Food Safety Blog and CFPM Resource Hub

April 25, 2017April 5, 2017

Food Safety Certified Professionals and Microwave Use

Many restaurants employ a secret weapon that some food safety certified professionals call their digital chef. The digital chef refers to a facility’s microwave, and while most restaurants and food producers prefer to cook everything as fresh as possible, instances occur when microwave cooking becomes unavoidable.

Proper Microwave Use for Food Safety Certified Workers

All food cooked in a microwave needs to maintain an internal temperature of 165 degrees before being served. No food cooked any lower than well-done can be served if cooked in a microwave, and reheated precooked food must meet the 165-degree requirement. Once food reaches the temperature requirement, the Minnesota Food Code states that cooked product needs to stand for two minutes before serving in order to maintain temperature.

The method used for microwave cooking depends on what type of food your digital chef must prepare. The following guide shows specific rules that the food code requires you to adhere to.

Rotate all product must halfway through cooking
Stir liquid foods such as soup periodically to achieve an even temperature
Cover raw product to maintain moisture

When we discuss the thawing of raw proteins in ServeSafe training courses, we recommend that food safety certified professionals use a microwave as a last resort. Any frozen item thawed in a microwave needs to be cooked and served immediately. Product thawed in a microwave cannot be stored for later use.

Microwaves can sometimes be a lifesaver in the kitchen, but every food service worker should be aware of safe procedures to prevent food-borne illness as a result. Do you rely on your digital chef, or do you prefer to cook 100 percent of your product from scratch?

April 18, 2017April 5, 2017

Hand Sanitizer and Safe Food Handling Practices

During online food safety courses, students learn that hand washing prevents the spread of food-borne illness. From time to time, a student asks what role hand sanitizers play in killing bacteria, and if hand sanitizer benefits food service workers.

Safe Food Handling Practices and Hand Sanitizers

The Minnesota Department of Health allows for hand sanitizer use in food production facilities. However, hand sanitizers must not replace proper hand washing in any situation. Effective hand sanitizers kill viruses and bacteria, but only hand washing removes dirt, grime and grease from underneath fingernails or the natural crevices in human skin. Just to review the safe food handling practices, proper hand washing involves:

Washing under hot water
The use of plenty of soap
Scrubbing for at least 20 seconds

If the Department of Health rules state that all food service workers must wash their hands after handling raw meat, using the bathroom or doing anything that contaminates their hands, when can a hand sanitizer be used?

If you feel the need to use a hand sanitizer to kill bacteria, you must wash your hands immediately after use and before handling food. Washing your hands after using a sanitizer will not negate the virus killing effects. In fact, washing your hands removes fragrances and other chemicals that exist in commercially produced hand sanitizers than could make your guests sick.

Finally, the food code allows hand sanitizers in situations where product is not handled by hand. This occurs in retail or grocery situations where food product is sealed or in instances where utensils are the only means of food handling.

The use of hand sanitizers is only one of many concerns that many professionals ask for clarification on food code regulations. If you have any other situations you’d like us to cover, please leave a question in the comments section below.

April 11, 2017April 5, 2017

The Certified Food Manager and Springtime Promotions

Many local businesses look to increase the number of guests visiting their establishment the weekend of Easter by providing activities that are fun for families. Whether you plan on having an Easter egg hunt or other spring related activity, we have a few tips for the certified food manager to create fun activities that will hopefully draw potential patrons.

Easter Promotions and the Certified Food Manager

Children and families love Easter egg hunts, especially if your business provides this activity without cost to your guests. This is a good opportunity to offer some promotional specials, such as discounted lunch or breakfast items, affordable beverages or grab-and-go snacks. You’ll often find that families who would not spend a few bucks on an Easter egg hunt will be more than willing to shell out spending money on small food items.

If you do attempt to have an egg hunt at your restaurant, we have a couple of suggestions that will make it fun for all.

Only use wrapped candies
Contain your hunt to a specific area of your facility
Limit the amount of prizes per participant
Provide a quiet zone for guests not participating in your activity

Remember that not every customer who comes to your establishment wishes to participate in your spring activities. If you have a popular restaurant that locals frequent, take the time to set up an area away from the activities so that your regulars have the opportunity for an enjoyable experience.

We recently saw an advertisement for an event that featured live animals. We’d like to remind you that if you operate a food service facility and plan on incorporating livestock into your event that live animals need to be separated from food production and service areas. It seems like a cute idea to have baby chicks, rabbits and goats roaming your restaurant, but they create a number of food born-illness hazards.

Springtime offers ample opportunity to draw new clientele to your restaurant. Do you have any events that you find brings customers to your door?

April 4, 2017March 9, 2017

ServSafe Managers and Temporary Labor Solutions

Over the course of a ServSafe managers career, he runs into temporary staffing issues. From covering staff vacations to filling in for employees who require an extended period of time off for personal reasons, supervisors must find a means of staffing their facility. Two of the most common solutions include granting overtime to key team members and bringing in food service workers from temp agencies, but this week we’d like to explore the option of bringing in some part-time help from your local culinary arts program.

ServSafe Food Managers and Part-Time Help

If you only need help for a few weeks or a couple of months, finding workers not interested in full-time employment presents unique challenges. One of the advantages of reaching out to one of the many culinary arts schools or junior colleges offers a solution to finding employees without the expectation of a long term commitment. Many students in these programs need work, but at the same time, they have two to four years of studies to focus on before they begin their career.

We recently engaged in a discussion with a culinary arts student who vented his frustrations with finding a balance between school and work. Culinary students, especially those in four-year programs, have a pretty heavy homework load. Many students are required to take economics, math, cultural studies and many other courses required in traditional colleges on top of their cooking seminars. This particular student expressed that it would be hugely beneficial if there was some sort of on-call style employment program that would allow him to focus on his studies and have a source of part-time income.

Many students are not seeking long term employment until after graduation. While you may find one that exceeds your standards that you want to keep on full time, there won’t necessarily be the expectation of either party that this will turn into a long term solution, and that can have its perks.

We know a few ServSafe managers who have explored this option for temporary staffing and have had a positive experience. If you have any thoughts, or you have your own unique solutions to these types of employment dilemmas, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.