A Long Table With 12 Chairs In A Private Room Of A Fancy Restaurant While Being Decorated With White Chandeliers And Brown Sofas

Controlling Mould Growth in Your Restaurant

Hygiene seems to be something that continues to be overlooked even after the health scare of COVID-19. Not long ago, a popular restaurant was fined S$3,000 for three food safety-related violations after an unexpected gastroenteritis outbreak in 2022, with five persons ending up hospitalized.

If you’re a restaurant owner, it goes without saying that it’s crucial that cleanliness be always maintained to the highest level. Despite your best efforts, however, mould growth can be one serious issue you’ll need help contending with.

What Exactly is Mould Anyway?

Mould isn’t hard to miss: you’ll sometimes see mould growing on stale food that’s expired (unfinished bread loaves come to mind), showing up as grey or black spots or splotches all over the affected surface. Mould is a type of fungi that flourishes in warm, dark and damp places with minimal airflow and humid conditions. Its spores can easily spread anywhere via air, water and even insects, and will grow in areas that suit its needs.

For safety reasons, you should avoid eating any foods that have mould growing on them. This is because some moulds can cause allergic reactions in some people, while in more serious cases, some moulds may even contain poisonous substances that can leave you feeling sick.

Outside of food, mould can even grow on wood, cardboard, tiles, and even fabrics. A mould infestation is bad news because it also causes additional damage to wherever it’s growing on top of the health complications it can cause.

General Causes of Mould Growth

Mould spores may be everywhere, but they can only grow in specific conditions where they thrive. That usually means places that are dark, humid and have plenty of moisture. Moisture can come from:

  • Leaking pipes or other equipment
  • Drainage issues
  • Poorly ventilated areas
  • Damp, hard to reach areas
  • Humidifiers
  • Steam wafting from the kitchen or even the bathroom

Mould commonly prefers areas where it can spread with little difficulty. Once it settles down, it can quickly grow within 24 to 48 hours, and then subsequently spread more spores to other areas, further exacerbating your mould problem.

In fact, it’s even possible for mould to grow inside of refrigerators! Surprising as this may seem, mould can still grow inside refrigerators; it just so happens that cold temperatures slow down its growth, not prevent it completely. Keeping your refrigerator clean and well-ventilated will usually make short work of any mould spores trying to grow inside.

It goes without saying that mould can get anywhere, especially when its spores can propagate fairly quickly when mould is growing in favourable conditions. That’s why you should make it a priority to keep your restaurant as clean as possible – the benefits easily outweigh the distasteful aftermath of poor hygienic practices.

Keeping your Restaurant Mould-Free

If you already have implemented solid cleaning protocols in your restaurant, that’s usually enough to keep mould at bay. However, make sure you don’t miss hard-to-reach areas that you or your staff might overlook. This could be areas behind freezers, stoves or ovens that are frequently in use during operating hours. It would be a good idea to set a regular schedule to clean these areas thoroughly and prevent possible mould growth.

Look around for possible leaks, too, as that can be a prime instigator of mould growth. If you get a whiff of a musty odour in an area, it may usually indicate there’s mould growing there. Contact a professional to help you look for leakage or other kinds of damage. Addressing these can potentially reduce the risk of wider mould growth, particularly anything that might make for conducive conditions for mould to spread.

Ensure your restaurant also has proper ventilation at all times. Since mould thrives in humid conditions with plenty of moisture, it may help to afford a dehumidifier to control the moisture content inside your restaurant. You might also want to think about getting your air ducts cleaned, as a precaution.

It’s also essential to clean all kitchen utensils and other equipment before and after use. Double check that your storage conditions for all items are in optimal condition and that all dishcloths, towels, sponges and mops are always clean and fresh.

Can I Use Bleach to Remove Mould?

If you do find any mould growth, avoid cleaning it with bleach. It might seem like the logical thing to do, but bleach can only remove mould that’s growing on the surface. Wherever mould grows, its roots reach deep into the surface and will remain there even when you clean up the mould on the surface. Additionally, bleach is 90 percent water; that water can end up soaking into the surface and ends up promoting further mould growth.

