HOME BASED FOOD BUSINESS DEFINITION

Home Based
FOOD

https://hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/how-to-start-your-food-business

HOME BASED FOOD BUSINESS DEFINITION

Making and selling food from your own house is referred to as a home-based food
company. While this is a viable alternative for many home-based workers, many
jurisdictions have restrictions on what can be done because of food, hygiene, and
health and safety laws that govern the production of food for sale from the house.

When starting a home-based food business, there are a few things to think
about. Here are some things to consider as you reach this decision:

1. Have you thought about what kind of food product you'd like to make?
Knowing your own skill level (be honest about how excellent you are at producing
this food), the availability of the resources needed to manufacture the food
product(s), the feasibility of the manufacturing expenses, and the expected sale
price customers will be ready to pay are all important considerations.

2. How large will your home-based food business be? Will you sell from the farm
gate, door-to-door, at a local market stall, on a street corner, from a food van, to
local shops/restaurants/cafes or will you try to run an even larger business via a
supply chain arrangement to a supermarket? Or, maybe you can even sell online. In
many cases, starting off small is sensible, after which you can gauge the viability or
otherwise of extending your operation. You might even be able to sell online. In
many circumstances, starting small is a good idea, and then determining whether or
not expanding your business is feasible.

3. Where will you receive your food supplies for making home-cooked meals?
Will you cultivate it yourself, work out a deal with your neighbours to buy their farm
produce, buy it from a local co-op, a local store, a supermarket, or order it online? If
you need to acquire products from commercial distribution chains because your
local co-op can't meet your demands, seek for wholesale wholesalers to keep
expenses down (although, always ask the co-operative if it can get the items in for
you).

4. Consider who your target market will be. Can they come to you or do you have
to go to them if they're local? Are they going to be further away, and if so, what
transportation arrangements can you make to deliver the food to them in a sanitary,
safe, and intact manner?

5. Where will the food be produced? This selection will be influenced by the
requirements of local food production legislation. However, you must examine the
size of the manufacturing process and whether your kitchen/smokehouse/drying
facilities/storage areas, among other things, are adequate to suit your food
production needs. You may need to make improvements to rooms in your home or
other related buildings in some circumstances, which will necessitate additional
funds.

Is it feasible to prepare food in the same location where you prepare meals for the
family or household, or will it be too crowded? Consider that many jurisdictions will
require you to obtain exemptions for operating a food production business out of
your home kitchen, which will necessitate demonstrating how you handle foods
intended for sale versus foods intended for family/household, how sick
family/household members and pets are kept out of the food preparation space,
and so on.

6. Have you considered who else in your neighbourhood or who makes the
same type of cuisine as you do? Are they going to be competitors with an already
established and well-known "brand" among the locals, or could they be prospective
partners with whom you could share facilities, ideas, and distribution?

7. How long do you plan on running the company? Is this a seasonal, short-term,
or long-term occurrence? Create a business plan that includes this component of
your strategy.

8. What are your present financial resources for launching a home-based
business? Do you need to borrow money or can you make do with what you
already have?

9. Who will assist you in running this company? Is this something you'll start on
your own, or will you need to hire others? Do you have any household
members/family members/friends who want to help, or will you need to hire others?

10. Do you have enough storage space for the food once it's been prepared?
This may require additional refrigeration in addition to your regular refrigerator, a
cold cellar or outdoor location, vermin-proof storage containers, and so on.

HOME BASED FOOD HANDLER BASIC REQUIREMENT

1. Food handlers must complete training and obtain a Food Handler Training
Certificate from a Malaysian Ministry of Health-approved institution.

2. All food handlers must take Anti-typhoid vaccine

3. All food handlers must follow the MOH's food hygiene and safety guidelines.

GOOD PERSONAL HYGIENE PRACTICE

1. Before, during, and after preparing food or going to the bathroom, food handlers
should always wash their hands with soap. Washing hand must follow seven step of
handwashing.

