Author: Christine Dantz

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Tested Techniques For CFPMs To Deal With Shortages

techniques for CFPMs to deal with shortages

Even though they are becoming common, food shortages due to drought, global conflicts, product recalls, or supply chain issues can be frustrating for MN-CFPMs. While these shortages can be a major inconvenience, your facility still has to work through them, so we felt we’d offer a few suggestions for when food shortages arise.

How Certified Food Protection Managers Deal with Product Shortages

Tested Techniques For CFPMs To Deal With Shortages
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When shortages prevent certified food protection managers from producing their usual dishes, we have three solid recommendations to offer.

  • Find a second source for product
  • Come up with an adequate substitution
  • Keep your customers informed

Most large food service suppliers source their goods from major national sources. When drought or cold weather affects supply from well-known producers, consider turning to smaller outlets. If major growing regions have limited amounts of produce, such as greens and fruits, that are available, CFPMs may wish to contact local sources or smaller food supply companies to see if they have your required ingredients available. Your local area farms may also be a solution. This option may be more expensive, or you may have to pick up your produce rather than have it delivered. Local suppliers may offer the same products as major growers, so you can keep serving the same cuisine as before.

Sometimes, a second source for a product simply does not exist. During a major recall of any product, alternate suppliers are stretched thin. When confronted with this type of shortage, CFPMs may need to stretch their creativity and develop new menu items and unique substitutions with their current production. For some menu items, there can be quick and easy substitutions that your guests will readily accept, such as salads and side dishes. If an item cannot be served, such as the protein for a main course, bringing in a similar protein and running a temporary replacement dish on your menu is a good idea.

Make Guests Aware

Finally, inform your customers of dishes and product substitutions before ordering. Very few things are more frustrating than not being told that the menu item you have decided on is unavailable when it comes time to order. Tell your guests which items on your menu are unavailable due to product shortages before they are even given a menu. Also, make sure that your servers are also aware of the situation. Taking an order for an item you do not have available should never happen.

At Safe Food Training, we’d like to hear your strategy for dealing with ingredient shortages. Do you prefer to make substitutions, find new sources for ingredients, or temporarily remove unavailable dishes from your menu?

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Get Sure Fire Tips From Certified Food Managers For A Safer Kitchen In Hot Weather

Tips From Certified Food Managers For A Safer Kitchen In Hot Weather

Commercial kitchens and food preparation facilities can be incredibly hot places. This week, we thought we’d take a break from discussing food-borne illness prevention to offer advice for certified food managers to keep their kitchen employees safe and healthy in hot weather.

MN Certified Food Managers Guide to Beating the Heat During The Hot Summer Weather

Tips From Certified Food Managers For A Safer Kitchen In Hot Weather
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Our first advice is to ensure that your ventilation system is functioning properly. We suggest that certified food managers inspect it once a year to ensure that nothing is clogging the vents and that the fans are all in good working order. Cleaning your system’s filters often is another easy way to keep it running efficiently. Many commercial vent systems have easily removable filters that can be cleaned by thorough scrubbing and a trip through your industrial dishwasher.

Next, we’d like to give you three tips with regard to your staff that will help keep them happy and healthy in a hot kitchen.

  • Hydrate frequently
  • Don’t overcrowd your production line
  • Make sure breaks are taken away from the kitchen

On a busy day, getting adequate fluids into your staff may be hard, but it is vitally important. Strongly suggest to your employees that they drink only water. Beverages filled with sugar and caffeine can have an adverse effect as they may dehydrate rather than give the body the water it needs to stave off heat exhaustion.

Certified food managers should reevaluate staffing during especially hot weather. If multiple employees are working on the same line, assessing how many are necessary may be a good idea. Working in close quarters may raise staff members’ body temperatures, and they will dehydrate faster.

If you can’t take the heat…

Finally, the old adage, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen,” may contain a hidden nugget of advice. If any of your employees exhibit signs that the heat affects their performance or physical state, get them out of the production area. Making an ailing staff member stick it out until his normally scheduled break time may lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Make sure they get to a cool area and drink plenty of water.

Our tips aren’t the only way to stay cool under intense circumstances. We’d like your tips and procedures for keeping your staff comfortable in the kitchen. Do you have any advice that we missed that other MN-certified food managers should be aware of during hot summer weather?

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Secrets of Outdoor Service for ServSafe Managers

outdoor contamination hazards

With the weather warming up and the sun making a more regular appearance in all parts of Minnesota, many ServSafe food managers open their patios, beer gardens, and other outdoor eating areas. Ensuring proper storage for serving utensils and condiments outdoors helps keep guests safe from food safety hazards. This week, we’ll look at a few things ServSafe managers can do to keep customers safe as they enjoy their outdoor service experience.

Secrets of Outdoor Service for ServSafe Managers
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Outdoor Service and the Certified ServSafe Food Managers

Depending on your establishment’s service style, there are two different approaches to preventing contamination from the elements. Many restaurants and institutions provide full service whether they’re seating guests indoors or outdoors. Smaller outlets may choose a self-service approach that is less labor-intensive and more cost-effective.

Self-service is the way to go if you’re a small operation such as a food truck or snack bar. Sealed condiment packets, individually wrapped plastic utensils, and non-refrigerated condiments are safe to be left in your dining area. Remember to keep dispenser taps clean and seal condiment bottles when not in use. We suggest you avoid reusable squeeze bottles as guests may not replace the lids and expose whatever is inside to the elements. Manufacturers package condiments like ketchup and mustard with dining in mind, making them the best choice.

If you offer full-service dining, outdoor service can be easier with simple preparation. The same rules apply if you leave condiments on the table. Using sealable condiment bottles is a fine procedure. However, if you’re looking to add a little more elegance and class to your service, we recommend you use pre-portioned individual-sized dishes. These can be properly stored inside your kitchen or server stations. The same rule should apply to servingware and napkins. It is a good idea to keep them away from potential outdoor contamination hazards such as insects and the occasional stray bird.

At Safe Food Training, we enjoy the occasional lunch or dinner under the sun’s rays. How do you feel about outdoor service? Is it something you find easy to offer your guests, or is it frustrating in your establishment?

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Instructive Tips For Food Safety Managers At Medical Institutions

Food safety manager in medical institution

When it comes to food safety, it’s always important to be vigilant. Still, when you’re a food safety certified manager in a Minnesota institution that provides meal service for elderly residents, patients recovering from surgery, or those with special needs, it’s vitally important to be diligent in keeping your food safe. This week, we’d like to discuss a few extra precautions that food safety managers in medical institutions may wish to remember during their daily routine.

Tips For Food Safety Managers At Medical Institutions
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Food Safety Managers Tips for Medical Institutions

 

CFPMs in hospitals or elderly care facilities should focus on these critical issues:

  • Properly sanitize utensils and prep surfaces
  • Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables
  • Be vigilant about tracking guest’s allergies

Our first tip is to ensure all utensils, preparation surfaces, and serving wares are adequately sanitized. This idea may seem deeply ingrained in your daily habits since you completed your first food safety class, but it’s crucial to recognize the risks associated with careless sanitation. One such danger is over or under-mixing your sanitizer solution. The under-mixed solution can leave bacteria on surfaces that will come into contact with prepared foods. In contrast, overmixing the solution can result in patients ingesting dangerous chemicals, putting them at risk of experiencing harmful effects from bleach, ammonia solutions, or iodine. Make sure to keep sanitizer test strips readily available to test your solution regularly.

Secondly, food safety managers in medical care centers must ensure that all raw fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly, even those claiming to be ready to serve. Fruits and vegetables can come into contact with dirt, fertilizer, and other hazards before reaching your facility. They are often stored unsealed in warehouses before transport and loosely stored when shipped. Many bagged greens such as lettuce and spinach claim to be ready to eat, but some potential for contamination does exist, and since you’re serving meals to those who have a high risk of foodborne illness, it may be wise to take the extra precaution of washing all greens.

Always Track Guests’ Allergies

Our third suggestion for food managers in medical facilities is to be extremely diligent about keeping records of their guests’ allergies. Many institutions face a high turnover rate as one patient departs and another arrives. All too often, allergy information is overlooked during these transitions. Detailed records of each guest’s personal needs will help avoid accidents. It may even be a good idea to eliminate high-risk items such as nuts and shellfish from your facility altogether.

With most safe food training focusing on the hospitality and food production industries, we’d like to know what food-safety issues arise for certified food safety managers of food service in institutions such as assisted living facilities and medical care centers. Are there any aspects that current safe food training overlooks regarding your situation?