Food Safety Blog and CFPM Resource Hub

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ServSafe Food Safety and the Dangers of Undercooked Shellfish

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Shellfish selections tend to be plentiful on summer happy hour and appetizer menus for their versatility and fresh taste, but, with the heat of spring and summer warming the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Coast and waters in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, serving shellfish during the summer months creates a rise in the risk of spreading a food-borne illnesses due to Vibrio infections. This week, we’ll briefly discuss how to cook and store shellfish according to ServSafe food safety guidelines.

 ServSafe Food Safety and the Dangers of Undercooked Shellfish

ServSafe Food Safety and Vibrio Infections

Two closely related bacteria cause Vibrio infections. These bacteria thrive in shellfish from warmer waters and most frequently sickens people who consume contaminated raw and undercooked shellfish. The symptoms of infection include:

    • Vomiting
    • Diarrhea
    • Chills and fever
    • Skin rashes

While consuming undercooked shellfish increases the potential for spreading an infection, Vibrio bacterium also potentially spreads through contact with bare skin. These rare cases most commonly occur when raw shellfish comes into contact with a sore or open wound. Raw clams, oysters, scallops and mussels need to be handled in a hands-free manner.

When cooking shellfish, they must achieve an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Your cooked shellfish need to remain out of the danger zone after cooking, and we suggest that you serve them as soon as possible after they are prepared.

Proper storage also reduces the risk of spreading food-borne illness. ServeSafe food safety rules require shellfish to be stored below 41 degrees, and no two batches of shellfish should be stored in the same container. For example, scallops and clams cannot be stocked in the same containers prior to cooking. The same holds true with shellfish received on different dates. Combining two batches of shellfish increases the risk of spreading bacteria from one to the other.

The Minnesota Food Code also requires that tags from fresh shellfish be saved for 90 days. This requirement is in place to track down the source should an outbreak of Vibrio poisoning occur.

We love sampling shellfish from some of our talented local chefs. What are your favorite shellfish dishes?

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Food Training to Prevent Knife Injuries from Avocado Prep

Food Training to Prevent Knife Injuries from Avocado Prep

It recently came to our attention that an increased number of people are injuring themselves while cutting avocados. With summer upon us, avocados are frequenting menu items such as salads, and guacamole production is in full swing at local restaurants. We feel that food training should go beyond keeping your food safe, but also keeping your staff safe as well, so this week we explore the proper way to prepare this popular ingredient.

Food Training to Prevent Knife Injuries from Avocado Prep
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Safe Food Training on the Way to Cut an Avocado

The way many professionals cut and prepare an avocado poses a great risk for a sliced finger or even a puncture wound to the hand. The main reason for injury is due to the fact that most people cut an avocado while cradling it in their palm. This can cause the tip of the knife to slip through the avocado skin and slice a finger or a thumb when cutting it in half.

The most serious injuries occur when removing the pit. The common method for this procedure is holding the avocado face up and slamming the blade into the pit in order to twist it out of the center. The pit cracks if it is overripe or if too much force is used and the knife can go directly through the entire avocado and create a potentially gruesome cut.

The safe food training solution takes a few seconds more per avocado, but a few seconds versus time at the emergency room can be the best decision. It is important to rest the avocado on a cutting board rather than the palm of your hand, this way a slip up with the knife results in no physical damage to yourself. With the avocado resting on the board, grip it firmly from the side and slice from the top to bottom until you have reached the pit. Remove the knife and repeat with the other side.

Now, simply twist the two halves apart and use a paring knife to cut around the pit and take it out with a spoon. Next, remove the flesh with a spoon, and slice or dice as you see fit.

At Safe Food Training, we endeavor to provide information that keeps your food and staff safe. Are there any kitchen safety issues you’d like to see us cover?

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Certified Food Managers and Vacation Time

The Certified Food Manager and Vacation Time

Certified food managers need time away from the kitchen every once in a while, but many skip vacations out of a sense of duty. Food service supervisors are not indestructible and tend to make mistakes when overworked, so we’d like to provide some encouragement for those who can’t seem to get away for more than a day or two.

Certified Food Managers and Vacation Time
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The Benefits of Vacation Time for Certified Food Managers

Vacations can be a great way to take a step back and refresh mentally and physically. Food service is a fast paced and stressful environment, and some of the health risks that come from stress can be relieved by taking an extended break. Doctors claim that vacations can help moderate blood pressure, improve mental health and provide many other benefits for those who work in stressful environments.

Taking a break from the job also helps with creativity and productivity. If you do the same type of work non-stop for months at a time, chances are you’ll fall into a routine that may not incite new ideas. Removing yourself from food service for a week or two helps clear away your routine and could inspire new ideas to improve your operation. Stepping away from your duties also helps to get out of the rut of going through the motions. We know that certified food managers are passionate and driven, but even the best fall into the habit of stretching out and delaying tasks they do on a daily basis. Taking a trip away from work gives supervisors a new focus when they return.

Most professionals ignore their vacations because they feel that their operation would crumble without their oversight. Trust your staff and make sure that you put a plan in place that everyone can follow in your absence. You and your facility will be much better off with a rested and renewed certified food manager.

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The Purpose of Food Safety Certification Exams

Food Safety Certification Exams

Whether in person or online, we’ve proctored thousands of food safety certification exams and occasionally we have a student raise their hand at a key point and ask: “Will this be on the test?” That’s not a question we can answer, because honestly, the instructors don’t know what will be on the test. This gives us the opportunity to teach our students how to be the best certified food managers they can be.

Food Safety Certification Exams

 

Food Safety Certification Exams Preparation’s Ultimate Goal

While it’s required for food service supervisors to obtain certifications in order to do their job, our aim isn’t to hand out as many certifications as we can. Our focus will be on giving you the tools to keep your guests safe from food-borne illnesses.

When you enroll in our food safety certification classes, we recommend that you come prepared to absorb the material and be ready to engage with your instructor and classmates. We find that students who’s objective is simply to pass the test tend to overlook important information while searching for bullet points and possible answers. Coming to class relaxed and eager to learn will give you a great opportunity to gain your certificate and benefit you in the long term.

The good news is that our method of teaching you how to keep your food safe rather than coaching you how to pass the exam results in an over 90 percent first-time pass rate. If you review the pre-course material and arrive ready to learn, you should achieve successful results.

A good portion of our success rates comes from student input. After you’ve finished our course, let us know how the material not only helped you become certified, but also how our training has improved how your facility handles food safety.