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Chemicals can be a cause of food contamination. It is important not to create problems by allowing food to come into contact with chemicals used and stored in kitchens or food areas. We have talked on this course about ensuring that surfaces are clean and that the correct chemicals are used but it is equally as important to ensure that the chemical residues do not come in to contact with food.
Chemicals found in kitchens will vary but include substances like:
Where you have to keep chemicals in the food area ensure they are in the correct container and labelled correctly. If possible keep out of the immediate area. Think about what would happen if a container leaked and ensure that this could not access food storage or preparation areas. For this reason, do not keep chemicals with food or drink. Areas, where chemicals are stored, should be locked.
In some cases, people store chemicals in empty food containers. This can result in a chemical accidentally being mistaken for a food ingredient.
The risks of chemicals can include:
You can reduce risks and hazards by:
If it is suspected that chemicals have contaminated food or the work area, this should be reported to a supervisor and food production stopped.