Duck Inn Food and Hygiene Policy - Research Paper Example

 Introduction As recorded by Dalton (2007, p 2) ‘Food hygiene is a way of preserving and preparing food to ensure it's safe for humans to eat’. This view is further supported by Hooper (2009, p 1) by saying that ‘food hygiene and safety is the study and doing the process of keeping food away from microorganisms especially pathogens and also to preserve food in conditions in which food is not contaminated for the ultimate goal of healthy eating’. To achieve maximum food safety standards, it is necessary to formulate laws or policies that govern the way food to be consumed by the general public will be handled and processed. As recorded by Jones (2010, p 2) ‘The purpose of the policy is to ensure safe practice among food handlers in accordance with Trust policies and current legislation’. This would be done by ensuring that the people or staffs who handle the food practice proper hygiene while handling the consumables. The Duck Inn management is considering improving the services rendered to customers to ensure maximum profits are achieved through practicing proper hygiene. The following paper will describe a food hygiene policy which will guide the staff around the barbecue area of Duck Inn describing the dress code, hygienic standards they are to uphold and the do’s and don’ts while engaging in the food production process. Duck Inn Food and Hygiene Policy The policy stated below is to be followed by all the staff of Duck Inn regardless of all diversifying factors. For maximum realization of the inn’s economic goals, different roles and duties have been allocated to the cooks, waiters, cleaners and the supervisor. Their mandate and roles have been clearly written down and therefore any irregularities experienced will be properly handled by the management in order to increase the attractiveness and improve on the net returns acquired from the venture. Barbecuing is a process which involves the cooking of food slowly under controlled heat. This policy will enforce hygiene around the barbecue area of Duck Inn. Staff around the barbecue area should be very careful to ensure that no foreign materials come into contact with the barbecue oven and food whether uncooked or cooked (Morris, 1997). This would be done by ensuring that the barbecue oven is manned at all times by the cooking staff. In addition, the staff will ensure that foods cooked are clean and up to the standards that will enhance healthy eating for example by placing separately the cooked form the uncooked foods. Moreover, the food hygiene policy will aim at improving the overall hygiene standards in the inn. In addition, the policy will provide a guideline to the dress code which will be adopted by the staff around the barbecue area. This would ensure that proper health standards are upheld and clean foods are prepared (Morris, 1997). The dress code would include wearing of a hair net or protective cap which would reduce the chances of hair dropping to the barbecue oven, heavy and clean gloves to ensure that the staffs provide clean food while still ensuring that they do not suffer burns and injuries. In addition, the staffs will at all times have an apron which will reduce the chances of materials from their bodies from contaminating the food. Also, the policy will emphasize that the staff wear clothes which are not lose to avoid getting burnt or causing fires at the barbecue area. To further emphasize on personal hygiene, no persons will be allowed to keep long or polished fingernails. These could harbor infection causing bacteria or microorganisms which would contaminate the food. The policy will also bar the staff from wearing drooping earrings or any other jewelry but would only consider allowing the sleeper earrings and official wedding rings. Wearing of such ornaments would be risking contamination of food and foodstuffs. This would improve the hygiene standards of the inn thus improving the market attractiveness increasing the returns gained. Also the policy will make sure that all the staff that will be handling the barbecue will be contagious infection free. This will be done through regular medical checkups and monitoring to reduce the chances of infecting the visiting customers. Some contagious infections for example diarrhea, vomiting, skin infection, infected wounds or gastrointestinal infections would be controlled. This will ensure that the public’s health is enhanced and proper hygiene is maintained. Moreover the policy will also ensure that the inn complies with the food safety regulations of 1995 and 2004. The policy will also mandate and compel the supervisor to ensure that the statements underlined in this policy are adhered to by the junior staff. He will play the role of inspecting the food production process and ensuring that the staffs embrace the correct dressing code. He would also ensure that the food hygiene would not only involve cleanliness in the