Online ServSafe Guide to Raw Egg Handling

Online ServSafe Guide to Raw Egg Handling

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In the month of April, a supplier of eggs to the East Coastrecalled whole shell eggs due to a number of cases of Salmonella illnesses that may have been linked to their product. Even though it appears Minnesota escaped this risk unscathed, now would still be a good time for an online ServSafe review of raw egg handling habits.

Raw Shell Egg Handling Procedures

Many Salmonella cases result from improper cooking or handling procedures. Most outbreaks can be avoided by following a few simple steps:

  • Fully cook products with raw egg ingredients
  • Use liquid pasteurized eggs when possible
  • Do not pool raw shell eggs
  • Always wash your hands after handling raw eggs

The Minnesota Food Code states that all raw shell eggs must be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees. This does not mean that restaurants and outlets that offer breakfast service are prohibited from serving their eggs sunny side up or over easy. If you offer eggs on your menu, customers who verbally request them undercooked can receive them if the eggs are cooked and served immediately. In order to be in full compliance with the rules to serve undercooked eggs or other animal products a clearly visible warning that consuming undercooked animal product comes with health risks needs to be included on your menu.

For dishes such as omelets, scrambled eggs or any other product that does not require a whole shell egg, pasteurized liquid eggs should be used. These liquid eggs should replace any kind of egg pooling procedure. Egg pooling occurs when multiple whole raw shell eggs are cracked and stored in the same container. Putting large numbers of cracked raw eggs in one container greatly increases the risk of the spread of Salmonella.

Whether this topic is covered in online ServSafe training or one of our instructor led courses, we inevitably hear from chefs who claim that some recipes do not work with liquid eggs. In these cases, you may wish to use whole pasteurized shell eggs or consult your local health department to discuss solutions and alternatives for your ingredients.

ServSafe Food Managers Guide to Conducting Safety Reviews

ServSafe Food Manager’s Guide to Conducting Safety Reviews

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We spend a lot of time discussing food safety, but occasionally we like to bring up topics involving employee health and safety. A facility safety review by your ServSafe food manager can go a long way towards identifying hazards and developing a strategy to prevent employee injury.

ServSafe Food Managers Guide to Conducting Safety Reviews

We’ve identified five specific steps you should take while conducting a safety review in your restaurant or food preparation facility:

  • Formulate a plan
  • Be methodical
  • Include your staff
  • Record your findings
  • Enact change

Without a plan, potential hazards can easily be overlooked. Outline and print or write down your safety review plan. Having a physical copy of your goals allows you to reference your plan at any time.

After formulating your plan, execution is key. Don’t just wander around your facility with a checklist and a clipboard. Methodically move from one section of your kitchen to the next inspecting every element for safety hazards. Don’t forget to check all equipment for potential electrical or burn hazards and identify areas where water and grease may spill causing a risk of slips and falls.

Many a ServSafe food manager attempts to take on responsibility for their staff’s safety by themselves. Including your team at every stage of your review gives you added coverage. While you may think you know the ins and outs of your facility, those that work certain stations on a daily basis can provide insights that may not have occurred to you. Ask for input and concerns from your staff during the planning stages and inspection process.

Keep a written record of your findings. Putting potential risks on paper will help you find solutions and prevent hazards from being forgotten. A written record also helps formulate a plan to exact change. Every potential safety hazard must be addressed, and the results of your review will help you decide how to improve employee safety at your facility.

How often do you conduct safety reviews at your facility?

ServSafe Manager Certification and Protection from Food Tampering

ServSafe Manager Certification and Protection from Food Tampering

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Most of the food-borne illness threats that we look at usually come from inadvertent contamination due to either a lack of training, negligence or an infected food source, but the threat of intentional contamination exists and steps should be taken to prevent this kind of scenario.

Food Terrorism and ServSafe Manager Certification

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Food Terrorism and ServSafe Manager Certification

Few ServSafe manager certification courses cover the prevention of intentional food tampering, but according to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), certain food production facilities must take steps to prevent hazards from being intentionally introduced into the food production process that could cause wide-spread effects.

In a recent interview, advisors from the FDA’s Food Defense and Emergency Coordination staff provided some insight into the rule and how to keep food safe.

One key component of this rule is the identification and protection of areas of vulnerability. The article discusses open storage containers and mixing vats as potential targets for someone trying to tamper with your food. Other vulnerable sites in food production facilities could include outdoor gardens, unattended receiving areas or unsupervised areas of the kitchen after hours.

ServSafe Manager Certification and Protection from Food Tampering

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Food defense has long been voluntary, and many facilities do have safety standards in place to prevent malicious tampering with their product. The food defense requirement of the FSMA for large businesses takes effect July 26, 2019 and July 26, 2020 for small businesses with under 500 employees. Very small businesses may be exempt from these rules, but they must provide documentation that they are exempt by July of 2021.

Thankfully, the chances of an intentional food-poisoning outbreak are miniscule whether on a mass scale or at a smaller level. Do you do anything to prevent tampering with the product you prepare and serve at your facility?

MN Food Training Checkup

Giving Your Staff a MN Food Training Checkup

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One of the main goals of a food service supervisor should be to make sure that their staff is fully trained and growing stronger as a unit. Oftentimes, employees complete their Minnesota food training, gain their certifications then just stop. They put off reviewing what they’ve learned until the time comes for renewal. September has been set aside as National Food Safety Month, and we think a food training checkup goes along with the spirit of the month.

Food Training Checkup Tools

There are many resources available to bring attention to important food safety procedures during this month. ServSafe has developed a questionnaire to gauge how food service workers view the training that occurs at their place of employment. Using this as a guide could help you assess how your staff views food safety.

Along with this questionnaire, you may want to ask some questions tailored to your operation. Supervisors sometimes assume their staff understands food handling procedures and neglect certain aspects of their training. This lack of education can lead to an unhealthy situation for your customer base.

Whether it’s during cooling procedures, storage of product or cross contamination prevention, the slightest misstep could create a situation where your products sickens a guest. When you engage in a food training checkup activity, don’t overlook the small things. Familiarize each member on staff with proper procedures. It may help to discuss the risks that occur when they ignore food handling rules. Teaching your staff the problems that consuming tainted food causes will hopefully help them keep food safety as their top priority.

Once you’ve completed your checkup, you may find the need to consult a professional to run a training session. At Safe Food Training, we can help you with this process.

Do you engage in any kind of food safety checkup with your crew? If you have any great ideas to help your fellow certified food managers accomplish this task, leave your suggestions in the comments section below.