2. Food handlers must ensure finger nail are always short.

3. The wearing of any accessories such as ring and hand watch is not allowed.

4. Smoking and spitting are not allowed at food preparation area.

5. Food handlers should wear aprons, headgear, and shoes that are clean and
brightly coloured.

6. Mouth and nose masks should advocated for food handling.

7. When handling ready-to-eat food, use food tong or gloves.

8. Used plastic cutting board when cutting raw ingredients.

HOME BASED FOOD FLOW

1. Getting and choosing the safe and clean raw ingredients.

I. Fruits and vegetables must be fresh and not mouldy
II. Solid, clear-eyed, non-sinking fish with red gills and no stink are required.
III. Meat must be fresh, not slimy, not discoloured, not smelly and not bruised.
IV. Chicken must be solid and elastic, skin clear and looking fresh, not

discoloured, not slimy.
V. Eggshell must be clean of any feces and not cracked.

VI. For canned food, the can must not be dented, not rusty, not bulging and not
later than the expiration date.

VII. Dry goods must be not damp or wet, not rotten, shiny, no insects or foreign
matter

Easy guidelines for purchasing safe food items.

1. Purchase of raw materials should be planned ahead of time.
2. provide a 'cold box' for raw commodities like poultry, beef, and fish to be

stored.
3. To begin, gather dry items like anchovies, spices, and dried chilies.
4. At the end of the transaction, buy raw materials (beef, poultry, fish) and

frozen ingredients (nuggets, sausages, fishballs).
5. Separate food and non-food items in separate shopping bags.
6. Cut the raw material to be used only as needed.
7. Raw materials should be kept in the refrigerator and freezer.

2. Storing raw ingredient

Clean the chiller once a week and avoid storing too dense food in them.

a) Raw and Frozen ingredients

I. Refrigerators must be kept in good working order by food handlers in order
to store raw materials.

II. Food handlers must keep food storage clean and clear of pests such as ants,
flies, cockroaches, and rats at all times.

III. To avoid damage, frozen food items such as fish and meat must be
immediately stored in the freezer storage space after purchase.

IV. Keep food in smaller portion.
V. Thawing only the parts to be used.
VI. Avoid freezing food that has been thawed.

b) Dry items

 Store all grains such as rice, beans and flour in an airtight container in a cool,
dry place.

 Do not store food on the floor. Use a suitable mat.
 Food items must not be stored with poisons or chemicals such as bleach

and floor cleaners.
 Do not use chemical containers to store food.

3. Food preparation

I. Raw materials such as chicken, beef, and fish should be in good shape,
according to food handlers

II. Raw materials that have a bad odour or damaged should not be used.
III. Food handlers should keep raw materials and cooked food on separate

cutting boards and cutlery.
IV. Wash the raw material to be used until clean.
V. Pets such as cats should not be allowed to roam the food preparation area,

according to food handlers.
VI. Garbage must be disposed of on a daily basis.

Three types of food thawing

1. Place under cool running water.
2. Place in chiller.
3. Using microwave (defrost option)

3. Cooking

I. Food handlers must make sure that the food is correctly cooked.
II. Food must be cooked perfectly where food in gravy must be cooked

to a boil. The chicken and meat must be kept bloodless.
III. Use clean, non -rusty and chipped cooking utensils.

4. Food packing

I All different food item should be packed in clean, separate
compartment containers or wrap in separate plastic. Spoon and folk
must be separated from food.

II On the ready-to-eat food packaging, food handlers must label the time
the food is cooked/packaged, producer name and address.

III Used suitable containers or food packaging.

5. Food delivery

I Food handlers should maintain a social space of at least 1 metre at all
times.

II When delivering food ordered by customers to the food deliveryman,
food handlers and deliverers must follow a 'contactless' method.

III Use mask during handover the food to customer.
IV Ensure hands are washed regularly before and after deliveries are

made.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR HOME BASED CATERER

1. Family members who wish to assist must adhere to the food handling regulations
and maintain proper personal cleanliness.

2. If there are no storage facilities, food operators should purchase raw ingredients
on a daily basis.

3. The food handler must guarantee that the amount of food delivered is
proportional to the kitchen's and equipment's capabilities.

4. If the product is processed food, it is vital to check that:

I. the item is labelled and adheres to food legislation
II. there are no health claims on social media advertisements
III. No expired products are sold.

Online Quiz

1. Discuss the good personal hygiene that should be practice among home based
food handlers.

2. Discuss things to think about before beginning a home based food business.