Imagine a head chef in an upmarket restaurant wiping down a prep surface between services, confident it’s clean. Or a canteen supervisor spraying down counters before the lunch rush. Both believe it’s sufficient. But is it? Visible residue and food spills are easy to spot and wipe away, but the unseen, like bacteria and other contaminants, can pose the bigger risk. And those risks add up quickly when dozens, or even hundreds, of meals are prepared daily.¹
Food poisoning, cross-contamination, and surface-borne pathogens are persistent threats in any food service environment. Raw meat, poultry and other animal products can introduce harmful bacteria, and warm temperatures encourage them to multiply.² Additionally, the constant movement of people and food creates more opportunities for contamination. Add to that poorly cleaned equipment, inadequate grease management, blocked drains, pest activity, and inconsistent staff practices, and effective hygiene becomes less about scrubbing harder and more about cleaning consistently.³
“Commercial kitchens are complex environments, and many businesses underestimate the benefits of having a clearly defined, robust cleaning programme,” says Jeffrey Madkins, Marketing Manager at Unilever Professional. “Multiple food preparation activities take place throughout the day, and staff work under constant time pressure. And just as no chef wants a dish to taste different today than it did yesterday, the same should apply to hygiene.”
“In this environment, cleaning consistently and correctly is recognised as the gold standard safeguard in food safety,” he continues.⁴ “And while quality cleaning products such as those from Unilever Professional are essential, they deliver their greatest value when they’re used as part of a structured sanitation schedule. One that includes not just routine cleaning but also scheduled deep cleaning of equipment, drains, and ventilation systems.”
Putting this into practice starts with understanding where contamination is most likely to occur. A raw meat preparation station, for example, requires different hygiene controls from a plating area or a dry storage room. From there, the focus shifts to creating clear, repeatable procedures that everyone can follow.
Whether through documented cleaning routines, staff training or visual cues such as colour-coded equipment, these measures reduce reliance on memory or individual judgement, helping to ensure the same standards are maintained regardless of who is on shift. “This becomes particularly valuable in busy operations or those with high staff turnover, where new employees need to understand expectations quickly, and experienced staff benefit from regular reinforcement of established practices,” notes Madkins.
The cleaning sequence is just as important as the products used. Food residue, grease and other organic matter should be removed before surfaces are sanitised, as they can reduce the effectiveness of the product. Equally, sanitising products need adequate time on a surface to be effective and achieve the manufacturer’s intended level of microbial control. Skipping or rushing these steps can compromise the entire process.
“The benefits of a cleaning schedule extend well beyond food safety. Standardised hygiene practices simplify training, support compliance, encourage the correct use of cleaning products, improve accountability and provide management confidence that essential tasks are being completed as intended,” explains Madkins. “Rather than relying on individuals to remember every step, businesses create an environment where good hygiene becomes part of the way the kitchen operates.”
South African hospitality and food businesses work within a regulatory environment that places strong emphasis on safe food handling and documented hygiene practices. Legislation such as the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, together with food safety management principles such as HACCP, requires businesses to identify hazards, implement appropriate controls, and demonstrate that those controls are being applied correctly.⁴ “That’s why defining those controls in advance removes guesswork and helps ensure that critical cleaning tasks are carried out consistently, even during the busiest services,”⁵ Madkins emphasises.
This includes maintaining clear records that can be verified during inspections or audits. In this environment, effective hygiene isn’t something that’s done only when time allows or in preparation for an inspection. It’s a habit built into every shift.
“Kitchens that run on systems are kitchens that stay open. A cleaning product is a tool. A cleaning system is a strategy, and together they protect your business, your staff, and every plate that leaves your kitchen,” concludes Madkins.
