08 Mar Power Outages: Preventing Salmonella Poisonings in Your Food Establishment

Posted at 09:11h in HYCHEM BLOG by


Maintaining Food Safety During Power Outages: Preventing Salmonella Poisonings in Your Food Establishment

We have become aware of a potential increase in salmonella-related incidents in some food establishments across the country, and we want to alert our customers to the potential risks. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness in humans, with symptoms that may include diarrhea, vomiting, and, in rare cases, even death.

We believe the incidents may be related to broken cold chains as a result of increased load shedding, which highlights the importance of maintaining food safety standards, especially during times of power outages.

To avoid such incidents, it is crucial to adhere to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, which are designed to identify and control potential hazards in the food production process. This includes ensuring that your cold chain is intact at all times, even during power outages. By closely monitoring and documenting the temperatures of your refrigeration units and other cold storage facilities, you can reduce the risk of bacterial growth and contamination.

Additionally, it is essential to regularly clean and disinfect all surfaces and equipment in your kitchen to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria. HYCHEM’s range of kitchen cleaning and disinfection chemicals are specifically designed to effectively eliminate bacteria and other pathogens, ensuring that your kitchen is safe and hygienic.

As a provider of high-quality cleaning and disinfection chemicals for the food service industry, HYCHEM is committed to helping our customers maintain the highest possible standards of food safety.

Load shedding can cause food in fridges to spoil due to the lack of power to keep the fridge running. Here are some tips to mitigate the effects of load shedding on food in fridges:

    1. Keep the fridge closed:
      • Every time you open the fridge door, cold air escapes, and warm air enters, making the fridge work harder to cool down again. During load shedding, try to keep the fridge door closed as much as possible.
    2. Use ice packs or frozen water bottles:
      • Place ice packs or frozen water bottles in the fridge. These will help keep the temperature down and prolong the time it takes for the fridge to reheat.
    3. Fill up empty space in the fridge:
      • If your fridge is not fully stocked, fill the empty space with jugs of water. Water has a high thermal mass and will help keep the temperature stable in the fridge.
    4. Plan your meals ahead:
      • During load shedding, plan your meals ahead of time so that you can take out the food you need from the fridge quickly, minimizing the time the door is open.
    5. Invest in a generator or battery backup:
      • A generator or battery backup can provide power to your fridge during load shedding, keeping your food fresh for longer.

Thank you for choosing HYCHEM as your partner in food safety.

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