That’s not the only thing to worry about: while bleach does have its uses, you can’t simply use it willy-nilly. When mixing bleach with other cleaning solutions, for example, you could potentially release toxic fumes that can be highly dangerous to anyone who breathes the fumes in.

The Importance of Proper Food Preparation

A Body Shot Of A Male Chef Preparing A Delicious Burger In The Kitchen Of A Restaurant Surrounded With Bottles Of Sauces And Other Food Items

How you prepare your food is just as important as keeping your premises spick and span. The simplest way to start is to make sure your food items don’t have any mould growing on them. Do note that some food items can still be salvaged while others can’t; for example, firm fruits and vegetables with low moisture content – such as cabbages – can still be used if you cut off at least an inch around and below where the mould is growing.

Mould will spread quickly if you’re not careful, so make sure that any food items that need to be used for cooking are properly covered up (using plastic wrap or in vacuum-sealed containers) and not left out for too long. Ideally, perishable foods (especially raw foods) shouldn’t be left outside the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or else they can spoil or be ripe for mould growth.

If you find any mould growth on your food items, avoid sniffing it as you run the risk of getting respiratory issues (or worse). Immediately dispose of the mouldy item by putting it in a paper or plastic bag and then throw it into a covered trash can that children or stray animals can’t get to. You’ll also need to examine where the mouldy food was stored to make sure it didn’t spread to other food items.

That also means needing to keep the storage space. For refrigerators, you can use one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with a quart of water to clean its interior. Once done, rinse it with clear water and let it dry properly. If there’s visible mould, try using food-safe cleaning solutions and clean them thoroughly.

If you need to defrost food items, make sure you and your staff do it properly: thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave. In fact, ensure that you don’t take unnecessary shortcuts when preparing dishes; improper cooking methods can quickly land you in hot water (no pun intended)!

Make sure to keep all food items well away from the danger zone between 4°C and 60°C. This is because bacteria can rapidly grow within this temperature range, easily doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. That’s why you’re asked to throw away anything that’s been left outside for more than 2 hours.

Careful Food Storage

A Worker At A Food Outlet Restocking A Type Of Food Condiments Into A Plastic Jar

Food storage should also be prioritized in the same vein as preparing it for customers. For one, it’s a good idea to separate some food items from others, particularly with raw food. Make sure that your refrigerators and freezers aren’t overcrowded as well, as air circulation also matters in keeping food fresh.

If you’ve had any frozen items that were thawed, take note that it’s not a good idea to refreeze them again unless they were properly thawed in the refrigerator or oven. As a general rule of thumb, however, it’s better to take out only what you need to be thawed and used for cooking.

For example, in the case of meat, only take out the portions you know will be needed for use and store the rest in the freezer until they’re needed. Easier said than done, of course, but preparing way ahead of time might be the best course of action.

The same can be applied to leftovers. Ideally, you should use leftovers within 3 to 4 days before mould can grow; throw it out if it’s been left outside at room temperature for more than 2 hours. You can’t also trust your senses to tell you if a food item has gone bad, so if you have doubts, it may be safer to get rid of it.

Lastly, make sure to store food items at the right temperature. If an item needs to be placed in a cool, dry area, make sure that it’s properly stored in a cool, dry area. For more useful tips or reminders on proper storage and other aspects of food safety, the Singapore Food Agency has a very detailed guide to help you out.

Effectively Remove Mould with Professional Aid

At the end of the day, it falls on restaurant owners to be very careful with their premise’s hygiene. Mould might not seem as dangerous as a foodborne illness, but it can still cause plenty of health issues in not just your staff but also your customers. The reputational damage that can come out of a poor health inspection result can wind up hurting your business substantially.

If you’re worried about mould growing in your restaurant, or have found telltale signs of mould growth, we at TYCHE can help ease your anxieties. With our free onsite inspection, we provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your restaurant and help you develop a remediation plan that works for you to weed mould growth at its source. Our highly trained mould remediation specialists will take care of your mould problem with the utmost professionalism and use the latest industry-approved techniques and equipment to effectively remove your mould problem.

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