barbecue area but also expelling of harmful materials which would bring about poisoning, multiplying of organisms which would bring about infections and diseases. This would also improve the attractiveness of the inn hence increasing the net returns gathered from the barbecue venture. Also the policy will promote healthy eating. It would be done through the inclusion of healthy foods in the barbecue menu to improve on the health standards of the consumers as well as comply with the new healthy foods regulation that has been enacted by the government. This would be done through the production of foods with less Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). In the simplest explanation these chemicals are formed by putting food, primarily meats in contact with intense heat and flame for long periods of time. They are credited for causing cancers in humans hence to reduce the chances of infection more and better barbecue methods would be embraced. Provision of cleaning service will also be highly emphasized. Warm water and soap will be provided to the staff for washing their hands before, during and after coming into contact with the barbecue ovens (Jones, 2009). In addition, warm and cold clean water and detergents will be made available at all times to ensure that the utensils used in the food production process are cleaned adequately to ensure maximum eradication of infection causing microorganisms (Tull, 1983). The supervisor will also ensure that food processing utensils are clean at all times. This would increase the attractiveness of the inn to the visiting customers and consequently increase the net returns acquired from the venture. In addition, this will ensure that the hygiene standards are met as described by the food safety act of 1990. Also, proper disposal equipment will be provided at the barbecue area. This would be used to dispose any contaminated foods, rejects and waste materials. As described by Jones (2010, p 13) ‘All waste food from meals, barbecue oven and rejects should be scraped into green food waste bags or waste bins and then disposed off correctly to avoid illnesses’. Food and wastes from the barbecue area might get accumulated by bacteria or infection causing microorganism which might be hazardous to man (Roberts, 2003). In addition, the supervisor must ensure that the food waste materials are disposed off in the correct manner. This would increase the customers’ preference and thus increasing the net profits earned from customers’ spending. The policy will also require the staff to get refresher courses and training programs in order to understand the procedures involved in the cooking and serving of the various new food stuffs that are new on the menu. Since the inn is receiving few customers, the policy will direct the supervisor to organize the scheduled study and refresher courses to improve on the cooking strategies while still ensuring that the barbecue area is well attended to and all the policy statements are adhered to in the mean time (Roberts, 2007). This would increase the number of customers that visit the inn and consequently increase the net returns gained. Moreover, refresher courses would expose the barbecue area staff to the new and modernized hygiene methods to comply with the food safety (general food) regulation. Conclusion Ducks Inn has been receiving low visitor turn up probably due to lack of proper hygienic standards. Due to this, the manager’s office has drafted a food hygiene policy for the staff especially for the barbecue area staff. They include the cooks, servers and supervisors. Hygienic standards would be maintained through proper food handling practices for example washing of hands, keeping nails short and clean with no nail polish, wearing of correct attire and earrings, proper cleaning of utensils and barbecue oven. In addition, the policy will also ensure that all food and food handlers go under medical scrutiny to avoid chances of poisoning and spread of contagious infections for example diarrhea, vomiting, skin infection, infected wounds or gastrointestinal infections to increase the hygienic standards of the inn. The policy will also emphasize the need to be precautious when handling uncooked food, cooked food, and food preparation and serving utensils in the barbecue area to minimize the chances of foreign objects coming into contact with the food to avoid chances of food contamination by disease causing microorganisms. The policy will further place responsibilities to the supervisor to ensure that the policy statements underlined in the statement are followed. Introduction Due to low consumer turn up, Ducks Inn is adopting a nutrition and dietary strategy that will expand the customer’s choice list while still emphasizing healthy and nutritious meals. In addition, Ducks Inn management is considering the inclusion of other delicacies from different parts of the world in order to capture a wide range of customers and