Front of house manager speaking to staff about food safety management risks

Overlooked Front of the House Food Safety Management Risks

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Oftentimes the focus of food safety management risks are on the kitchen and food preparation procedures, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t foodborne illness risks elsewhere in your establishment. It’s important to realize that even when the food that comes out of your kitchen is safe to eat, front-of-the-house procedures can potentially compromise food safety in your establishment. Let’s take a look at the most common food safety risks in dining rooms.

Manager Talking To Front of the House Food Safety Management Risks
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Dining Room Food Safety Management Risks

Servers, bartenders, hosts, hostesses and busboys must receive training to prevent foodborne illness on nearly the same scale as line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers. They don’t actually prepare food, but there are several dining room food safety management risks that should have well-defined protection.

  • Handwashing
  • Table sanitation
  • Bar and service station storage
  • Restroom cleanliness

Handwashing is drilled into the minds of kitchen staff, and front-of-the-house staff should follow the same procedures. Hands should be properly washed after handling dirty dishes, touching order screens or pens when taking orders and following any situation that causes them to come in contact with potentially dirty surfaces.

All tables and the arms of chairs should be sanitized after each guest departs. Guests could touch surfaces with unwashed hands, food and beverages can be spilled and contaminants from breathing, sneezing or coughing could be present. Don’t overlook the underside of the table. Dirty hands often touch the underside of table surfaces, so be sure to sanitize regularly.

Bars and service stations present several food safety management risks. These areas often have service utensils and ready-to-eat foods such as garnishes for drinks and complimentary bread baskets. Remember that servers and bartenders must not handle any ready-to-eat-foods with bare hands. Foodservice gloves or clean utensils are a must. It’s also important to remind staff not to handle clean forks, spoons, knives and other utensils if they have unwashed hands. Even if they only touch the handles, they may spread contaminates after touching dirty surfaces.

Finally, guest bathrooms should be checked for cleanliness often. A dirty restroom can cause guests to bring contaminants back into the dining room. Make sure there are ample soap, paper towels and a friendly handwashing procedure sign.

Are there any other dining room food safety management risks you often see overlooked?

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers

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We’ve seen an increase in food facilities providing hand sanitizer for both guests and staff, but just because something is labeled as a sanitizer, it doesn’t necessarily make it safe to use. Recently, the FDA issued an alert concerning all sanitizers imported from Mexico. How will this FDA alert regarding hand sanitizers affect CFPMs and the safety of their staff and guests?

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers
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Ramifications of the FDA’s Alert Regarding Mexican Sanitizers for CFPMs

There is a very good reason why the FDA has issued this alert and why it includes every brand of hand sanitizer imported from Mexico. The issue isn’t whether or not the sanitizer is capable of killing germs, it’s a matter of an increased public health risk caused by ingredients in these sanitizers.

Tests have shown that many alcohol-based Mexican sanitizers contain methanol, or wood alcohol, rather than pure ethyl alcohol as listed on the label. While ethyl alcohol is approved by the FDA, methanol is not. In fact, methanol can cause health and skin issues when overused. Not only is it toxic to the skin, it causes potentially life-threatening health issues if accidently consumed.

How should CFPMs treat this FDA alert?

First, examine your supply of hand sanitizer. If it has been imported from Mexico, you should take steps to dispose of it and replace it with sanitizer from the United States or imported from elsewhere. Before purchasing sanitizer, we recommend that you inspect deliveries and bottles purchased at the store to ensure that they are not imported from Mexico.

Finally, remind your staff that sanitizers are no substitute for handwashing. Sanitizers can be used for an added layer of protection, but only after hands have been washed.

Is your CFPMs aware of the FDA Alert and has he/she checked to make sure that your hand sanitizer is safe for your guests and staff?

