Hair restraint demo for ServSafe work wardrobe

3 Fantastic Insider Wardrobe Considerations For ServSafe Trained Employees

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Whether your uniform accessories are there to add style, provide convenience or a celebrity TV chef makes it look cool, there are several uniform quirks that every ServSafe MN trained employee should avoid. The list of uniform components that pose as food safety hazards can be quite extensive. However, we would like to focus on three components that ServSafe-approved kitchen attire should never include.

Three ServSafe Wardrobe Components to Kick Out of the Kitchen

Anything that you add to your work dress instantly becomes susceptible to the same contamination risks as the rest of your uniform. We believe that a ServSafe based uniform policy should not allow the following three things:

  • Dry towels attached to uniform
  • Arm and hand jewelry
  • Baseball caps as head coverings

Many food workers feel that it’s convenient to loop a dry towel around apron strings or sling it over a shoulder. It keeps your towel handy and readily available when a plate or cutting board needs a quick wipe. Unfortunately, the apron is a common collector of dirt, grease, and debris in the kitchen. The shoulder of your uniform can become contaminated with sweat and other bacteria. Keep your dry towels stored in a clean place that will allow them to be easily accessible when needed.

The regulations concerning jewelry in food preparation facilities are often overlooked. The food code prohibits wearing anything other than simple wedding bands and plain rings. Arm and wrist bands, rings, and other accessories can often go unnoticed, particularly by front-of-the-house staff in restaurants. If an employee requires a medical alert bracelet, they can replace it with a necklace or anklet. Management should also be informed about employees wearing such jewelry. It can be quickly located in the event of a medical emergency.

A shelter dog demonstrating hair and beard restraint approved by ServSafe kitchen dress code
ServSafe approved kitchen wardrobe. Image credit: Babylon Animal Shelter

Baseball Cap Safety Issues

While the Minnesota Food Code concerning head coverings doesn’t disallow baseball caps, we feel that there may be a few ServSafe based contamination concerns with incorporating them into your dress code. Most ball caps are crafted from absorbent cloth, and the bills are generally constructed from cardboard lined with soft material. Over time this cloth and cardboard can become saturated with sweat, steam and other substances. This creates a potential breeding ground for bacteria. We recommend keeping paper head coverings or hair nets as they are ideal. However, we understand that baseball caps are more comfortable and familiar, so if they are part of your dress code, please keep them clean and replace them regularly.

These three items seem like they are simply providing style, comfort and convenience in the work place, but unfortunately they also create contamination dangers. By making it policy to eliminate them, you can make the cleanest kitchen even safer.

Safe Food Training provides ServSafe MN training and exams, but we source our regularly scheduled courses from NRFSP. We rely on their expertise to ensure the highest quality training for our clients. Minnesota Department of Health, Environmental Services accepts both ServSafe and NRFSP exams for Food Protection Manager Certification in MN. Click this link for more information on ServSafe MN.

Temperature Control For Food Safety Certification Boiling Water Method

The Truth About Temperature Control For Food Safety Certification MN

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Temperature Control and Food Safety Certification MN

In order to obtain Food Safety Certification in MN, one key is to understand how to control the temperature of cooked foods, and the proper cooking temperatures for raw foods. Grasping these concepts is not only necessary in order to gain your food manager certification, but also to prevent foodborne illness and ensure quality.

Proper Temperature Checking Technique

Simply inserting your probe thermometer into a cooked meat item will not always give you an accurate temperature result. There are certain things that you should be aware of to ensure proper control when checking the temperature of prepared food items:

  • To check the temperature of beef, lamb, and pork roasts, you need to check the thickest portion.
  • Avoid contact between your probe thermometer and any bones
  • To check the chicken, probe on the thickest part of the breast.
  • It is recommended that thin food be checked with a thermocouple-style thermometer
  • Stir hot and cold soups, sauces, and other liquids before checking them.

Food Safety Certification Tips For Calibrating Your Probe Thermometer

No matter how often you check the temperature of your temperature-controlled items, you will not receive accurate results if you are using a probe thermometer that is not properly calibrated. Health inspectors will calibrate their thermometers before every inspection. Likewise, food safety certification-aware kitchen staff should also recalibrate often to assure accurate temperature control. Thermometers should be calibrated before their first use after they have been dropped, or after they have gone from one temperature extreme to the other. There are two methods to properly calibrate a probe thermometer.

Boiling method

  • Bring water to a boil
  • Once your water has reached a boil, insert your thermometer
  • Adjust your probe to read 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Ice-water method
  • Fill a container with crushed ice and then add water
  • Wait five minutes in order for your ice water’s temperature to stabilize
  • Insert your thermometer into the center of your ice water, making sure the probe does not touch the side or bottom of your container
  • Adjust the probe to read 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ice Water Method

Temperature Control For Food Safety Certification Ice Water Method
Image credit: Flickr
  • Ice-water method
  • Fill a container with crushed ice and then add water
  • Wait five minutes in order for your ice water’s temperature to stabilize
  • Insert your thermometer into the center of your ice water, making sure the probe does not touch the side or bottom of your container
  • Adjust the probe to read 32 degrees Fahrenheit

    The ice-water method is the safest and most accurate method.  The Food Safety Certification MN training should cover these tips and other temperature control information in depth to ensure understanding.

