Personal hygiene of the food handler

Food handlers as a source of contamination 169 Hands 169 Nose and throat 170 Gastrointestinal tract 170 Prevention of food contamination by food handlers 171 Personal cleanliness and protective clothing 173 Food handlers’ fitness to work 175 Training 178 Summary 179 Sources of information and further reading 179 Food handlers can be a source of food contamination and facilitators of cross-contamination. Personal hygiene of food handlers is extremely important in the prevention of food poisoning, which is principally associated with cleanliness of the hands. Identification of ways in which food handlers may contaminate food can help develop appropriate interventions to reduce or eliminate the risk of contamination.