Top 5 Mistakes in Commercial Kitchens and How to Fix Them

Running a commercial kitchen requires careful attention to hygiene and safety. Even small mistakes in food handling or cleaning can lead to food borne illnesses, customer complaints, and even legal risks. Here’s a look at the top five mistakes often seen in commercial kitchens, along with practical solutions to prevent them.

1. Ineffective Scullery Washing

A clean kitchen starts with proper washing practices, but many kitchens fall short by using lukewarm water, skipping sanitiser, or neglecting thorough scrubbing.

Common Issues:

• Using water that isn’t hot enough for washing and rinsing.
• Using the wrong type or amount of detergent.
• Skipping sanitiser in rinse water.
• Failing to scrub cutting boards with detergent and a brush.
• Skipping an extra sanitising step after washing cutting boards.

Solution:
Use water above 45°C for both washing and rinsing, and ensure detergents and sanitisers are correctly diluted. Cutting boards should be scrubbed with detergent and then sanitised after each use to prevent bacterial build-up.

2. Poor Temperature Control

Maintaining the correct food temperatures is essential for preventing bacterial growth. Foods left in the “danger zone” between 5°C and 60°C can become breeding grounds for bacteria.

Solution:
Keep cold foods below 5°C and hot foods above 60°C. Regularly check and record refrigerator and oven temperatures to ensure that all food stays within safe temperature limits.

3. Lack of Segregation in Refrigerated Storage

Storing raw and cooked foods without adequate separation can lead to cross-contamination, especially when raw meats are placed above other items.

Solution:
Store raw meats, fish, and poultry on the lowest shelves in refrigerators, separate from other foods. This practice significantly reduces the risk of contamination and ensures safe storage.

4. Cross-Contamination During Food Preparation

Cross-contamination is a major cause of food borne illness, often happening when raw and cooked foods are prepared too close to one another.

Solution:
Designate separate preparation areas for raw meats, fish, and poultry, ensuring they are far from areas used for ready-to-eat foods. Staff should clean and sanitise surfaces and equipment thoroughly between tasks to avoid contamination.

5. Poor Staff Hygiene

Staff hygiene is a top priority, yet it’s often neglected or not enforced strictly enough. Inadequate handwashing and poor personal hygiene can easily spread bacteria.

Solution:
Keep handwashing stations stocked with soap, hand drying facilities, and hand sanitiser. Train staff on proper handwashing techniques, emphasising the need to wash hands after each task.

Conclusion

By addressing these common mistakes, commercial kitchens can improve their food safety standards and provide safer dining experiences for customers. Implementing thorough scullery washing, maintaining temperature control, practising food segregation, preventing cross-contamination, and enforcing staff hygiene protocols will help ensure a clean, compliant, and efficient kitchen.