    Why MN Food Code Requires Raw Eggs to be Refrigerated

    WHY MN FOOD CODE REQUIRES RAW EGGS TO BE REFRIGERATED?

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    In every restaurant and nearly every home in the United States, raw eggs are stored under refrigeration at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. According to the MN food code and food safety training courses, refrigerating raw eggs prevents Salmonella. Salmonella is a food-borne gastrointestinal illness that affects a reported 42,000 Americans each year. This number is certainly higher due to many mild cases which go unreported. Businesses that sell or cook eggs for public consumption must refrigerate them in an effort to prevent outbreaks of this type of foodborne illness.

    Why MN Food Code Requires Raw Eggs to be Refrigerated
    Image credit: enginakyurt via 123rf

    Why The United Kingdom Does Not Refrigerate Raw Eggs

    Many travelers to the United Kingdom, and many other parts of the world, often notice that people do not refrigerate raw eggs and store them at room temperature most often. This has puzzled many individuals who were taught that eggs should always be refrigerated. The answer to this question lies in a brief explanation of the differences in egg production and distribution between the United States and Great Britain.

    The different philosophy of egg storage between the two countries is due to the difference in production standards. In the United States, farmers wash and sanitize eggs post-harvest. Correspondingly, Great Britain’s regulations dictate that eggs must remain dry throughout production and distribution. Rinsing eggs destroys the thin natural protective layer, known as the cuticle, which can prevent contaminants from entering the egg.

    In the United Kingdom, a majority of egg producers vaccinate their egg-laying hens in an effort to prevent disease. Here in the United States, we use this process minimally.

    According to an article written for www.foodsafetynews.com, these practices have “reduced the incidence of Salmonella illnesses in Britain from 14,771 reported cases in 1997 to 581 cases in 2009.” The entire foodsafeteynews.com article can be found here.

    MN Food Code Approach To Serving Raw Eggs

    In order to complete food manager certification in MN, knowledge of preventing food-borne illness is a must. Salmonella is a common food-borne illness that can potentially be deadly but is also easily preventable. There are a few MN food code statutes to keep in mind when dealing with raw eggs that can prevent the spread of this illness.

    • Refrigerate eggs using temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit,
    • Throw away broken eggs to avoid contamination easily
    • Clean dirty eggs before use
    • When you need a large quantity, use pasteurized liquid eggs instead of raw shell eggs

    The two MN food code statutes that pertain to eggs appear:

    who should obtain food protection manager certification

    Who Should Immediately Obtain A Food Protection Manager Certification?

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    Most establishments that process or serve food must have an in-house leader with food manager certification MN. Although regulations require this certification, they do not specify which manager in the company should obtain a food protection manager certification.

    We feel that to get the most value out of food protection manager certification, it is essential to make sure that a person who directly oversees and manages food production is certified. In many smaller food service establishments, such as restaurants, it is not uncommon for the owner to be certified. This is only a good idea if the owner is under constant supervision of his kitchen. Many restaurant owners spend more time supervising the floor and taking care of guests than overseeing the day-to-day operations of the kitchen staff. If this is the case, you should consider your Chef, Sous Chef, or kitchen manager for certification.

    Who should obtain food protection manager certification
    Image credit: US Navy

    In large-scale establishments, we suggest an overseer of production gain food protection manager certification. They will have a much easier time dealing with food safety issues than a manager who spends little time supervising production. If you are coordinating multiple locations, keep in mind that there must be one certified manager at each location.

    There are some jurisdictions in the state that require that there is a certified person present whenever the business is operating. For those businesses, it is important to have several key people certified so that there is always coverage.

    Role of the Certified Food Protection Manager

    When selecting a candidate to be a CFPM, it is important to take into consideration the duties expected of them and their role in your establishment. Keep the following duties in mind when you determine who you will have certified.

    Your certified manager should be in a position to:

    • Identify potential food safety hazards in the workplace
    • Develop procedures to reduce the potential for foodborne illness
    • Coordinate food safety training for employees
    • Ensure there is a Person in Charge (PIC)
    • Correct procedures and habits as necessary to protect consumers
    • Inspecting daily operations periodically ensures proper following of food handling policies.

    When selecting a leader to obtain a food protection manager certification, it is essential to ensure that their position will allow them the opportunity and ability to fulfill all of these duties. For more information on these regulations, the official fact sheet can be obtained from the Minnesota Department of Health.

    Safe Food Training has scheduled classes at convenient locations around the Twin Cities and central MN. It’s quick and easy to register an individual or several employees to take the training and exam. Register early, to assure the availability of the date and location you want.