Richard Milne through Nordic Correspondent (Financial Times Limited 2013) stated that Noma, an exclusive restaurant in Denmark resulted 63 diners fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea which was due to poor hand hygiene and lack of running hot water. In year 2009, the Fat Duck restaurant at England had 240 diners suffered gastroenteritis due to contaminated oysters and handling of food by infected employee.
In the year 2003, Malaysia’s Ministry of Health stated that 1097 restaurants, 603 stalls, 92 hawkers, 76 schools canteens and 31 food manufacturers were closed due to unhygienic operation. Poor hygiene practices have increased the concern among shoppers and diners especially at supermarkets, hypermarkets, restaurants, cafeteria, food manufacturing plants and wet markets. Several unhygienic factors includes cleanliness of employees such as long finger nails, unhygienic food preparation, poor personal grooming, uncooked water, congested piping, poorly washed equipment’s or cooking pots, poor environment such poorly maintained air conditioners, dirty cutlery or attire, smelly washroom, opened food containers and lengthened food storage.
In one of my visit with a friend to a mamak restaurant at Skudai, I declined to order any food or beverage. My friend ordered teh tarik but he got puzzled why I did not order anything. I said the appearance of the waiter with poorly shaved beard or moustache, dirty finger nail, sweatiness, dusty floor and not cleaned attire is enough to reject the offer. I went to the washroom and could not resist its bad odour. When the waiter came back with the teh tarik, my friend told to the waiter that he did not want the drink and we went to another restaurant. Most outlet proprietors feel that customers should adapt to the current environment but it is the other way round. Outlet proprietors have a SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY to customers and maintaining good hygiene is part of essential customer service.
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