Christine Dantz, Author at Safe Food For Thought

May 31, 2016June 16, 2016

Minnesota Certified Food Managers Alert: For Restaurant Fire Hazards

As MN food safety managers we are trained to create a safe eating experience for our guests. In the strictest sense, that means delivering food safe for human consumption. But sometimes we become so focused on one issue that we don’t see the 246 ton fire breathing dragon in the room! As owners and managers of a public gathering place we have additional safety responsibilities to both guests and employees. That’s why Safe Food Training has asked, Scott Futrell, a local fire protection consultant to discuss some of the fire safety issues owners and managers should consider. This is the first in a series of blogs that will explore fire safety in the food preparation environment.

Don’t overlook fire safety in your kitchen and restaurant.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2006 and 2010, fire departments in the United States responded to an average of 7640 structure fires per year in eating and drinking establishments. That is almost twenty-one fires every day. Annually these fires cause two civilian deaths, 115 civilian injuries and $246,000,000 in direct property damage. That does not include business interruption losses. Fifty-seven percent of these fires involve cooking equipment. Seventy-one percent of the fires remain relatively small and the failure to properly clean was a factor in twenty-one percent of the fires.¹

In Minnesota, in 2014, 166 structure fires in Public Assembly Properties were reported and 44% of those were in the kitchen/cooking area.²

What can you do to protect your investment or your facility?

In future blogs we’ll explore these general topics in more detail.

If you have any questions about fire safety in the food preparation environment that you would like Scott to discuss leave a comment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scott A. Futrell, PE, FSFPE, CFPS, SET, CFEI, is a fire protection consultant with Futrell Fire Consult & Design, Inc., in Osseo, Minnesota and has over 40 years’ experience designing, specifying, and investigating fire protection system related losses. He is a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, co-author of “Designers Guide to Automatic Sprinkler Systems”, and can be reached by e-mail at: scottf@ffcdi.com, or visit www.ffcdi.com.

[1] Ben Evarts, National Fire Protection Association, Structure Fires in Eating and Drinking Establishments, November 2012.

2 State Fire Marshal, Fire in Minnesota 2014

May 24, 2016May 9, 2016

Food Manager Certification MN and Summer Produce Storage

With the rising temperatures of late spring and summer, the potential for your room-temperature produce to spoil increases. In food manager certification MN classes, we often discuss the dangers of rotting food. Rotting produce attracts pests, can cause bacteria to grow on countertops and in storage containers and can create a cross-contamination hazard.

Food Manager Certification MN and Summer Produce Storage

When we ask our students which fresh produce items spoil the quickest in the summer, the list is always pretty close to the same. Some of the most frequent offenders include:

Bananas
Avocados
Tomatoes

Bananas and avocados are generally stored at room temperature because they are produce items that need to ripen before consumed. The idea that bananas and avocados store best at room temperature has led many to believe that they can never be refrigerated. The colder temperatures that prevent these produce items from ripening can also slow the process of over ripening. A simple way to extend the life of these items is to simply wait for them to ripen to your liking and then place them in your produce cooler.

Tomatoes can often be difficult to store in the summer time. The ideal temperature for tomato storage is usually between 50 and 60 degrees. As anyone who works in food service knows, finding a storage space kept at this temperature is nearly impossible.

Many chefs insist that tomatoes lose their flavor under refrigeration and it’s better to allow them to expire rather than destroy their natural tastes. If you’re a budget conscious operation, however, this may not be an alternative that you’re willing to face.

Tomatoes are harvested like bananas. They are picked several days before they have ripened and are allowed to mature at room temperature. While there may be some truth to the idea that tomatoes lose their flavor when refrigerated, they will maintain their crispness at a lower temperature and you will have less waste if you store them in the refrigerator. If you’re insistent that tomatoes can never be refrigerated, then we suggest that you only purchase only enough to fill your needs during the summer months. We have also heard that several experienced chefs employ the use of a wine refrigerator or wine cellar that is temperature controlled to extend the life of their tomatoes without sacrificing their flavor.

