should he under glass so that dust and flies are excluded, and qlso so that customers cannot cough or sneeze over them. Customers are often at fault, too, in contaminating other peoples’ food by touching* goods which they then replace on the plate. Don’t be one of those thoughtless and careless people.