The flight kitchen is like a military regiment, that rolls with rules and regulations. The stringency starts from maintaining a sterile atmosphere and thrives on functional modalities, technicalities and logistics. Precision, hygiene and sanitation play a predominant and all-encopassing role in delivering the prepared meals. Clean India Journal takes a peek.
AIR CATERES are striving to go that extra mile to move the bar up in terms of giving quality food. And yet, the variables are too many to handle. Flight food gets cooked, assembled, chilled, transported, reheated and regenerated, and hence are subjected to high altitude, pressure and less humidity requiring complete hygiene programme right from the start of the preparation.
Quality is at the heart of this service that is achieved by keeping the food hygienic, clean and free from disease causing bacteria. Speaking to Clean India Journal, VB Rajan, Chief Operating Officer, Casino Air Caterers & Flight Services (CAFS), Cochin, said, “All food contact surfaces are non-corrosive and non-toxic. All equipment in the manufacturing system are designed in a manner that facilitates easy cleaning and disinfecting. The related records are mandatorily kept. Only safe cleaning compounds and sanitizing agents are used in the company, stored separately under control and issued properly to avoid contamination of food with toxic chemicals. Effective measures are taken to exclude pests, insects and vermin from the process areas. A proper cleaning schedule is followed as detailed in the SOP.”
Raw materials are sourced locally and stored in separate cold storages for cut, cleaned and cooked stuff maintained at ambient temperatures. Work areas are segregated with colour coded bins and cutlery in order to avoid cross- contamination. Separate spec sheets indicate the amount of ingredients to be used and the order of assembling… Here below is an account of how things work in the flight kitchen of CAFS in keeping with the hygiene standards for a contamination free preparation and delivery.
Cleaning Containment in Preparation Kitchen.
The major source of contamination arises from waste generated at the time of preparation. The solid waste generated in various processing areas and from offloading is collected in big foot operated waste bins lined with polythene cover. Once the bin is full, the garbage is transferred to a store maintained at 5oC or below. The waste is collected and disposed off from the store by an external agency three times daily. Garbage disposal record is maintained. The liquid waste generated in the processing is treated in a effluent treatment plant where the water is recycled for use in house gardening.
[box type=”shadow” ]“While all procedures are in place, it is only through constant monitoring, regular training and auditing hygienic food processing, preparation and delivery is possible.”[/box]
