Keep your MN kitchen running smoothly. We’re sharing real-world ServSafe & NEHA Best Practices to help you train staff and ace your next health inspection.

Food safety manager in medical institution

Instructive Tips For Food Safety Managers At Medical Institutions

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When it comes to food safety, it’s always important to be vigilant. Still, when you’re a food safety certified manager in a Minnesota institution that provides meal service for elderly residents, patients recovering from surgery, or those with special needs, it’s vitally important to be diligent in keeping your food safe. This week, we’d like to discuss a few extra precautions that food safety managers in medical institutions may wish to remember during their daily routine.

Tips For Food Safety Managers At Medical Institutions
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Food Safety Managers Tips for Medical Institutions

 

CFPMs in hospitals or elderly care facilities should focus on these critical issues:

  • Properly sanitize utensils and prep surfaces
  • Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables
  • Be vigilant about tracking guest’s allergies

Our first tip is to ensure all utensils, preparation surfaces, and serving wares are adequately sanitized. This idea may seem deeply ingrained in your daily habits since you completed your first food safety class, but it’s crucial to recognize the risks associated with careless sanitation. One such danger is over or under-mixing your sanitizer solution. The under-mixed solution can leave bacteria on surfaces that will come into contact with prepared foods. In contrast, overmixing the solution can result in patients ingesting dangerous chemicals, putting them at risk of experiencing harmful effects from bleach, ammonia solutions, or iodine. Make sure to keep sanitizer test strips readily available to test your solution regularly.

Secondly, food safety managers in medical care centers must ensure that all raw fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly, even those claiming to be ready to serve. Fruits and vegetables can come into contact with dirt, fertilizer, and other hazards before reaching your facility. They are often stored unsealed in warehouses before transport and loosely stored when shipped. Many bagged greens such as lettuce and spinach claim to be ready to eat, but some potential for contamination does exist, and since you’re serving meals to those who have a high risk of foodborne illness, it may be wise to take the extra precaution of washing all greens.

Always Track Guests’ Allergies

Our third suggestion for food managers in medical facilities is to be extremely diligent about keeping records of their guests’ allergies. Many institutions face a high turnover rate as one patient departs and another arrives. All too often, allergy information is overlooked during these transitions. Detailed records of each guest’s personal needs will help avoid accidents. It may even be a good idea to eliminate high-risk items such as nuts and shellfish from your facility altogether.

With most safe food training focusing on the hospitality and food production industries, we’d like to know what food-safety issues arise for certified food safety managers of food service in institutions such as assisted living facilities and medical care centers. Are there any aspects that current safe food training overlooks regarding your situation?

ServSafe Sanitizer Solutions Guide That Will Make You Safe

Genuine ServSafe Sanitizer Solutions Guide That Will Make You Safe

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Your sanitizer solution is critical to ensuring food safety and preventing food-borne illness. This week, we’ll discuss how ServSafe Managers can ensure they mix and use sanitizer solutions properly for maximum effectiveness.

ServSafe MN Guide to Sanitizer Solutions
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ServSafe MN Guide to Sanitizer Solutions

The following are the three sanitizer solutions the Minnesota Food Code approves for food preparation outlets.

  • Bleach or Chlorine solution at 50 ppm for 10 seconds
  • Iodine solution at 12.4 – 25 ppm for 30 seconds
  • Quaternary ammonia solution at 200 – 400 ppm for 30 seconds

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these three solutions. Bleach and quaternary ammonia solutions are currently the two most popular choices. Bleach is generally more affordable. However, it is easy to over-mix, creating the potential to remain on the surface of your utensils and surfaces. The chlorine residue will create a chemical contamination hazard. Quaternary ammonia solutions are more costly, but their safe concentration range is much broader. In addition, they are not as harsh on employee’s skin as chlorine solutions. Suppose you have questions about which solution is best for your facility. In that case, your local health department will usually be more than happy to recommend one and explain each product’s advantages.

Properly Mixing Your Solution

Unquestionably, the most accurate way to mix your solution is to have a service install a pump at a water source. These pumps will mix the solution into the water for you, creating a proper concentration. Many companies provide this service, and your health department should be able to direct you to one certified in your jurisdiction.

If you mix your sanitizer solutions manually, we strongly recommend using the proper test strip each time. A paper test strip will ensure you have not over- or under-mixed your chemical solution.

When using sanitizers, it is essential to change the solution often during heavy use to ensure it is still potent, store it below food preparation areas, and air-dry your surfaces before continuing work.

Finally, you should train your entire staff on properly sanitizing their workstations and regularly test your solutions to ensure you mix your chemicals safely. Proper use of sanitizers is a crucial element in serving and preparing safe-to-eat foods and is well worth reviewing even after you have gained your food manager certification in MN.

What is your perspective? How do you ensure proper workstation sanitation at your workplace?

Group discussions stimulate student participation

3 Advantages Of Powerful Instructor-Led Food Safety Certification Course

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The internet and mobile technology have given us instant access to nearly any kind of training and education that we could ever need. It’s possible to complete nearly any certification course online, including food safety certification in MN. Despite its convenience and accessibility, online training may not be an ideal substitute for a structured classroom setting. This week, we’ll discuss the advantages of taking an instructor-led food safety certification course from Minnesota’s highest-rated provider.

Advantages of an instructor led food safety certification course

Advantages Of Instructor-Led Food Safety Certification Course

While both options have pros and cons, some key differences make the classroom experience more complete compared to an online course.

