We all know that dishwashing machines are an important piece of equipment in keeping serving ware and the utensils we use to prepare food clean, but do we take the time to ensure that our dishwasher is kept in sanitary condition? Beyond sanitizing the clean side of the dishwasher and making sure drying areas are kept in proper condition, how can we promote food safety training to keep the “dirty” side of our mechanical dishwashers from creating foodborne illness hazards?
Food Safety Training tips for Dish Pit Cleanliness
It’s easy to understand why the clean side of the dish pit needs to remain clean. All of the dishes that end up over there are sanitized and ready for service, but ignoring the dirty side of the dish area creates scenarios that can be a food safety risk. When providing food safety training to dish machine operators, make sure you cover:
- Garbage Disposal
- Machine Filters
- Doors and Seals
- Dirty Washing Surfaces
We tend to assume that the garbage disposal churns up waste and sends it into the sewage system, but a lot of the residue remains in the drain, on the blades and in your pipes. This food residue attracts pests such as fruit flies. While it’s not necessary or even prudent to take apart your garbage disposal, there are liquid solutions available that can clean and sanitize garbage disposals and pipes. If you have the need to reach into the garbage disposal for any reason, make sure that it has been unplugged to prevent catastrophic injury.
Most mechanical dish washers have filters to prevent waste from ending up in the drainage system. Make locating and cleaning these filters a part of your basic food safety training. Don’t forget that grease and grime can build up on the inside of the doors and transfer to clean items during the rinse cycle.
Finally, the areas where plate ware and production tools wait to be washed can also attract pests and transfer contaminated materials to employees who touch them and work near these areas. The food safety training best practice is take the time to often clean washing surfaces and dirty dish storage areas.
Does your food safety training cover the whole dish pit area?
