Johannesburg – Have you heard of the “5 seconds” rule? Is it something that claims it's safe to eat food that has fallen to the ground as long as you pick it up within five seconds?
Various studies have been about mythology and hopefully if you're in the hospitality industry, you've never tried to test it.
In 2025, you certainly can't afford to take that risk. Food safety is something that commercial kitchens cannot negotiate, such as luxury hotel restaurants, bustling coffee shops, charming guesthouse kitchens and popular takeaways.
South Africans eat out more frequently.
In the 2024 Dineplan survey, 95% of respondents eat out every month, with 41% doing so every week or frequently.
According to Jeffrey Madkins, Marketing Manager at Unilever Professional, this trend puts pressure on hospitality businesses to support the highest food safety standards.
“Even in the busiest facilities, there is no room for error when it comes to hygiene,” he says.
The World Health Organization estimates that nearly one in a billion people worldwide are sick after eating contaminated foods each year, with 420,000 people being proven deadly.
In a hospitality environment, one mistake can put your customer and your reputation at a serious risk.
Remembering the outbreak of South Africa's listeriosis from 2017 to 2018, the world's largest food-borne disease outbreak, is a crucial reminder of the catastrophic consequences of lapse in food safety.
South Africa has long been in place with regulatory bodies, including Health Agriculture, Land Reform, Rural Development Sectors and South African Standards Office, tasked with protecting public health through frameworks such as food, cosmetics and disinfectant laws.
However, the listeriosis crisis highlighted a critical truth. It is not enough to set regulations on paper. A consistent enforcement, a culture of accountability, and a shared commitment to food safety protects consumers.
So, how do you guarantee that the kitchen is part of the solution, not the problem? Madkins offers four key steps to a safer kitchen in 2025.
1. Start from the surface
Bacteria can survive on the surface for a long period of time, and regular and thorough cleaning is essential.
In a busy hospitality kitchen, this can be a quiet risk. Implement a strict cleaning schedule using commercial grade disinfectants, such as the convenient Andy Professional Multi Surface Sanitizer, to ensure that all surfaces are disinfected multiple times each day, from countertops to cutting boards.
2. Train and then train again
Food safety protocols are as effective as staff implement them.
Continuous training ensures that all team members are up-to-date with the latest safety standards and procedures. It also builds accountability and reduces errors.
Equally important is knowing how to properly use cleaning and sanitizing products, from dilution to application, to ensure maximum effectiveness and safety.
3. Temperature is everything
Maintaining an appropriate food temperature is important to prevent bacteria from growing.
Refrigerators and freezers should be monitored regularly to ensure they remain within safe temperature ranges, while hot foods should be kept at temperatures that inhibit bacterial growth.
Investing in reliable thermometers and automated monitoring systems will help this process become more accurate and consistent.
4. Use the right tools
Not all cleaning products and kitchen tools are created equally. Uses equipment and cleaning agents that meet industry standards for food safety.
This includes color-coded cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination, food safe disinfectants like Andy's specialist multi-faceted disinfectant, handy for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces during meal preparation, and non-porous tools that resist the growth of bacteria.
Handy Andy Professional also offers a variety of food safe certified cleaners to effectively tackle kitchen grease issues, providing a sense of security in a food preparation area that is free of danger and contamination.
“Eating out has become part of South Africa's culture and is responsible for hospitality facilities that support and exceed food safety standards,” says Madkins.
“In a competitive market, impeccable hygiene is not just a regulatory requirement, but a brand's commitment to promoting customer loyalty and trust, because in the hospitality industry, trust is provided on every plate,” he concludes.
For more information about how Unilever Professional can support your cleaning needs, visit https://www.unileverprofessional.co.za/.
https://www.dineplan.com/blog/why-and-how-ofthouth-africans-dine-out
