Poor food hygiene pertains to inappropriate or inadequate practices within the food supply chain.
Poor food hygiene is the number one cause of cross-contamination in the UK and can be incredibly costly for businesses. In this article, we take a look at the consequences of poor hygiene in the food manufacturing and processing industry.
Food poisoning
One of the most serious risks of poor food hygiene in the manufacturing industry is food poisoning. Food poisoning can cause vomiting, weakness, and fever in milder cases. However, in serious cases, food poisoning can often lead to hospitalisation and sometimes even death.
One of the most common types of food poisoning, Gastroenteritis, is often caused by unwashed hands, which spread germs and contaminate the food people consume. People with Gastroenteritis usually suffer from nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and low-grade fever.
Another common type of food poisoning is Campylobacter. Typically, people contract Campylobacter infection by consuming raw or undercooked poultry or eating something that touches it. People with Campylobacter infection usually suffer from nausea and vomiting, which lasts between 2 to 5 days.
Pests
Poor food hygiene and pests go hand in hand: where there are dirty preparation environments, overspilling bins, and poorly managed waste disposal, mice, rats, flies, and birds will flock.
Aside from these disease-carrying pets being unsightly, problematic, and unhygienic, they can actually spread severe illnesses and diseases that are harmful to humans.
Hundreds of illnesses and diseases can be transmitted from pests such as birds, flies, and rodents. In a recent blog post, we looked at the different types of diseases food factory pests carry and spread.
Cross-contamination and allergic reactions
Many people suffer from allergies or intolerances to certain foods such as gluten, lactose, or nuts. Reactions to these foods can range in severity from mild nausea, coughing, and rashes to more severe life-threatening issues such as anaphylactic shock, which requires hospitalisation and intense medical intervention.
When you produce food for consumers with severe, life-threatening allergies, you must take food hygiene seriously to prevent cross-contamination.
Speak to us
We specialise in providing professional and thorough cleaning services for the food and beverage manufacturing industries. Our factory cleaning services include:
- High-level cleaning of ducting and windows
- External surface cleaning, such as cladding and exterior windows
- Machine degreasing and cleaning
- Extensive floor cleaning
If you would like to discuss how we can help you maintain adequate hygiene levels in your facility, please speak to our team today.
