Checklist for contamination control

Purchase food and raw materials from known, reliable and hygienic suppliers.
Accept deliveries only if transported in clean, properly equipped vehicle, with clean drivers wearing satisfactory protective clothing. Refrigerated vehicles may be necessary.
Inspect deliveries immediately on arrival. Reject or segregate any damage, unfit or contaminated material. Where relevant, check temperatures, codes and date markings and reject out-of-date food.
After checking, remove delivers immediately to appropriate storage, refrigerator or cold store.
Keep any unfit food, chemicals and refuse away from stored food. Use only food containers for storing food.
Keep ready -to-eat foods apart from raw foods at all times, in separate areas, with separate utensils and equipment. Separate chopping boards most be used for raw and ready-to-eat food unless all such equipment is disinfected by heat in a suitable commercial dishwasher. Colour coding is useful. Separate food handlers are recommended.
Where complete separation of raw and ready-to-eat food is not physically possible, strict procedures to ensure effective cleaning and disinfection is carried out must be in place.
Maintain scrupulous personal hygiene at all times and handle food as little as possible. Exclude potential carriers.
Keep food covered or other wise protected unless it is actually being processed or prepared, in which case bring food out only when needed. Do not leave food lying around.
Keep premises, equipment and utensils clean and i good condition and repair. Report or remedy defects with the minimum of delay. Disinfect food-contact surface, hand-contact surface and equipment.
Ensure that all empty containers are clean and disinfected prior to filling with food.
Control cleaning materials, partially wiping cloths. Keeping cleaning materials away from food. Remove food and food containers before cleaning. Care must be taken to ensure that all cleaning residues, including water, are drained from food equipment and pipes. Always clean from high-risk areas to low-risk areas.
Remove waste food and refuse from food areas as soon as practicable. Store in appropriate container, away from food.
Maintain an active pest control programme.
Control visitors and maintenance workers in high-risk areas. Ensure hygiene disciplines apply to all personnel, including management.
Inspect food areas and process frequently, act in any defect or unhygienic practices. Train staff and monitor performance. Food handlers and engineers must be aware of the bacteriological and physical contamination they may induce.
Ensure adequate thawing of food, separate to other foods.
Make suitable provisions for cooling prior to refrigeration.
Where any controls out lined above may have been breached, and a high-risk food contact surface may be contaminated with pathogens, food production should cases until all surfaces and equipment have been re-cleaned and disinfected. Any potentially contaminated ready-to-eat food should be disposed of.

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