Fish Microbiology and Quality Assurance

Unit 7 - Sanitation and microbiological quality

7.4.1.Hygienic practices for seafood plant employees
The following personal hygiene practices are to be adhered by the food handlers in seafood industry.

• Employee health: Employees suffering from any communicable disease, carriers of any diseases, infected wound or open lesion on an exposed part of their body should be prevented from working in the processing areas.
• Employee appearance: All employees should have clean and tidy appearance.
• Fingernail polish: Employees wearing fingernail polish are not to be engaged in handling of the product
• Jewellery: Employees engaged in the handling of the product should avoid wearing rings, earrings, or any other jewellery.
• Smoking/spitting/ gum or tobacco chewing: No person is allowed to smoke, spit or chew gum or tobacco in the processing areas.
• Hand washing: Employees should thoroughly wash hands with warm water and soap following each absence from duty.
• Headgear: Employees have to wear suitable headgear covering the hair completely.
• Bearded employees: Male employees with beards or mustaches will have to secure them with headgear.
• Outer garments: Employees should wear clean uniform (coats, aprons etc) in processing area. These garments should not be worn outside the processing unit or inside toilet areas, not be placed on processing tables or equipment during break. Employees must keep their shirt, blouse and sweater sleeves rolled up past the elbow.
• Protective hand coverings: Gloves need to be washed and disinfected at each break and at the end of each shift.
• Toilet area: Employees should avoid loitering in toilet areas.
• Personnel permitted in processing areas: Only authorized personnel are permitted in the processing areas.
• Foot dips: Employees should make use of foot dips wherever required.