Baking hygiene and safety is imperative for both the baker and the consumer and should be considered at all times.
If you're a young baker then always ensure you have an adult on hand to help you out as there are lots of potential hazards which can occur in the kitchen. Now I'm not telling you this to scare you off, no far from it, all I'm saying is that it's always good to have someone there just in case you need them. Great rules for adults and children to remember are, go slow, be careful, but most of all, enjoy the experience. Here are a handful of hygiene and safety rules to abide by before you bake.
Tie/Clip Hair out of the way:
Before you start preparing your ingredients in the kitchen, it's a good idea to tie your hair up or clip it back. This stops any stray pieces dropping into your mixture or prevent it from getting in your way when you're trying to bake.
Pets:
To keep your furry friends safe, please keep them out of the kitchen when you are cooking or baking.
Wash your hands:
Before prepping any kind of food in the kitchen whether it be for baking or otherwise you should always wash your hands, remove any rings and try to ensure you do not have nail polish or false nails on as these can sometimes break off or flecks of polish could peel off and end up in your baked goods. (Wash your hands in hot soapy water).
Cuts/Sores
If you have any cuts cover them with a plaster or band-aid. Food gloves can also be worn if you have a hand injury, but if you're baking for yourself, then no need to worry the plaster will be fine.
Apron:
There are two reasons that you wear an apron the first is to prevent any bacteria from your clothes passing over to the foods or ingredients you use, and the other is to protect you from splashes or spatters heading towards your nice clean togs.
Kitchen Surfaces and Equipment:
All utensils, cutters, chopping boards, mats and kitchen sides should be cleaned thoroughly before use.
Oven Gloves:
Wear these when you're taking things in and out of the oven as tins and trays can get very hot. (This is where an adult comes in handy, so ask them for help).
Electrical Whisk:
Electrical whisks are used to combine your ingredients, incorporate air and save you a lot of arm ache. Used correctly, they are an impressive tool and don't cost the earth to buy. Do, however, be very careful with them because the whisks rotate extremely fast and can cause damage to fingers or hair if they get caught in them so please be very careful when using.
Pans:
If you have to heat anything on the hob, then please ensure that all pan handles are turned sideways. This stops you from catching them or somebody accidentally knocking into them causing an accident.
Many things can happen in the kitchen, but as long as you follow the above and stay safe, then baking should be an enjoyable experience.
I think I have pretty much covered the basics.
So good luck and happy baking!
If you're a young baker then always ensure you have an adult on hand to help you out as there are lots of potential hazards which can occur in the kitchen. Now I'm not telling you this to scare you off, no far from it, all I'm saying is that it's always good to have someone there just in case you need them. Great rules for adults and children to remember are, go slow, be careful, but most of all, enjoy the experience. Here are a handful of hygiene and safety rules to abide by before you bake.
Tie/Clip Hair out of the way:
Before you start preparing your ingredients in the kitchen, it's a good idea to tie your hair up or clip it back. This stops any stray pieces dropping into your mixture or prevent it from getting in your way when you're trying to bake.
Pets:
To keep your furry friends safe, please keep them out of the kitchen when you are cooking or baking.
Wash your hands:
Before prepping any kind of food in the kitchen whether it be for baking or otherwise you should always wash your hands, remove any rings and try to ensure you do not have nail polish or false nails on as these can sometimes break off or flecks of polish could peel off and end up in your baked goods. (Wash your hands in hot soapy water).
Cuts/Sores
If you have any cuts cover them with a plaster or band-aid. Food gloves can also be worn if you have a hand injury, but if you're baking for yourself, then no need to worry the plaster will be fine.
Apron:
There are two reasons that you wear an apron the first is to prevent any bacteria from your clothes passing over to the foods or ingredients you use, and the other is to protect you from splashes or spatters heading towards your nice clean togs.
Kitchen Surfaces and Equipment:
All utensils, cutters, chopping boards, mats and kitchen sides should be cleaned thoroughly before use.
Oven Gloves:
Wear these when you're taking things in and out of the oven as tins and trays can get very hot. (This is where an adult comes in handy, so ask them for help).
Electrical Whisk:
Electrical whisks are used to combine your ingredients, incorporate air and save you a lot of arm ache. Used correctly, they are an impressive tool and don't cost the earth to buy. Do, however, be very careful with them because the whisks rotate extremely fast and can cause damage to fingers or hair if they get caught in them so please be very careful when using.
Pans:
If you have to heat anything on the hob, then please ensure that all pan handles are turned sideways. This stops you from catching them or somebody accidentally knocking into them causing an accident.
Many things can happen in the kitchen, but as long as you follow the above and stay safe, then baking should be an enjoyable experience.
I think I have pretty much covered the basics.
So good luck and happy baking!
Last edited: