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Serving Wild Game and the ServSafe Food Manager
ServSafe MN Training and the New GMO Labeling Bill
Recently, the President signed a bill that calls for the labeling of all products that contain genetically modified ingredients. This is a hotly debated topic among consumers, produce suppliers and food industry professionals, and we feel that it’s an important issue and worthy of at least some discussion.
ServSafe MN Training and GMO Labeling
As current ServSafe MN training and Minnesota Food Code regulations stand, there is nothing that is mandated in regards to using GMO-modified ingredients in the local food service industry. As far as food safety and food-borne illnesses are concerned, the state does not feel that GMO’s pose any significant health risk.
There is, however, a growing trend among consumers to purchase food items that are certified organic or clearly labeled as non-GMO. This current bill appears to provide transparency as to where the ingredients in prepared items come from and will allow the consumers to make their purchasing decisions based on whether a product is GMO free or not.
GMO-Labeling Effects on the Food-Service Industry and ServSafe MN Training
This new bill forces us to consider how new regulations will impact local businesses.
Quite honestly, we do not have enough information at this time to fully address the long-term effects of this bill. The United States Department of Agriculture has stated that it may take up to two years for them to put any regulations in place.
While we know that these rules will play a role in how food is packaged on our grocery shelves, it may also have repercussions for our restaurants and smaller businesses. Most food-service managers will tell you that proteins and fresh produce often come from different suppliers depending upon availability. A lot of these ingredients are shipped in bulk and many times are only labeled with their farm or place of origin. In these cases, it is our view that the suppliers themselves will be responsible for clearly labeling these ingredients before they reach your facility. If you produce any item packaged for sale using ingredients previously labeled as genetically modified, you will probably be required to label your product accordingly.
One sector of the industry that does not seem to have been addressed in the early stages of this process is the restaurant industry. At this point we cannot tell you whether restaurants will have to include any form of disclaimer on their menus. If this does become the case, you can rest assured that Safe Food Training will cover it in an upcoming blog.
Supplement to ServSafe MN Classes: Restaurant Fire Hazards
In our ServSafe MN classes we spend half a day discussing how to safely prepare and serve food to customers. But owners and food service managers must consider more than just food safety to protect employees and customers.
This is the third in a series of blogs that look specifically at one of the hazards that Scott Futrell, a local fire protection consultant, has provided to assist you in protecting your customers, employees and business.
Image credits: Futrell Fire Consult & Design, Inc.
Fire safety in your restaurant kitchen with solid-fuel burning appliances
(This is NOT covered in ServSafe MN classes or the certification exam)
Solid fuel burning appliances create grease-laden creosote. The flash point and autoignition temperatures of wood tar creosote is surprisingly low. All it takes to ignite creosote in hoods, filters, and ducts is a spark, burning ember, or flame. Unfortunately all of these igniters are present in the solid-fuel cooking that raises the creosote temperature to 165°F. Creosote’s autoignition point is the same as paper. This temperature is significantly lower than the auto-ignition temperature of the grease that increases the potential hazard. Even worse the combination of creosote and grease in exhaust hood plenums and ducts can be easier to ignite than grease alone, and can burn hotter.
Cooking of any type has inherent risks. Solid fuel appliances dial up the threat with the addition of highly combustible materials. Restaurants that use these methods generate a large amount of heat and grease, especially when cooking meat. Grease accumulation will make for a dangerous environment, if ductwork isn’t properly installed or maintained.
Some restaurants don’t fully extinguish the fires in solid fuel appliances to minimize reheating. Wood fire pizza ovens operate between 500 and 600°F. Restaurants often keep these appliances smoldering through the night in order to keep the stone warm when not in use. Leaving a fire in the appliance while unattended overnight dramatically increases the risk for businesses.
Carbon-monoxide dangers associated with solid-fuel burning appliances
(This material is informational only- NOT part of ServSafe MN classes or certification exam)
Solid fuel appliances also create the potential for increased carbon monoxide levels within the restaurant. The building’s ventilation system must deliver make-up or replacement air from the outside to resupply oxygen used by solid fuel appliances. Make-up air is also important in ensuring that smoke and exhaust drafts up the chimney, not out into the kitchen and dining areas.
Many restaurant owners do not understand the additional venting considerations or active maintenance requirements it takes to safely install and use solid fuel appliances. This puts their employees, customers and business at risk.
What can you do to protect your customers, employees and your facility investment?
(These recommendations are NOT part of ServSafe MN classes or certification exam)
- Check the design and installation of the exhaust systems for solid fuel appliances to be sure they are in compliance with codes and standards. More on this in a future edition.
- Remove ash once per day and spray it with water before storing it in a covered metal container (container should not exceed 20 gallons in capacity). Regularly remove ash from the building and place in a dumpster or container located at least 10 feet away from the building.
If you have any questions about fire safety in the food preparation environment that you would like Scott to discuss leave a comment.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scott A. Futrell, PE, FSFPE, CFPS, SET, CFEI, is a fire protection consultant with Futrell Fire Consult & Design, Inc., in Osseo, Minnesota. He can be reached by e-mail at: scottf@ffcdi.com, or visit www.ffcdi.com.
ServSafe MN Guide to Prevent Allergens from Reaching the North Pole
Over the past few centuries of delivering presents and feasting on milk and cookies Santa Claus has put on a few pounds. Well, last year, Mrs. Claus put Santa on a strict diet, so most of the cookies left for jolly old Saint Nick were collected and left in the break room at Santa’s North Pole workshop. As it turns out, elves are just as susceptible to allergens as humans and there was a major outbreak of reactions among Santa’s merry helpers.
Keeping Santa’s Elves Safe from Allergy Attacks
While the North Pole is a little out of our jurisdiction, we do provide allergen information in many of our ServSafe MN training sessions. The most common food allergens that occur in baked products are:
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Eggs and dairy
Peanuts rank in their own category of high-risk allergens due to the severity of reactions among elves and human beings. Accidentally consuming peanut products can potentially be life threatening for allergy sufferers. Whether you’re baking for a party of 25 guests or a group of several million toy-making elves, we strongly urge you to forego cooking with peanuts when preparing treats for large gatherings. While reactions to tree nuts are not as common as peanuts, there is still a large portion of the public that suffers from reactions shortly after consuming products containing tree nuts. We recommend that you avoid these as well when serving large groups.
While there are not quite as high a percentage of elves that are allergic to eggs and dairy as humans, there are still rare occurrences of reactions among Santa’s helpers. We understand that you cannot simply avoid baking with eggs or dairy for every occasion, but it is important that you make your guests aware that your products may contain eggs or dairy products.
Whether you run a restaurant, hospitality service or bakery, it is vital that your consumers are made aware that your products may contain these three allergens. A warning label on wrapped baked goods or a note on your menu should be sufficient if your customers have numerous options to choose from. If you run a catering company hosting an event in which baked goods containing these allergens will be displayed, this warning can be tricky. If you include a placard or small sign indicating which items on your display tables contain peanuts, tree nuts, eggs or dairy, your guests will know which foods to avoid.
At Safe Food Training MN, we’d like to wish all of the food workers out there Happy Holidays