  • Instructors are available to answer questions
  • We have scheduled discussions to encourage student participation.
  • Certification exams can be scheduled on the same day as the instruction

In online learning, students must independently seek answers to their questions. This added research can take time and lengthen the training process. In a classroom setting, a qualified instructor can quickly answer your questions. You can be confident that your instructor’s answers will be relevant and applicable in your jurisdiction. The internet contains a wealth of information, but researching questions outside of the required material can turn up inaccuracies and answers that may not apply to the current food code.

When you take an instructor-led course, you can immediately take your certification test after the instruction and review session. Even if you choose to take your certification classes online. You will still need to make an appointment to take your actual exam at a certified testing center at a later date. Taking the exam right after finishing the food safety course improves your chances of passing as the information is still fresh.

Minnesota’s Top-Rated Instructor-Led Courses

Nothing beats human interaction. We understand that sometimes training can be dry and tedious. An instructor can bring personality to training, making it more refreshing than doing it alone in front of a computer. You’ll also be able to associate with other members of the food community who may have questions or ideas you have not considered. Completing a food safety course with peers can be a motivating experience you can’t get alone.

Safe Food Training offers both instructor-led and online food safety certification courses. Our top-rated instructors lead courses regularly scheduled at multiple central Minnesota locations. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enroll in our five-star courses! We would be happy to serve your needs with either option.

seasonal menus

Why a Smart Certified Food Protection Manager Prioritizes Seasonal Menus

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As a certified food protection manager in Minnesota, you understand the constant challenge of keeping your menu fresh and engaging. With the turning of the seasons, an opportunity arises not just to update your offerings but to energize diners and improve your operation. This isn’t just a feeling; Technomic research shows that 59% of consumers are more likely to purchase a menu item if it’s described as ‘seasonal’. However, launching a seasonal menu isn’t as simple as just printing a new page. It requires careful planning and a deep understanding of food safety. This is your chance to meet diner expectations while managing costs and ensuring compliance.

A seasonal menu transition, whether in a school cafeteria, a restaurant, or a catering business, affects every part of your operation. It’s a project that requires a manager’s oversight to ensure it’s rolled out safely and profitably.

1. Master Food Code Compliance for New Ingredients

seasonal menu

What’s on your seasonal menu?

Before a single new ingredient enters your kitchen, your first responsibility is compliance. It’s easy to assume that your existing ServSafe or other training covers everything, but new products—especially specialty seasonal items—can introduce new risks. Taking the time to review the Minnesota Food Code is not just recommended; it’s essential for protecting your customers and your establishment.

Understand Specific Handling Requirements

  • Why: Different foods have different critical control points. You can’t handle fresh, unpasteurized cider the same way you handle pasteurized juice, nor do wild-foraged mushrooms have the same receiving protocols as commercially grown ones.

  • Example: Your team must receive training on proper receiving temperatures, shucking procedures, and how to maintain and log shellfish tags to prevent risks such as vibriosis when adding fresh oysters or mussels to a spring menu.

  • Example: Introducing game meats like venison or bison? These may have different sourcing, preparation, and cooking temperature guidelines than standard beef or pork, You must train your staff to handle them.

2. Strategically Adjust Your Inventory and Par Levels

A seasonal menu change directly affects your bottom line by influencing inventory management. Introducing new items and phasing out old ones can lead to significant food waste and shortages if not planned correctly. Waste is a critical cost center, and seasonal changes are a high-risk time for it. Careful adjustment of your product inventory is crucial for profitability.

Prevent Costly Waste

  • Why: Failing to adjust your ordering pars means you’ll be left with cases of ingredients for dishes you no longer serve. This is a direct hit to your food cost percentage. Conversely, under-ordering a popular new item leads to sold-out dishes and disappointed customers.

  • Example: As you plan your new menu, identify ingredients that can be cross-utilized. A seasonal item like asparagus could be a blanched side, a soup base, and a shaved salad ingredient, ensuring you use your full order.

  • Example: If a hearty winter stew is being replaced by a light spring soup, you must create a plan to use up the remaining root vegetables and heavy stocks before the new menu launches. Run them as a special or feature them in a staff meal.

3. The Certified Food Protection Manager’s Secret: The Test Run

seasonal menu

Do you rotate your seasonal menu?

Finally, never launch a new menu blind. A gradual rollout is the safest way to ensure both your kitchen staff and your diners are ready for the change. A “test run” provides invaluable data and reduces the stress of a hard launch, allowing your team to execute new dishes flawlessly and safely.

Gauge Diner Interest

  • Why: What you think will be a best-seller might not resonate with your customers. Testing a dish as a weekend special gives you real-world sales data before you commit to printing it on the menu and ordering ingredient cases.

  • Example: Run your new ‘Spring Pea Risotto’ as a Friday/Saturday special. If it sells out both nights and you get great feedback, it’s a winner. If it barely moves, you’ve saved yourself the cost and hassle of a failed menu item.

Assess Kitchen Workflow

  • Why: A new dish might look great on paper but be a nightmare for your line cooks during a busy service. Does it require a complex new procedure? Does it slow down ticket times? You must find this out before you’re in the weeds on a Friday night.

Rotating your menu seasonally is a powerful strategy to stay relevant and exciting. But for the professional Certified Food Protection Manager, it is also a complex project that balances creativity with rigorous safety and cost-control standards. By prioritizing food code, managing inventory, and testing your new items, you set your team up for a successful and safe transition.

Get Your Food Manager Certification in Minnesota

Ensuring you and your team are prepared for any menu change starts with the right training. Whether you need your initial Certified Food Protection Manager certification or are due for your 3-year recertification, we have the course for you. 

Sign up for a Safe Food Training class today to help your team meet Minnesota food safety standards.