deviate from the initial all traditional England meals (Dalton, 2008). This is also influenced by the upcoming Olympic Games that will be held in London later this year. Therefore, the hotel management is also going to include foods which are beneficial to athletes and their managers in order to increase the customer satisfaction levels (Jones, 2009). The management is also considering reformulating the menus for both the outdoor barbecue section and the main inn restaurant. It would include the provision of food with lower calories, sugars, sodium and artificial ingredients to heighten the nutrition standards of the food provided. The following paper will describe the diet and nutrition strategies that Ducks Inn will adopt ahead of the Olympic Games, stating the foods that will be offered to the customers while still ensuring that maximum returns are achieved through the venture. Ducks Inn Nutrition and Dietary Strategies On one hand, nutrition as described by Kellow, Bekeen & Costain (2012, p 3) ‘is the way that the food people eat nourishes their bodies’. Holford (2003, p 1) also says that ‘ Nutrition is not only understanding what the kind of foods we eat give to our bodies but also knowing the kind of harm the same food can do to us’. On the other hand, as described by Holford (2003, p 1), ‘In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Therefore, dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat’. Therefore, while devising the nutrition and diet strategy of the inn, the management will consider the kinds of foods that will be included in the menu as well as regulating the amount of substances that the food will offer to the customers’ bodies. This will enable the customers enjoy healthy and delicious meals in the inn. Due to the rise in ailments caused by high intake of calories, the hotel management is will largely include foods with a calorie level of 500 and below in the menus. This would enable the customers to have access healthy foods as they enjoy the Olympic Games without being exposed to ailments caused by high calorie intake. As described by Jones (2007, p 5), ‘To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream; additions that don't add much to the meal, but can add plenty to your waistline. Trim calories wherever you can so you leave the table feeling satisfied, but not stuffed’. Through the reduction of such substances on the table the customers will enjoy the visit to Ducks Inn and tempt them for another visit consequently increasing the profits earned. The inn management will also include strategies to regulate the kind and amount fats that are to be used in the preparation of foods. As described by Morris (1997, p 10). ‘Eating all three kinds of fat in a healthy balance (about equal parts of each) can dramatically improve your health, and even help you lose fat’. This will help the cooks formulate a methodology of combining the three kinds of fats, that is, saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated in order to achieve maximum health standards. Some of the fats which will be included in the preparation process will include animal products, some butter or coconut oil, mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil for cooking, or even flaxseed oil, fish oil, and mixed nuts (Dalton, 2008). This would ensure a complete healthy and delicious meal for the customers. In addition, the hotel management will include the use of lean proteins in the menu. Lean proteins are vital in human body development. As described by Neil (2006, p 17), ‘Since a well-constructed high protein diet can lead to a better health profile, an increased metabolism, improved body composition, and an improved training response, why would anyone ever try to limit their protein intake to the bare minimum necessary to stave off malnutrition?’. This is further emphasized by Roberts (2003, p 23) by ‘Instead, by limiting protein intake, people are (often unwittingly) consuming the bare minimum of protein, and consequently overeating carbohydrates and fats. That's a big performance and body composition mistake’. Hence there is need to include proteins in the dietary menu of the inn. Vitamin rich foods will also be included in the inn’s menu. This would include fruits and salads which would accompany the main meals. This further emphasized by Roberts (2003, p 43) by ‘there is need to get more fruits and vegetables as well as other micronutrient dense foods with every feeding, not just with one or two feedings per day’. These improve the body immune and defense system hence helping the body fight against disease and infection causing pathogens. In addition, the inclusion of fruits and veggies in the meals would increase the detoxification process hence improving the health of the customers. The inn’s menu will also include a wide range of carbohydrates. During the Olympic Games, both the fans and athletes will utilize a lot of energy from their bodies and will need