Food business operation during this Covid 19
By Dipika Chauhan May 2, 2020 1 Comments

1. How to maintain food safety keeping in mind infectious diseases?
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an urgent and spreading threat.
It is mandatory for all food businesses to implement Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) laid in Schedule 4 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 to ensure food safety and hygiene in food establishments. Under the present circumstances due to COVID 19 pandemic, there is an urgent requirement for food industry to ensure compliance with measures to protect food handlers from contracting COVID-19, to prevent exposure to or transmission of the virus, and to strengthen the food hygiene and sanitation practices.
The three major steps to prevent spread of COVID-19 infection are
a) Maintain high levels of personal hygiene;
b) Practice social distancing at all times;
c) Cleaning and sanitation.

2. What should a restaurant owner do before and after reopening?
Special Instructions for different Food Sectors
Retail food premises and other Food services that need to remain open to cater the needs of the general public during this public health emergency do face a greater challenge in maintaining the hygiene standards of hand washing and respiratory etiquette to protect the staff and the consumers. Besides continuing to follow the established protocols and hygiene practices for retailing, the important COVID 19 recommendations for different sectors are as under:
Food Service [Delivery/Takeaways
Food service area shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after every meal prepared and disinfect surfaces repeatedly touched by employees or customers such as door knobs, equipment handles, check-out counters, and grocery cart handles, etc.
Hand washing facility should be made available to the workers and if that is not possible hand sanitizers should be placed at the entry of the retail stores and used accordingly
Even with proper hand washing, food workers should use a barrier such as tongs, gloves, or other utensil to prevent direct hand contact with food. The virus is likely to be inactivated by proper cooking temperatures; it is important to use gloves or other barriers to prevent touching foods that will not be fully cooked.
No ready-to-eat food item shall be left open and shall be kept covered or in glass displays.
Employees shall wear clean uniform, mask/face cover, gloves and head covers at all times. Pre screening of the workers for COVID-19 symptoms should be followed. Individuals showcasing COVID-19 symptoms should be sent to the health facility for further evaluation and encouraged to stay home.
All food items shall be thoroughly washed. Fruits and vegetables (to be consumed raw) shall be washed in 50 ppm chlorine (or equivalent solution) and clean potable water before storage.
Prepare for fewer customers and make plans for take-out and delivery options that will work with the available staff and supply resources. Use social media to communicate with your local customers.
No ready-to-eat food item shall be left open and shall be kept covered or in glass displays. Use gloves to avoid direct bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
There should be visible notices pasted, for staff promoting hand hygiene and physical distancing.
Help customers to maintain social distancing by way of encouraging spacing between the customers while in line for service or check out in accordance to the social distancing norms (minimum 1 meter gap). Establish designated pick-up zones for customers to help maintain social distancing.
Buffet system, food service and mass gathering should be disallowed during COVID-19 pandemic; such services shall be resumed only under directions from the concerned Statutory Authorities. In case such services are allowed by the Authorities , food establishment shall ensure that:
• Dedicated food handler(s) should serve food items to customers instead of multiple customers using the serving spoons.
• Minimum 1 meter gap is maintained between the food handler and customer.
• Minimum 1 meter gap is maintained between the seating space and tables in the service area.
• High touch points such as countertops, tongs, ladles, handles, etc. should be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
In case of food delivery, food handler shall ensure that:
•Face is covered with a clean mask or a face cover, hands are sanitized before food pick up and after delivery.
• Social distancing is followed by maintaining a minimum 1 meter gap between self and customer.
•Contact with common touch points such as door bell, handles, etc is avoided. If unavoidable, hands are sanitised after coming in contact with common touch points.
• Contactless delivery methods shall be encouraged.
Customers shall be encouraged to place orders online or on telephone, well in advance. This will help in reducing the wait time at the food establishment.
Employees shall refrain from handling cash. In case cash is handled, employees shall wash or sanitise their hands afterwards. Customers shall be encouraged to use contactless modes of payments such as UPI, QR codes, net-banking, e-wallets, etc. In case credit/debit cards are used, the card machine shall be sanitized with 70 % alcohol after each use.
If possible, food businesses shall provide disposable menu, utensils, cutlery, and single use sachet (of salt pepper, sugar, ketchup, etc) instead of reusable utensils, cutlery, bottles or salt shakers; else the same should be frequently cleaned, after each use.

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About Author

Dipika Chauhan

Dipika Chauhan is Deputy Commissioner (food), Food and Drug Control, Government of Gujarat.