Street clothes should never be worn in the galley. Adequate, clean, and orderly facilities should be provided for personnel to keep and change clothing to be worn when performing routine duties in foodservice operations. Adequate space should be provided for hanging up these pieces of clothing because they can contaminate food, food equipment, and food preparation surfaces. Dressing rooms or designated areas for changing and storing clothing must be located outside the areas where food is stored, prepared, and served. Dressing rooms and lockers must be clean and orderly at all times.

Conveniently located toilet facilities must be accessible to personnel at all times. These areas must be adequately equipped with proper waste receptacles, toilet paper, and an approved hand-drying device or sufficient disposable towels. Heads should be located within or immediately adjacent to toilet areas as well as within food preparation areas. These heads must be kept in a clean and orderly appearance. An authorized soap dispensing system and hot and cold running water are also required for use by personnel.

Garbage and Trash Disposal

The method of collection and disposal of garbage may differ on various ships or stations, but the basic requirements are the same. Garbage must be disposed of promptly to prevent contamination of spaces and to eliminate a possible fire hazard.

Garbage and refuse must be kept in leakproof, nonabsorbent containers and a sufficient number should be provided to prevent overfilling. Containers will be emptied as necessary during operations and at the close of each workday. After being emptied, each container should be thoroughly cleaned, inside and outside, in a manner that will not cause contamination of food, equipment, utensils, or food preparation areas. Suitable facilities, including hot water and detergent, should be provided and used for washing the containers.

Ashore galleys and outside refuse and garbage storage areas or enclosures should not be located within 100 feet of the foodservice facility. They should be placed on or above a smooth surface of nonabsorbent material such as concrete or machine-laid asphalt. These surfaces must be kept clean and in good condition.

Food waste disposers or grinders may be used for garbage disposal provided they are designed and/or located in a reamer that prevents contamination of food contact surfaces as a result of a splash and aerosol generation. Potable water should be used as a flushing medium unless otherwise indicated by BUMED. Insect and Rodent Control

According to BUMED, the term vector is used to refer to all insects, rodents, and related animals that are significantly related to the transmission of disease to man, act as intermediate hosts or reservoirs of disease, present problems of sanitary or hygienic significance, or otherwise affect the health and efficiency of personnel.

Programs for controlling vectors are command responsibilities coordinated through public works programs and medical departments. Because the first and most important step in control is to destroy breeding grounds, basic sanitation measures for which foodservice personnel are responsible must be strictly enforced.

The foodservice facility and its adjacent grounds must be kept clean and free of litter and debris. Openings to the outside should be effectively protected against the entrance of rodents and insects by use of self-closing doors, closed windows, screens, air curtains, or other means. Screens should be tight-fitting, free of breaks or tears, and not less than 16 to 1 mesh. However, screens are not required in air-conditioned foodservice spaces where windows or portholes are sealed closed.

Space Cleanliness

In most foodservice operations, a space inspection is conducted before securing. At most commands the inspection is conducted by the duty supply officer or a senior MS. Areas of concern are sanitation, fire, safety, and security.

Always remember that strict sanitation procedures should be followed in all areas of foodservice operations. Cleanliness can never be overemphasized.

FOOD SERVING AREAS.- All serving lines should be equipped with a functional sneeze shield. It must present a barrier between the oral zone of patrons within the normal range of stature and the food displayed for service.

Proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures for foodservice equipment on the line and around the serving area are equally important in the galley. A number of regulations attendant to serving food must be observed to reduce the possibility of food infection. All pans, serving utensils, and counters must be kept immaculately clean and sanitized.

Self-service salad bars must be carefully supervised to prevent contamination of food items by patrons, thereby preventing the transmissions of pathogenic organisms from one person to another.

FOOD PREPARATION AREAS.- High standards of sanitation and cleanliness must be maintained at all times in these areas, As an MS, you will practice and enforce the "clean as you go" policy for every foodservice person. Cleaning in this way helps maintain high sanitation standards as well as cut down on the cleanup time after the meal and at end of the workday. Wash your hands and equipment first before starting to prepare food items. Contaminated hands or equipment leads to contaminated food. Keep worktables sanitized and immaculate y clean. Do not use steel wool for cleaning. Smoking is not permitted in any foodservice areas.

RECEIVING AND FOOD STORAGE AREAS.- Before receiving and storing food items, it is very important that loading docks, piers, or areas where foods are received and stored must be thoroughly cleaned to avoid food contamination. Stores must be inspected for the presence of cockroaches and other insect pests before they are stored. Correct storage procedures play a major role in preventing food-borne illnesses and increasing the storage life of food. High levels of sanitation and safety must be maintained in all food storage facilities. Food items should be safely palletized or placed on shelves in an appropriate manner. This proper storage allows proper cleaning and prevents insect and rodent infestation.