This unit examines how a food premises and the equipment should be designed to ensure food safety, and the other things that should be provided when designing a food premises. It also covers the different types of food pests and how they can be prevented and controlled to ensure food safety.
Food premises and equipment should be designed and constructed to reduce the risk of contamination.
A good food premises design is achieved through having a clearly defined workflow that avoids cross-contamination right from the moment ingredients are delivered to the business, all the way through to service or dispatch of the final product or dish.
When designing premises and equipment, it’s important to think about the flow of ingredients and product, packaging, people, equipment and waste through the premises. It’s also important to consider the ease of effective cleaning and disinfection and pest control.
Specifically, when designing food premises and equipment, consideration should be given to these things:
- separating raw food from high-risk ready to eat and cooked foods
- separating clean and dirty processes
- separating waste from areas where food is stored, prepared, served and dispatched
In relation to food premises and equipment, the law requires that they are kept clean, disinfected and in good condition and that they have adequate washing facilities (for hands, equipment and food) and sufficient lighting, drainage and ventilation.
Food premises and equipment need to be constructed from the right materials and they should have the following properties:
- durable and hard-wearing
- impervious (this means they won’t permit water to pass through)
- smooth (this makes cleaning and disinfection easier)
- easy to clean
- crack/ chip resistant
- surfaces such as walls and ceilings should be light coloured so that dirt is easily visible