Do you have any tips and tricks for storing produce that doesn’t thrive at high or low temperatures? If so, feel free share them in the comments section below.

May 12, 2016October 28, 2024

Bacteria Controlling Additives and Food Safety Certification MN

The prevention of food-borne illness due to harmful bacteria is one of the major topics that we cover in our food safety certification MN training sessions. Bacteria can be removed from foods through washing of raw fruits and vegetables, proper handling of animal proteins and adhering to cooking temperature guidelines. For some time, major food processors have taken an extra precaution to prevent bacteria such as Listeria from contaminating their manufactured product by adding chemically based compounds that slow or kill the growth of harmful bacteria. According to research conducted at the University of Guleph in Canada, these additives can also kill the good bacteria that aid digestion, but they feel that they may have discovered a natural, soy-based product that effectively controls the growth of bad bacteria in manufactured food product.

Food Safety Certification MN and Controlling Bacteria in Manufactured Products

We understand that this subject is a little out of our food safety certification MN jurisdiction, but we feel that since it does affect the safety of our food supply, it’s one that needs to be talked about. If you read the ingredients of most pre-packaged foods, you’ll see a long list of chemical compounds with nearly unpronounceable names. While all of these additives have been approved by the FDA, there is more and more research emerging linking health risks to these preservatives and chemically-based bacteria killers in the food supply.

The study conducted at the University of Guleph claims that a byproduct of certain strains of soybeans can be just as effective at preventing the growth of bad bacteria without killing the good bacteria that our digestive system needs. If this research is in fact accurate, it may be a promising development.

A few concerns do arise, however, since we are talking about a soy based additive. There are people who are severely allergic to soy and soy-based byproducts. How will adding more soy-based additives into the food supply affect those who have a sensitivity to these types of foods?

The research claims that the method used to extract the necessary elements from the soy bean prevents any of the compounds that cause allergic reactions from entering the food supply. With this study still in the early stages, we’ll remain skeptical, but optimistic, until more case studies have been done and thorough data on this issue have been released.

Additives have been a hot-button issue for some time, and we like to keep an eye out for innovations that may improve the way our food is produced. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this issue in the comment section below.

May 6, 2016May 31, 2016

A ServSafe MN Tribute to Mom

by phovoir – yayimages.com

Whenever we lead a ServSafe MN training session, we hear stories about local chef’s inspirations and culinary influences. More often than not, some of the most renowned chefs in the area trace their culinary roots back to the times of childhood watching their mother cook meals that they can only hope to duplicate. Mother’s Day occurs every May, and to honor our favorite culinary influence, we’d like to pay tribute to moms everywhere.

ServSafe MN tribute to Mom

Some of our fondest memories from early childhood to returning home from college for Christmas break involve many of the best meals that we have ever eaten. The countless hours of preparation that mothers have put into perfecting their signature recipes, shopping for the best ingredients and preparing delicious home cooked meals with care have given many famous chefs the fine examples that have driven their careers.

Mothers everywhere have also taught us to have respect for the traditional aspects of creating our cuisine. Numerous chefs that we have talked to often refer to “sticking close to their roots” and driving themselves to use traditional cuisine to bring people together, just like mom did with a meal cooked to perfection in a setting where arguments, grudges and the concerns of the day could vanish for at least a little while.

One of the greatest things that mothers have instilled in their children, in the culinary profession or otherwise, is the will to put their heart and soul into everything that they do. There was more than cumin, garlic, oregano and tomato paste in mom’s secret meatloaf recipe. There was dedication, love and a desire to see that her family received everything that they needed. This has rubbed off on countless servers that strive to see that their guests have a great dining experience, cafeteria workers in assisted living facilities who go the extra mile to see that their charges can enjoy a simple meal and ServSafe MN chefs that take care to prepare meals tailored to VIP guests’ tastes.

So, in short, we just want to say thanks to mothers everywhere who have taught us the love of food, cultivated our creative side and instilled in us the work ethic that has led us to where we are today.