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.

Health Department Inspection Tips For CFPMs

New And Improved Health Department Inspection Tips For CFPMs

/in , /by

Even though it’s inevitable, a visit from the local health inspector tends to surprise local restaurants and food production facilities. Rather than panic upon their arrival, we have a few ideas for CFPMs that can help your health department inspection go smoothly.

Health Department Inspection Tips For CFPMs
Image credit: wavebreakmediamicro via 123rf

Certified Food Protection Manager Tips for a Smooth Visit from the Health Department Inspector

The following tips will help you feel more at ease during your next visit from the health inspector:

  • Have all personnel’s food training certifications readily accessible
  • Ensure that your designated Person in Charge is available
  • Prepare to ask questions about your inspection report.

Often, the first item on an inspector’s checklist is to ensure that your Minnesota food manager certification and permits are up to date. Digging through files to locate the necessary permits can elevate your stress level and delay the inspection process. This delay can be easily avoided by readily displaying all necessary permits and certifications in a safe location, such as the managerial office.

Each health inspector’s routine varies. We have discovered through our conversations with them that most would like the on-duty manager to be close by to address their inquiries and guide them to the different areas of the facility that require inspection.

If you accompany the health inspector during their inspection, you can instantly access the information on the inspection report before they fill it out. The inspector will explain any possible violations in full and provide you with directions on how to resolve the issue. Take advantage of this time to have any concerns you have about your facility’s procedures and any rules you are unclear about explained to you. Once your inspector leaves, it’s often too late for clarification.

Dealing With Your Local Health Department

We have one final piece of advice when it comes to dealing with your local health department inspector. It’s important to understand they’re not there to punish your business. We see many CFPMs who feel that they’re being attacked or discriminated against. This simply isn’t the case. The Health Department has the same goals that you do. They want to see local businesses flourish, but they want to ensure that the food products being consumed are safe. While your business may be one of the cleanest in town, and you follow all regulations to the letter, it’s still important to partner with your inspector rather than immediately go on the defensive. This will lead to a long-term, friendly relationship that will benefit your business and the health of the local community.

Let us hear from you; any other suggestions or comments?… We’re listening.

ServSafe trained Front of the House Staff

ServSafe Classes For Front Of The House Staff

/0 Comments/in /by

When food safety is discussed, we usually see food production or restaurant kitchen issues being addressed. We have noticed that training for front-of-the-house restaurant staff is often incomplete or overlooked. Concurrently, many Safe Food Training class attendees ask whether ServSafe MN classes provide any benefits to wait staff, bartenders, and front-of-the-house supervisors. We feel that going beyond the standard food worker training for your front-of-the-house staff can make your restaurant safer and free from food-borne illness.

ServSafe Classes For Front Of The House Staff
Image credit: misterforeman via 123rf

How ServSafe MN Classes Can Help Your Service Staff

Although the major producers of food served to your guests are not your service staff members, they are an integral part of the process. It is important for food production workers and front-of-the-house staff to receive comprehensive training in safe food handling practices.

One of the first reasons is quite simple. Bartenders and wait staff do, in fact, prepare and handle food items that will end up on your guests’ tables. Garnishes for drinks, sides, and other ready-to-serve items may be prepared by your front-of-the-house staff. They need to know proper storage and handling rules for each item they will handle.

Second, diners often ask servers and front-of-the-house supervisors questions about ServSafe MN food safety concerns or questions. Instant answers from front-of-house staff mean faster and better service for guests. Front-of-the-house supervisors may wish to participate in ServSafe certification training to achieve Minnesota food manager certification. This will allow them to be the designated food manager in your restaurant if your chef or kitchen manager is not in the building.

Cross Training Keeps Operations Running Safely

Let’s discuss a third reason: the kitchen frequently experiences a staff shortage, which requires an ambitious front-of-the-house team member to assist. Having team members with in-depth knowledge of food safety is crucial for producing safe meals for your guests.

Food must go through several hands before it arrives at a restaurant goer’s table. Taking precautions and providing training for every member of your team is important and will go a long way toward providing a happy and healthy restaurant experience.

Have you fully trained and ensured that your front-of-house staff is knowledgeable about all safe food production standards? Will you consider this? What’s your opinion? Leave a comment; we’d like to hear from you.

ServSafe prep station

Setting Up a Prep Station to Proven ServSafe Standards

/0 Comments/in /by

Keeping your workstation clean and organized can lead to more efficient production and help increase food safety. Properly setting up and utilizing your workspace to ServSafe standards can also help keep your food free from potential contaminants.

ServSafe MN Guide to a Safe Prep Station

Before you begin setting up your workstation, it’s essential to ensure it’s clean and sanitized. This simple step can prevent leftover food particles from a previous project from contacting your clean utensils, cutting boards, and ingredients.

ServSafe Prep Station
Image credit: xartproduction via 123rf

Secondly, you should ensure that your ServSafe stocked prep station has the necessary supplies to keep your space clean. According to ServSafe MN, these supplies may vary by job, but here are a few essentials:

  • Clean, dry towels
  • Properly mixed sanitizer solution
  • Readily available garbage receptacle

Your dry towel should be easily accessible at your workstation and stored away from food product until you need it. Remember to store your sanitizer solution and garbage receptacle away from food and below your workstation when placing your sanitizer solution and garbage receptacle. Storing these at counter height or above your workspace dramatically increases the risk of garbage or sanitation chemicals coming into contact with food product.

Proper chemical sanitizer mixing is essential. We will examine the different approved sanitation methods in more detail in the future, but for now, you may wish to review the Minnesota Food Code sanitizer fact sheet quickly.

Now that you have your workstation set up, we have four suggestions for keeping it safe and sanitary throughout the day.

  • Exchange soiled towels frequently.
  • Wash utensils between tasks.
  • Sanitize your workspace between each task
  • Prepare raw meats and seafood last

Being diligent in these areas will greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness. We must take care of our everyday habits to ensure that all products produced are safe, healthy, and free of contamination.

CFPMs keeping food safe through proper labeling

A CFPM Should NEVER Play The “Does This Smell Old?” Game”- Labeling Secrets

/in /by

Unfortunately, employees ask their certified food protection manager this question all too often: “Does this smell OK to you?” Before you have to deal with the problem of trying to figure out how old a side of fish, a pre-made soup, or another refrigerated item is by playing the “Does this smell good?” game, CFPMs should take a moment to review proper labeling procedures.

CFPMs Keeping Food Safe Through Proper Labeling
Image credit: bowie15 via 123rf

CFPMs Keeping Food Safe Through Proper Labeling

Three important things should be included on every item in your storage areas.

  • What the product is
  • The date product was received or made
  • Potential expiration dates

The first two items on our list are easy to determine and label, but there is no absolute expiration date. Many prepared foods containing dairy and proteins have a shorter shelf life than others. Knowing that some proteins do not necessarily begin to smell as they age is essential. We suggest determining how long you can store these items before discarding them.

Labeling is just the first step to ensure food safety. We have two other suggestions to help CFPMs prevent spoiled food from being served to your guests. First, never mix two batches of sauces, soups, or other liquids made on different dates. An older batch can contaminate a newer batch and create a hazard even though the label shows a recent creation date.

Secondly, rotation is essential. It has become an industry cliché, but FIFO, first in, first out, should be enforced in every kitchen and preparation facility. Using the oldest-dated product first will ensure that it doesn’t begin to spoil and grow dangerous bacteria.

By following these easy labeling steps, CFPMs can help keep your guests safe from food-borne illness and save your nose from having to smell another potentially rancid side of salmon or pungent sauce.