Christine Dantz, Author at Safe Food For Thought

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.

March 22, 2016March 4, 2016

The Food Safety Modernization Act and Food Manager Certification MN

Over the past few years of providing MN food manager certification training courses, we’ve received numerous questions about how the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) affects certain local businesses. While the rules tend to be a bit murky and may require some sifting through legal jargon, we’ve decided to take a closer look at who is affected by the FSMA.

Food Manager Certification MN and the Food Safety Modernization Act

In 2010 the US Congress enacted the FSMA to help prevent major food poisoning outbreaks from occurring. The act targets major produce growers, food processors and pet-food manufacturers. It is our understanding that most retail businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores or other outlets that do not process or supply large quantities of product to consumers are not subject to these regulations.

The FSMA’s major concern is with the food supply in our country rather than with the retail sale of prepared goods. The target businesses of the FSMA include major produce growers who average over 25,000 dollars in sales per year, large processing plants of food for human and pet consumption and the importers of raw foods. To put it simply, most of the food service professionals who come to us for training need not worry about the FSMA. If you’re a supervisor at a restaurant, owner of retail store or manager at the cafeteria at an assisted living facility, the FSMA regulations have little to no effect on your operation.

If you’re a farmer, producer of large quantities of food product or a supplier of raw food product to restaurants or processing facilities, then the rules become a little more complex. In the act, congress decided to exempt certain types of small-scale farms and raw food suppliers. Your farm or operation may be exempt if you:

Sell less than 25,000 dollars’ worth of product per year
Specialize in produce that is rarely served raw
Only produce goods for personal or farm consumption
Only grow food grains

If you are a farmer or produce grower, we suggest you browse Oregon State University’s detailed synopsis on how the FSMA applies to the farming industry.

If you produce large quantities of raw food for human or pet consumption, we strongly urge you to contact your local health department or the FDA to confirm if your business needs to be compliant with FSMA regulations. There are too many qualifying factors and exemptions for us to make a qualified analysis as to which businesses must follow FSMA regulations.

With legislation like the FSMA granting the FDA more authority over our food supply, we’d like to know how you feel about government’s role in overseeing food production. Do you think that we need more or less regulation at the local, state or federal levels?

March 3, 2016March 4, 2016

Alfalfa Sprouts and the MN Certified Food Manager

In the month of February, an E. coli outbreak linked to fresh sprouts struck the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Fresh alfalfa sprouts have been linked to several food-borne illness cases over the past several years, so we’d like to take the time to review how MN certified food managers can keep their customers from consuming tainted sprouts and other sensitive raw produce items.

Sensitive Produce Items and the MN Certified Food Manager

The recent E. coli outbreak in our state wasn’t merely an isolated incident. In a completely unrelated outbreak this year, sprouts grown in Kansas have been found to be the cause of illnesses as far away as Pennsylvania. When something like this happens, we like to take the time to have a discussion on how food service professionals can prevent these types of incidents from affecting their guests.

It is never safe to assume that raw sprouts, or any other raw produce items, are safe to consume right out of its packaging. All produce should be thoroughly rinsed and dried before it is made available to your customers.

Secondly, you should always throw away or return recalled produce items to your supplier. In this most recent case, the health department has warned that there may still be recalled alfalfa sprouts on retail store shelves or in food preparation facilities. On our blog page, we’ve incorporated a widget that will help you stay current on any recall information, and we suggest you check it regularly to make sure that you do not have recalled items in your inventory.

Finally, you should never serve raw sprouts of any kind if your regular customer base includes individuals that are susceptible to food-borne illness. The FDA recommends that alfalfa sprouts never be served to the elderly, children or those who have depleted immune systems. If you are in charge of food service for a school, assisted living home or medical facility, we strongly urge you to keep raw sprouts off of the menu.

At Safe Food Training, we like to hear how our readers deal with these types of situations. Do you serve raw alfalfa sprouts in your facility, or would you rather not take the risk and keep them off of your menu entirely?