Now more than ever, food safety is a must for restaurants. With businesses just getting back to full capacity, you want to ensure you’re taking all the proper precautions!
The importance of food safety is vital for workers and customers. Not to mention, foodborne illnesses can negatively impact your business’s reputation.
So don’t fall short; become knowledgeable on all food safety laws! For more information on food safety management, keep reading.
The Importance of Food Safety
Food industry workers should be fully trained in food safety and public health laws. However, this information is not common sense and should not be treated as such. General food safety training covers many different areas of food safety.
However, workers need to have a professional understanding of specific food sciences like risky foods, cross-contamination, and more. Knowing these food safety topics can help reduce foodborne illness.
Food safety training should teach everyone how to store, freeze, thaw, cook, and serve food. As well as how to cleanse and sanitize their facilities, tools, and silverware utensils. While also teaching appropriate workplace routines like when to take smoke breaks, bathroom breaks, and how to stay hygienic after these routines.
Risky Foods
It’s essential to base your food safety training on your particular equipment, ingredients, and style of food. For example, those who partake in selling “risky food” like poultry and fish may have to implement stricter food safety laws.
Some risky food products include
- Dairy products
- Sushi
- Poultry
- Shellfish
- Deli meat
- Shredded chicken
- Eggs and raw egg products like Mayo
Many times cross-contamination occurs and can cause foodborne illnesses. That’s why it’s important to keep all risky foods in the correct place. Regularly checking for mold or expired products is important as well.
Proper Sanitization
Proper sanitization starts with having the right system put in place. For starters, new sanitization buckets with the effective date should be made. Workers should also place new sanitizing buckets in the proper location that is away from any contamination.
A list of proper sanitization duties and instructions should also be placed in your restaurant. Having this information at all times will help bring more awareness to foodborne illness and safety precautions.
Weekly deep cleaning is also a great way to keep your facility clean at all times. Bacteria and mold can fester into crevices that may not be as quickly seen during regular sanitization routines.
Public Health
Public health is crucial, especially amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. However, there are other viruses that you should also look out for.
For starters, the CDC states that Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness. This virus works fast and only needs a few particles to contaminate a whole surface.
For example, liquids and foods can get contaminated by an infected person through any waste matter on the hands or fingers. That’s why proper hygiene and sanitization are crucial for food safety!
Once a year, FSQA will come and assure that these protocols are being followed correctly. If your restaurant falls short, you may be at risk for a fine or even a suspension. So always make sure you’re keeping up with public health laws and food safety laws.
A Better Tomorrow
The importance of food safety is crucial for all restaurants, food chains, and catering services. Food safety is very manageable and can be done correctly if the right precautions are taken!
Always stay updated on food safety laws and how they pertain to your business! For more great articles like this, come back to our website!