replenishment. As asserted by Roberts (2004, p 69), ‘And if you want to eat a carbohydrate that’s not a fruit or a vegetable (this includes things like simple sugars, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, etc), you can – but you’ll need to save it until after you’ve exercised’. Through provision of foods rich in carbohydrates the inn would receive an increased number of customers who would enjoy the delicacies which would increase their energy level. The inn management will also consider the inclusion and incorporation of some food additives and spices. They would be based on naturally occurring spices which are credited with body detoxification and expulsion of waste materials. As further emphasized by Jones (2007, p 45), ‘Spices, herbs, and seasonings are really high in antioxidants, which can help with recovery and prevent disease’. The hotel management will avail such spices to the customers upon their requests and wishes as recorded n the proposed menus. They would include cinnamon and oregano which contain antioxidants of the same quantities like other antioxidants like blue berries and sweet potatoes respectively (Tull, 1983). In addition, some other spices would include salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil, chili powder and onion powder. However, extra caution should be observed while using salt to avoid medical problems. The proposed menu for Ducks Inn would be primarily based on the above limiting and allowing guidelines. The suggested restaurant menu will have the following on the list: Breakfast menu Drinks –Pineapple juice, Peaches, Prunes, Tomato juice, Orange juice, Glass of Milk, Tea White, Tea Black. Coffee White and Coffee Black Cereal- Cornflakes, Weetbix, Sultana Bran and Muesli Meals- Bacon and Eggs, Sausages and Eggs, Scrambled Eggs on Toast, Poached Eggs on Toast, Baked Beans on Toast , Spaghetti on Toast and Tomato (with a meal) Toast and butter- Marmalade, Jam, Vegemite, Honey, White, Whole meal, Crumpet, English muffin and Raisin Toast Lunch & Dinner menu Almond, Plum and Peach Pie, Berry Cobbler, Berry, Coconut and Meringue Pie, Cherry-Bourbon Pie, Chicken and Corn Soup with Chile-Mint Salsa, Chicken-Apricot Skewers, Coconut-Corn Ice Cream with Brown-Sugar Syrup and Peanuts, Crunchy Oil-Cured Tomatoes, Ember-Roasted Corn on the Cob, Fruit Crisp, Peach Dutch Baby Pancake with Cherry Compote, Peanut Butter-Berry Pie and Pasta Salad with Melon, Pancetta, and Ricotta Salad. The barbecue menu would include some delicacies during the lunch and dinner meals. They would also observe the nutrition and dieting standards that the rest of the restaurant is observing to ensure maximum results. Barbecue menu Grilled chicken, Grilled Pizza with Pears, Fresh Pecorino, and Walnuts, Green Olive and Goat Cheese Crostini, Caramelized-Onion and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza, Grilled Summer Squash and Zucchini and Grilled Scallop "Ceviche”. Conclusion Due to low customer turn up the inn management is considering to reformulate the restaurant and barbecue menus to accommodate healthier and more delicious foods as a measure to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the inn. This would be done by reducing and regulating the amount of fats and oils in the food processed. In addition, the management will also impose regulations on the amount of vegetables, proteins, spices and carbohydrates which would be included in the meal preparation process. This would increase the customer preference and satisfaction during the upcoming Olympic Games. In addition the management will offer a variety of foods to the customers during breakfast, lunch and dinner meals to cater for the dieting, participating athletes and the fans to make an all inclusive menu. References Dalton, A., 2008. Catering and Food Policy: (A Working Manual for Hygiene standards in Catering departments, Food stores and All Food Areas). Mendstar Publishers Food Safety (England) Regulations 2005. London Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) regulations 1995. (London) Great Britain (1998) Our Healthier Nation, A Contract for Health. The Stationery Holford, P., 2003. The Little Book of Optimum Nutrition. Maxwell Publishers Jones, H., 2007. Diary of a Diet: A Little Book of Big. New York: Longman Jones, J., 2009. Food and Nutrition Manual. Sage Publishers Kellow, J., Beeken, L. & Costain, L., 2012. The Calorie, Carb & Fat Bible 2012: The UK's Most Comprehensive Calorie Counter. Weight Loss Resources. Morris, C. J., 1997. Health and Safety: A Guide for the Newly-appointed Management. Skills Series Neill, M., 2006. You Can Have What You Want. Hay House UK. Office, London Roberts, M., 2003. Fat Loss Plan. Weight Loss Resources Roberts, M., 2003. Thin Thighs. The Mirror Publishers. The Food Safety Act 1990 (Amendments Regulations 2004) (Australia) The General Food Regulations 2004 (London). Tull, N., 1983. Food and Nutrition. Oxford University Press. Read More