Christine Dantz, Author at Safe Food For Thought

July 22, 2019July 3, 2019

The Safe Food Act and Streamlining National Food Safety

Currently, the responsibility of food safety oversight of food products imported, grown and produced in the United States is split between 15 different agencies. In late June, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) have once again introduced their Safe Food Act, a bill that aims to streamline federal food safety operations by consolidating these 15 agencies into a single, independent agency. This week, we’ll explore this bill and briefly summarize how the current federal food safety process works.

New Safe Food Act Details

The bill itself is 81-pages long and chock full of complex language, but we can pull out a few highlights to summarize what this bill intends to accomplish.

Establish a single food safety agency
Improve the import inspection process
Require product traceability to quickly identify the source of outbreaks
Develop data sharing to learn more about outbreaks and foodborne illness

The sponsors of this bill are concerned that the current food safety system is too fragmented to be incredibly effective. The FDA and USDA are responsible for different aspects of regulation and inspection while the CDC also becomes involved in the event of an outbreak. There are also several sub-agencies that are involved in the overall process. The lawmakers feel that consolidating these agencies will put all of the information at the fingertips of one agency reducing gaps in coverage.

With numerous outbreaks occurring from product from out of the country, the Safe Food Act aims to improve the inspection process of foreign product before contaminated food reaches the market.

Finally, this bill will aim to provide a system to learn more about foodborne illness outbreaks. If the source of an outbreak can be traced quickly, product can be recalled and removed faster than under the current system. Data tracking and sharing also gives greater insight that can be used to counter the effects of outbreaks in the future.

This isn’t the first time lawmakers have suggested consolidating all of the federal food safety agencies under one roof. The Safe Food Act was previously introduced by these same senators in 1999, and the White House called for the simplification of the food safety inspection and outbreak prevention process in 2018.

Do you feel a consolidated food safety agency will reduce foodborne illness, or do you believe multiple agencies provide us better protection?

July 15, 2019July 2, 2019

Certified Food Protection Managers and Farmer’s Markets

One of the great things about living in our state is the unbelievable bounty of fresh produce available in the summer and fall at local farmer’s markets. Local restauranteurs and certified food protection managers love to source ingredients locally and many feel that advertising fresh ingredients grown by members of the farming community draws customers in, but can food purchased at the farmer’s market be used in commercial kitchens?

Certified Food Protection Managers Guide for Farmers Market Ingredients

Fresh product, especially produce, is the key to making any dish great, and it doesn’t get much fresher than buying from a local producer at a farmer’s market. There are no regulations prohibiting the use of ingredients purchased at the farmer’s market, but certified food protection manager training tells us that we should take precautions and be prudent to make sure they purchase their product from safe sources. Here’s a few tips to making sure you’re purchasing quality ingredients that won’t sicken your customers:

Inspect product for traces of quality and freshness
Be smart about your sources
Only purchase wild mushrooms from licensed vendors

Of course chefs and Minnesota certified food protection managers are going to take a close look at the product they purchase, but the same inspection process should happen even when only purchasing a few items at the market. Take a close look for excess dirt or other contaminants as well as signs that a pest has been nibbling on the product somewhere between the farm and market. Most pesticides will be invisible, but if you notice an overly waxy texture or odd sheen to produce, there’s a chance it has been treated with something to resist insects or make it look more attractive.

Secondly, purchase products from farms and vendors you trust. Depending on the circumstances, vendors may or may not be required to obtain a license to set up a booth, but a license does not necessarily mean that all proper food safety protocols have been followed. We suggest you buy from booths that represent farms you know and avoid unaffiliated produce vendors.

Finally, only purchase mushrooms from certified vendors. The Minnesota Food Code requires wild mushroom harvesters to be registered as a mushroom expert to prevent bad mushrooms from sickening or even possibly killing anyone who consumes them.

Do you take advantage of local Minnesota farmers markets to bring freshness to your menu?

July 8, 2019July 2, 2019

On-site Food Safety Training in MN

Not all restaurants, food production facilities and institutional kitchens produce the same product in the same way, so why should all food safety certification training take place in a location that doesn’t resemble your facility? We think there numerous advantages to scheduling an on-site food safety training class that takes place at your operation.

The Advantages of On-site Food Safety Training

Right off the top of our head, we can think of several benefits to scheduling an instructor led food training session at your facility:

Convenience
Certifying and training multiple staff members
Ability to ask questions relevant to your business
Training tailored to your needs

What can be easier than having your instructor come to you? You don’t have to worry about your GPS sending you to North Dakota when you’re searching for a training location you’ve never visited or finding parking near the training facility. It also makes it possible to train and certify multiple employees without worrying about scheduling conflicts or whether or not your employees have access to reliable transportation to the testing location.

A highly knowledgeable food safety expert knows the Minnesota food code in and out, and during a training session at your food production facility you’ll not only have the ability to have your questions answered, but you’ll have the advantage of having your instructor being able to give you real world answers that pertain to your facility and the type of food you produce. A school cafeteria has different needs than a restaurant and there are many different types of kitchens that have different food safety risks. Your instructor can take a look at your facility and answer questions accordingly.

Finally, you can choose which food safety training certification standard you want your employees to achieve. You may want your employees to receive ServSafe training, HAACP certification or any other MN accepted testing, but times and location for your preferred classes just don’t work. Having an on-site training session with all members of your staff that require a certain type of training solves this dilemma

Would you be interested in an on-site food safety training and exam session at your establishment? Let us know, and we’d be happy to design a course that suits your needs.

July 1, 2019June 19, 2019

What is ServSafe Certification?

According to the Minnesota Food code, food preparation establishments must employ a Certified Food Protection Manager that has gained certification from an ANSI accredited program. The National Restaurant Association recognizes ServSafe Certification as its accredited program qualifying it to be used by food protection managers in Minnesota.

MN ServSafe Certification

ServSafe offers several food and alcohol safety certifications, and passing the ServSafe food manager exam meets the Minnesota Food Code’s requirements for certified food protection manager training. Minnesota also recognizes 3 other exams as meeting the requirement including the one from the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals which we regularly use.

As with many training courses, ServSafe is available via instructor led sessions and online training classes. There are positives with each type of training. Online classes can be convenient and taken at any time of day. Instructor led classes allow for interaction with your fellow food managers and give you a rare opportunity to ask questions and discuss food safety procedures with an experienced expert.

ServSafe and the other exams enable you to get certified in Minnesota for three years. Within three years, you must renew your certifications in order to comply with the food code. The health department no longer has a grace period for renewing, so it’s vitally important to stay up to date on your paperwork and take your recertification training without delay before the three year anniversary of initial certification.

While there are four exam options for food safety certification in MN, some national chains and organizations may require ServSafe as their standard for food managers in their employ. If this is the case, Safe Food Training will gladly custom design ServSafe training and examinations that meet Minnesota standards. If you’re looking for your initial certification, refresher courses or recertification instruction, get in touch with us and we’ll set up training that fits your establishment’s requirements.