![]() When the food safety auditor Steritech analyzed more than 100,000 food safety assessments for quick-service, fast-casual and casual restaurants in the first seven months of this year, they uncovered some common safety challenges. Across the board, the top three restaurant violations relate to the cleanliness of nonfood-contact surfaces (like knobs, cooler handles and equipment surfaces), the condition of nonfood-contact surfaces (like cracked knife handles or rusty shelves), and general facility cleanliness (like residue on walls, ceilings and floors). Steritech says common industry challenges such as training gaps, labor shortages and budget limitations may be behind the findings. If you’ve been experiencing these challenges, review your schedule and cleaning routine to ensure these areas are being covered, and plan equipment repairs in advance to avoid injuries. ![]() Your staff knows what’s happening behind the scenes of your restaurant – both the good and the bad. So if guests ask them what they think about a menu item – or if they would recommend it – and the employee hesitates to answer because they haven’t tried the food or wouldn’t eat it, guests might get a bad taste in their mouths before trying anything. So think of your staff as a pilot group of restaurant guests. If you can connect them with the food you serve, listen to their feedback and encourage them (through your safety practices) to trust the quality of your food, they can become strong front-line ambassadors of your brand. ![]() You may run a pristine kitchen, but if the area outside your back door is a mess of piled-up trash and boxes that haven’t been broken down, it’s more likely that your kitchen management needs improvement. Consumers (not to mention inspectors) take note of these parts of your restaurant when evaluating its safety, so don’t give them cause for concern. As the weather cools and rodents and other pests are looking for shelter, make sure you’re not attracting them with food scraps or giving them places to hide outdoors. ![]() Aprons and other pieces of the employee uniform can send a helpful subconscious message to the wearer that they are about to handle food, chemicals or start another restaurant task that demands their attention. But these pieces of equipment can also be sources of contamination if an employee absentmindedly wipes their hands on their apron after cutting chicken, brings their hat into the restroom, or is wearing items that aren’t clean. Make sure your training practices dictate your policy around this equipment – how to wear it, when not to wear it, where to store it and what your expectations are around having clean equipment to wear. ![]() Root vegetable season is here – and while the colors, flavors and nutrient content of this produce can elevate your fall and winter menus, these items also require some extra care to protect food safety. Most of the bacteria on produce comes from the soil that remains on their surface, so root vegetables need attention here. Even if you will be peeling and cooking these items, they need to be cleaned thoroughly first. Shortly before preparing root vegetables, remove any soil, then scrub them with fresh water to dislodge pathogens that may have accumulated in the vegetable’s crevices. You may want to use an additional cleaning solution for vegetables as an extra precaution. ![]() Poor hygiene is among the biggest contributors to the spread of foodborne illness – and it can make seasonal illnesses easier to spread too. Make sure your staff receive reminders about proper handwashing technique, as well as which sinks are to be used for handwashing. Beyond that, reinforce your policy around the use of protective items like gloves and hairnets, as well as jewelry – rings, bracelets and watches can all harbor bacteria and be potential sources of cross-contamination. Staff should keep their own drinks covered with a lid and confined to break rooms. ![]() Restaurants are having to juggle tasks with smaller crews, so it might be easier to overlook tasks that aren’t exactly urgent but can still pose problems when not completed promptly. One example of this is the residue that can build up on your equipment – slime that accumulates on soda fountain nozzles and ice bins, grease in grease traps, and food particles that aren’t swept up can contaminate food, create fire hazards and attract pests. Are there areas of your operation that aren’t getting cleaned as well as they could? If so, make sure everyone is clear about how to complete these tasks – if they are on your schedule but not being completed effectively, some training may help. ![]() How well can you trust that your methods for labeling and storing food are helping you avoid cross-contamination and food spoilage? Check your inventory and make sure items are labeled correctly and that you’re following a first-in, first-out system for using ingredients. By labeling foods accurately and ensuring that you’re using them by their use-by date, you can minimize your waste and avoid triggering a potential foodborne illness or allergy. ![]() Across your restaurant and any additional locations you operate, do you have standard record-keeping systems, training processes, operating procedures and compliance tasks that apply across the board? Identifying any areas of your restaurant that are out of sync with other parts of your operation can go far in helping your business. You will be able to better identify patterns in your food safety and pinpoint varying interpretations of procedures that may generate problems. Your staff will learn the same skills in the same way. This helps you provide a consistent experience for your guests, as well as ensure that your staff from one location can easily slip into roles in a different location when labor needs or development opportunities arise. Finally, you demonstrate to regulators that you run a business that is committed to doing the right thing — as a result, you’ll be in a good position to work in partnership with them to build upon your strengths. ![]() When it comes to protecting your guests from pathogens, maintaining proper hand hygiene is the most important thing your staff can do. The most common cause of foodborne illness is spreading pathogens through touch and food can become contaminated quickly if those preparing and serving your food don’t maintain adequate hygiene or use personal protective equipment incorrectly. Hand washing, in combination with protective gear like food-grade gloves, are your best defenses. According to the CDC, thorough hand washing requires wetting hands with clean running water; applying soap; lathering both sides of the hands, between fingers and under fingernails; scrubbing hands for at least 20 seconds; rinsing hands under clean running water; and drying them with a clean towel or air dryer. Does your staff do a thorough enough job? |
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