Hi its me again
they say wash hands before you touch food and after you handle meat i agree but i notice that all that you nearly all wear rings they to me carry germs to so i would think you would take them off when cooking after all it is a cooking program not a fashion show do you agree gebit

Must admit, I've often thought that.
Wedding ring OK, you can wear one taped over during an operation, but shall we call them Fashion Jewellery, should never be allowed.

In most kitchens, there are far worse things on people and prep/cooking areas than a bit of jewellery. Like that stupid and thankfully now withdrawn commercial which suggested that a chopping board had more bacteria on it than a loo seat, we can take the 'germ' thing too far. Keep as clean as possible and don't mix ingredients when preparing is sound advice which was given to me many years ago. It works!

That said, I would not have anyone who had been admitted to hospital back in my kitchen without rigorous anti-bacterial cleaning. MRSA is alive and spreading!

David

Morning Dave.

I was thinking more along the lines of what bugs are IN rings. The little nocks and crannies that a quick scrub does not remove. Especially in the settings for stones, deep engraving or patterns.

Morning to you Barshedale. I agree about the Fashion Jewellery point, but more because of the risk of bits, stones and the like dropping off.

Clarissa Dickson-Wright has always maintained that it doesnt make a lot of difference , wearing rings, as long as your basic board usage and process for handling raw ingredients is good.

I sometimes think that we are over regulated about clean food prep. But, then I think of the number of times I have heard food poisoning stories from visitors to 'abroad'. A Son in Law was in Budapest last week and got nailed by some undercooked chicken in a highly coloured sauce. Was it undercooked? Was it contaminated? Who knows, either way it gave him an entertaining 36 hours. His description.

Question for you. What would you do about a key worker who turns up for work with a cold?

Have a good day!

David

Normal food hygene standards would say send him home but reality would be, keep him "Back of House" and if you must sneeze, do it quietly and on something where it won't show.

Once again Dave it's the practicality of losing a major player. If the usual rules are followed but to a higher degree than normal, I can't really see a problem but the other side of the coin could be. One sick member of staff today equals half the kitchen out tomorrow.
Such fun being Exec.

Thanks Barry. Half the kitchen out, my nearly worst nightmare.

My solution to colds and the like is a face mask, which is a tip I got from working with some Japanese a few years ago. They do not use the pocket handkerchief either, tissues instead. Makes sense when you think about it, not to put a bit of wet and infected rag back into your pocket for next time.

Sushi time methinks!

I did a food and hygiene course yesterday, and they covered the jewellery bit, it should not be worn in case you get bits of it in your food, nothing about the hygiene side of it. The most important item was do not mix raw meat with cooked food!