Holmbury Playgroup – Food Hygiene and Safety Policy
Controlling Food Handler and Food Contamination
The following measures are followed to ensure food hygiene and safety
 Staff and children should always wash their hands before
preparing or eating food
 Hands should be washed frequently especially if handling raw
meat or poultry
 Staff teach children not to lick their fingers or wipe their noses
whilst cooking or preparing food
 No food that is out of date is used
 If tasting is necessary, staff and children should use a clean spoon
and not their fingers
 Equipment and utensils are kept clean
 Staff should not blow into plastic bags or lick their fingers to ease
their opening
 Tongs and utensils should be used as much as possible to avoid
unnecessary handling of food
Chemical Contamination
 Harmful chemicals can be accidently added to food through
incorrect storage. At Holmbury Playgroup, all chemicals are stored
securely, out of reach of children and away from foodstuffs
 Residue can be left after cleaning if insufficient rinsing takes place.
Staff to ensure utensils and equipment are suitably rinsed
Physical Contamination
 Physical contamination occurs if any foreign body is present in the
food, eg stones, pips, leaves, bones, glass, shell, nuts and bolts
and dust.
 Staff to ensure that food is covered or wrapped to ensure this
does not occur.
 In the case of pips, seeds, stones, bones or shells, staff to be
vigilant whilst preparing food that may contain these elements to
ensure they are all removed.
Holmbury Playgroup adheres to the following guidelines in the
preparation and storage of food.
Good Food Handling Practice
Effective hygiene control and the prevention of contamination depends
on food being handled with care. The following are the areas that need
careful consideration.







Storage of dry goods
Refrigerated storage
Control of bottled or canned goods
Vegetable and fruit storage
Stock rotation
Correct food preparation
Cooking and cooling
Dry Food Storage Areas
At Holmbury Playgroup we ensure all the dry ingredients we use for
cooking meet the following requirements and are kept




Dry
Cool
They are stored in a well ventilated area
Cupboards and storage containers are regularly cleaned and
maintained
 The kitchen area is well lit
 Free from pest infestation
 Stored in airtight containers
Refrigerated Storage
For any foodstuffs that require refrigeration, the following guidelines are
followed
 Raw food is kept on a lower shelf
 Hot food is not put directly into the fridge as it raises the
temperature of the fridge which in turn causes condensation and
can break the thermostat.
 The fridge is never overstocked as air needs to circulate in order
for the fridge to work most effectively.
Control of Bottled or Canned Goods
 If during the course of cooking or preparing food any seals are
found not to be secure, the item is discarded as contamination
may have occurred.
 Any dented, rusty or blown cans are discarded as the contents will
have been impaired
 All lids on bottles should be securely closed when not in use to
prevent contamination.
Control of Vegetables and Fruit Storage
At Holmbury Playgroup we encourage healthy eating with parents being
encouraged to provide healthy snacks in the form of fruit or vegetables.
These are stored in the following conditions
 They are kept in a cool room to prevent early spoiling
 They are never stored on the floor
 They are used in rotation with staff keeping an eye on ripening
times and using up ripe fruit first.
 Any fruit or vegetable showing signs of spoilage are discarded
 Vegetables should be stored in a dark place and not touching
other vegetables.
Control by Stock Rotation
 At Holmbury Playgroup we use up old stock before new.
 We move old stock to the front.
 We use up ripe fruit and vegetables first
Correct Food Preparation
At Holmbury Playgroup, all staff involved in the preparation of food have
a responsibility to ensure food is prepared in the correct way and to
ensure that cross contamination does not occur. As such, we have the
following procedures in place.
 Staff are made aware that contamination can occur directly (eg.
Raw food in contact with cooked food, blood dripping onto other
foodstuffs) or indirectly via knives and clothes etc.
 Raw food to be kept on a lower shelf in the fridge with cooked
food above.
 We would use disposable cloths if any meat or poultry products
were being used.
 Food is covered during storage
 Tongs or other utensils are used to ensure food is handled as little
as possible.
 Food, utensils and equipment are not to be washed in the same
sink as hand washing occurs
 Blue plasters should be available in the case of any accident whilst
preparing food
 Staff or children should not handle food if they are suffering from
diarrhoea or vomiting, skin infections, heavy colds or if they have
discharge from their eyes or ears
Cooking and Cooling
Ensuring food is at the correct temperature is the most powerful tool in
preventing food poisoning. About 80% of food poisoning outbreaks are
as a result of inadequate temperature control.
 At Holmbury Playgroup staff ensure all food is thoroughly cooked
before serving
 Food is not left standing in direct sunlight
 Hot food should not be topped with cold food
 The danger zone for food is between 5 and 63 degrees Celsius
therefore food should either be refrigerated or thoroughly cooked
to kill bacteria
Allergies
To ensure the health and safety of children and staff who may have a
food allergy, Holmbury Playgroup follows these practices
 Staff always know exactly what is in a recipe and check the
ingredients
 Staff and children should wash their hands after handling
allergens
 Staff to ensure all allergenic ingredients are suitably packaged,
stored and labeled
 Separate cloths, utensils and equipment should be used
 Staff to be very vigilant about the possibility of cross
contamination
 Staff to thoroughly clean areas where allergenic ingredients have
been handled with disposable cloths or paper towels.