Keep your Minnesota kitchen compliant. We track the latest food recalls and safety alerts so you can pull bad products fast and protect your customers.

Advise for Food Safety Managers re Startling Rise in MN Norovirus Infection Rate

Advice For Food Safety Managers Re Startling Norovirus Rise In MN

/in /by

In our daily research on current food safety risks and outbreaks, we came across an article outlining a recent rise in norovirus infections in Minnesota. Norovirus spreads extremely easily and causes vomiting, diarrhea and other stomach issues. Even though it’s easily spread, it’s also easy to combat with simple food safety measures. Let’s take a look at how food safety managers can do their part to help control norovirus spread.

Advise for Food Safety Managers re Startling Rise in MN Norovirus Infection Rate
Image credit: antos777 via 123rf.com

Controlling the Norovirus Outbreak in Minnesota

Over the course of the past year, business has been down in the food service sector, but now that things are beginning to open, our restaurants are once again nearing capacity increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses like norovirus. Fortunately, norovirus can be controlled using basic sanitation methods and monitoring employee hygiene. The simplest way to stop the spread of norovirus includes the following simple food safety steps:

The good news is that these norovirus infection issues have been reinforced due to COVID-19 prevention, but as our restaurants begin to get busier and food service workers face more hectic shifts, we cannot become lax with these basic food safety management protocols or we’ll face more foodborne illness outbreaks such as the current rise in norovirus in our state. Remember to take the time to wash your hands often, wear food-service gloves or tongs when handling food and stay home when under the weather.

Have you taken steps to review basic food safety procedures as business begins to pick up?

Food safety training refresher for outdoor events

Really Astonishing Food Safety Training Refresher For Cooking Outdoors

/0 Comments/in /by

With summer around the corner, some eating establishments are beginning to plan outdoor events such as barbecues, mobile kitchens and backyard catering, but you should be aware that the health department requires the same food safety training standards whether you’re cooking inside or outside. There are quite a few challenges when taking the kitchen to the great outdoors, so we created a food safety training refresher for your use.

Food Safety Training Refresher For Cooking Outdoors
Image credit: Cristina Alexe via 123rf

Food Safety Training Review for Outdoor Cooking Events

When planning an outdoor event with live cooking stations, you should brush-up your food safety training and make sure that you have the capabilities to follow proper food safety training for:

  • Sanitation
  • Handwashing
  • Temperature control

Since you’re away from your kitchen, you’ll need to take steps to ensure you have an approved sanitizer solution on hand for preparation surfaces and cooking utensils. Not only should you have a bucket of sanitizer solution handy, you should take precautions to refresh your sanitizer solution occasionally. This could be a spare brought from your main facility, or if you’re close enough to your kitchen a replacement could be brought to your outdoor kitchen occasionally.

Another food safety training reminder is setting up an outdoor handwashing station, which is also required if you’re actively cooking and preparing food away from your kitchen. Unlike providing a sanitizer solution, a handwashing station will take a little bit more of an investment. Simply sanitizing hands or wearing gloves will not effectively prevent the transmission of foodborne pathogens from handling raw ingredients. There are a few styles of mobile handwashing stations available, so contact your equipment supplier to find one that is best suited for your setup.

Finally, cold foods will need to be kept cold and hot foods will need to be kept hot. If you’re cooking proteins such as hamburgers, chicken or bratwurst, they must be kept cold until they hit the grill. Make sure that you have a cooler box or ice bath that can maintain a temperature below 41-degrees or have a supply of fresh product brought out to your cooking stations periodically.

Are you planning on setting up an outdoor kitchen to attract customers this summer? Have you scheduled a food safety training refresher for your staff?

Ultimate Tips On Menu Advisories For Food Safety Managers

Ultimate Tips On Menu Advisories For Food Safety Managers

/1 Comment/in /by

For quite some time, it’s been standard procedure for Minnesota food safety managers to include a customer advisory notice on their menus to alert guests that some items may contain protein ingredients that can be prepared raw or undercooked. Some items that must be labeled are fairly obvious, but there are a few scenarios that may slip by without notice when menus are being designed. In order to make sure that food safety managers understand exactly what should receive a menu advisory, it’s important to explore some menu items that may be overlooked.

Ultimate Tips On Menu Advisories For Food Safety Managers

Guidence for Food Safety Managers on Customer Menu Advisories for Undercooked Proteins

Just to quickly review, any item on your menu that contains proteins that can be ordered raw or undercooked must be marked with an advisory in some way. This can be done individually with each menu item or linked by an asterisk to an advisory somewhere on the same menu page. For example:

  • Oysters on the half shell* (raw oysters)
  • Prime Rib*
  • *May contain raw or undercooked ingredients. Consuming raw or undercooked meats may pose a health risk.

There are a number of feasible ways for food safety managers to properly label menu advisories as outlined by the Minnesota Department of Health. Common ingredients that must be labeled are:

  • Beef
  • Poultry
  • Shellfish
  • Fish
  • Eggs

Some of these are obvious, while many times one ingredient in particular is overlooked by food safety managers and not included on menu advisories. Many items that include eggs are often unmarked. These forgotten products are usually desserts or menu items that are topped with sauces or dressings containing egg ingredients.

If you serve a Caesar salad or other salad dressing that contains egg products, even if they are pasteurized, you must include an advisory. The same goes for desserts containing eggs that are not cooked to 145 degrees. This includes custards, tiramisu, creme brule and many other common desserts. Also be wary of sauces such as aioli, bearnaise and hollandaise. Egg based sauces must also receive a notice.

Daily specials often go without the necessary consumer advisory. Specials are often communicated verbally to guests, and servers shouldn’t be burdened with the added responsibility of verbally advising customers. Even though it’s added work, we strongly recommend food safety managers use some form of printed specials menu that includes the necessary advisories.

Do you have any hidden menu items you’ve forgotten to properly label with an advisory?

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers

/in /by

We’ve seen an increase in food facilities providing hand sanitizer for both guests and staff, but just because something is labeled as a sanitizer, it doesn’t necessarily make it safe to use. Recently, the FDA issued an alert concerning all sanitizers imported from Mexico. How will this FDA alert regarding hand sanitizers affect CFPMs and the safety of their staff and guests?

CFPMs and an FDA Warning on Imported Sanitizers
Image credit: Andriy Popov via 123rf

Ramifications of the FDA’s Alert Regarding Mexican Sanitizers for CFPMs

There is a very good reason why the FDA has issued this alert and why it includes every brand of hand sanitizer imported from Mexico. The issue isn’t whether or not the sanitizer is capable of killing germs, it’s a matter of an increased public health risk caused by ingredients in these sanitizers.

Tests have shown that many alcohol-based Mexican sanitizers contain methanol, or wood alcohol, rather than pure ethyl alcohol as listed on the label. While ethyl alcohol is approved by the FDA, methanol is not. In fact, methanol can cause health and skin issues when overused. Not only is it toxic to the skin, it causes potentially life-threatening health issues if accidently consumed.

How should CFPMs treat this FDA alert?

First, examine your supply of hand sanitizer. If it has been imported from Mexico, you should take steps to dispose of it and replace it with sanitizer from the United States or imported from elsewhere. Before purchasing sanitizer, we recommend that you inspect deliveries and bottles purchased at the store to ensure that they are not imported from Mexico.

Finally, remind your staff that sanitizers are no substitute for handwashing. Sanitizers can be used for an added layer of protection, but only after hands have been washed.

Is your CFPMs aware of the FDA Alert and has he/she checked to make sure that your hand sanitizer is safe for your guests and staff?