New Changes To Scheduling MN Certified Food Protection Manager Training During COVID-19 Restrictions

New Changes To Scheduling MN Certified Food Protection Manager Training

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After a long hiatus from in-person Minnesota certified food protection manager training, we at Safe Food Training are excited to return to the classroom and once again offer our top-rated in-person classes. Where you can participate in discussions with an industry expert and your fellow food-industry professionals. Unfortunately, classes won’t look the same as they have in the past, so prospective students need to be aware of some changes and precautions that we’re currently taking.

MN Certified Food Protection Manager Training During COVID-19 Restrictions
Image credit: Street Level Solutions

In-Person MN CFPM Training Protocols

Thanks to the gradual turning of the dials in the StaySafeMN guidance, we can now welcome food safety managers back into the classroom, but with certain restrictions. Classroom training sessions must:

  • Reduce seating capacity
  • Enforce mask-wearing
  • Operate with social distancing protocols

Due to reduced seating and social distancing protocols, we cannot train as many certified food managers per session as we once were allowed. This means that students seeking in-person training need to be proactive when it comes to registering for a class. Delaying your registration may force you to push training to a later date or utilize online food protection manager training in order to meet certification deadlines.

New Changes To Scheduling MN Certified Food Protection Manager Training During COVID-19 Restrictions
Image credit: Street Level Solutions

Reduced class sizes and limited registration can quickly become an issue for larger food businesses or restaurants with multiple locations that need to train more than one certified food protection manager for better food safety coverage. Even if your food service business doesn’t require multiple CFPMs, you may have a stellar staff member with management potential that you’d like to develop. With so much competition for limited seats, a delay could result in a lack of training for these types of key individuals.

Many students also thrive in a classroom environment but struggle with online sessions. With the nearly yearlong absence of instructor lead classes, some of these students may be long overdue for training or a refresher course.

If you’re ready for a return to the classroom for Minnesota certified food protection manager training, make sure you schedule your training soon to guarantee you a seat that best fits your availability.

Foolproof Tasks For ServSafe Food Managers That Will Prevent Pests

Foolproof Tasks For ServSafe Food Managers That Will Prevent Pests

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Pests should be a concern of ServSafe food managers all year round, but we’re in unique times that may draw more pests to your food establishment than normal. Pests like raccoons, rats, mice and even black bears are seeking out new sources of food during cold weather. If you factor in reduced operations at many businesses due to COVID-19 restrictions, retail outlets, food businesses and other industries are producing less waste and less garbage forcing pests to range further and even move indoors to search for food. With the possibility of these pests becoming more aggressive in their quest for a free meal, what should ServSafe food managers do to prevent winter pests out of their establishments?

Tasks For ServSafe Food Managers That Will Prevent Pests
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ServSafe Food manager’s Guide to Preventing Pest Infiltration

When taking preventative measures against pests entering your food preparation facility, evaluate your entrances, dumpsters and outdoor dining areas. If animals are attracted to the exterior of your building, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to find a way inside.

ServSafe food managers should get into the habit of regularly scheduling staff to inspect and clean outside areas to prevent pests. With more outdoor dining due to limited indoor seating capacity, there’s more potential for food to be dropped or spilled. A messy outdoor dining patio will attract pests.

It’s also important to make sure dumpsters and garbage areas are also free from debris. You can also lock your dumpsters after hours to prevent larger urban mammals from rummaging through your trash. If they are unable to find sustenance in your trash, they’ll likely move on.

If you’ve taken care to keep your outside areas clean, it’ll be a helpful deterrent but may not give you total protection against pests entering your facility. ServSafe food managers should design pest prevention procedures to ensure the following happens every day:

  • All interior garbage cans are empty
  • Counters and floors are cleaned and sanitized
  • All unpackaged inventory is stored off of the ground

Even if it’s just inside the kitchen, a full garbage can attract pests such as rodents and insects. Dirty floors and countertops release odors that attract unwanted visitors and become a breeding ground for fruit flies, gnats and other bugs.

Finally, make sure inventory such as produce is stored as far off the ground as possible. Ground level fruits and vegetables can be an open invitation.

Have you taken extra precautions to keep pests out of your food preparation areas?