Vendors urged to keep food safe in Crop Over last lap

Food vendors taking part in the final stretch of Crop Over are being urged to prioritise safe food handling to help ensure a healthy, enjoyable festival for all.

Health authorities stress the need for proper hand hygiene and other food safety measures to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses during the celebrations.

These include:

• Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Drying hands with disposable tissue
• Using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, if soap and water are unavailable
• Having “running water” in a bucket with a tap to wash hands
• Wearing coverings on heads and beards
• Not wearing jewellery when serving food
• Wearing light, loose clothing
• Wearing clothing with sleeves
• Storing food 18 inches off the ground in outdoor settings
• Keeping food six inches from the floor in indoor settings
• Making sure food products are bought from reputable sources
• Covering food bins for waste/garbage
• Discarding bags of waste appropriately for collection
• Transporting food using appropriate transportation.
• Ensuring food is protected from flies and other pests
• Making sure that hot and cold foods are kept at the correct temperatures
• Ensuring utensils are used to serve food safely