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.

Recall creates unexpected problems for ServSafe food managers

Latest Recall Creates Unexpected Problems For ServSafe Food Managers

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In a major nationwide notice, the J.M. Smucker Corporation has recalled large batches of Jif peanut butter due to concerns over possible salmonella contamination. Due to the long shelf life of peanut butter and the numerous types of packaging being recalled, ServSafe food managers should take action now to prevent foodborne illness risks in the long run.

How ServSafe Food Manager Should Approach Recall Problems

Latest Recall Creates Unexpected Problems For ServSafe Food Managers

Many restaurants and other food outlets that use peanut butter sparingly enough that may simply purchase it in small quantities from grocery stores rather than large buckets from food service suppliers. ServSafe food managers that stock Jif peanut butter should take a close look at the recalled product ID numbers to ensure they do not have any potentially contaminated product on hand. If you do find recalled jars of peanut butter in storage, dispose of both opened and unopened containers.

Beyond jars of different sizes, this recall also affects smaller packages and grab-and-go style cups of Jif peanut butter. Cafeterias, hospitality businesses and other places that offer pre-packaged single-serving peanut butter cups need to investigate to see if these products have been recalled. These single-serving cups are not only available by themselves, but are also packaged in lunch kits and other grab-and-go snack packages.

Finally, you may want to consider disposing of product made with Jif peanut butter that was purchased during the dates contaminated peanut butter was shipped. It may sound like a drastic move, but if it saves your guests from salmonella poisoning risks, it may just be worth it.

Have you checked the FDA recall list lately?

Food safety advice for visitors in the kitchen

Food Safety Advice For Visitors In The Kitchen

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The kitchen of most food businesses can be a busy place, and often you may have vendors, maintenance staff and other non-food service personnel either working or passing through your kitchen. Since these guests are not technically food-service workers, is there any outlined food safety management training necessary for these individuals? Food safety managers are obligated to cover every foodborne illness risk, and this may mean taking the time to assess what steps need to be taken for non-staff kitchen visitors in your establishment.

Food Safety Advice For Visitors In The Kitchen
Image credit: highwaystarz via 123rf

Food Safety Precautions for Visitors in Food Preparation Areas

Before we take the time to discuss precautions, it may be important to outline who should and should not be visiting your kitchen. There are many individuals who have business there, but before we invite grandma and the neighbors to hang out on the line there should be some ground rules.

When considering outside visitors, kitchen managers need to ask staff to respect the boundaries of the kitchen. If visitors don’t have a business-related purpose in food preparation areas, they should be asked to wait in public spaces. It’s not that we’re against friends and family stopping by; it just adds potential safety risks and possible foodborne-illness hazards to have untrained personnel in the kitchen.

Outside individuals who may have business in your establishment may include:

  • Vendor representatives
  • Delivery personnel
  • Maintenance staff
  • Corporate managers

Your vendors and food service suppliers should already have some situational awareness in the kitchen and may know better than to get in the way in a busy environment. However, if they’re handling food that is being inspected, sampled or delivered, it’s best to ensure bare-hand contact rules are followed. The same goes for delivery drivers. Most of these types of kitchen visitors have already been trained in some respects for food safety, but it’s always prudent to keep an eye out for potential contamination risks.

If you have planned maintenance whether it’s hood vent cleaning, equipment repair or any other type of work being done in your kitchen that does not involve food preparation, take steps to ensure that all food product is removed from areas where work is being done. Even if it’s something as simple as having new shelving installed in dry storage, the potential for contamination can be high in these situations.

Finally, larger food businesses, especially those with multiple locations, may have corporate higher-ups stop by. Most of these types may not have had food safety management training but may look to get involved in some food preparation activities during their time in your kitchen. Be prepared to respectfully ask them to not handle food if that is not the nature of their visit.

How do you deal with visitors to your establishment?

Food Safety Training Tips

Excellent Food Safety Training Tips You Need To Know About Clean Refrigeration

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You count on your refrigeration units to keep food cold, but neglecting food safety training for maintenance can result in much worse scenarios than malfunctioning equipment. Besides the hazards of food possibly being stored in the danger zone due to a poorly looked after walk-in; dirt, mold, mildew and other contaminants can come in contact with your product even if your cold storage is kept at the proper temperature. Let’s take a close look at some often overlooked aspects of refrigerator maintenance that can lead to foodborne illness risks and we will provide some food safety training tips to make your job easier.

Excellent Food Safety Training Tips You Need To Know About Clean Refrigeration
Image credit: Tracy Hunter via Flickr

Refrigeration Maintenance Tips for Food Safety Training

Most food businesses should already have a cleaning plan in place for the interior racks, walls and floors of their refrigeration units, but there are several aspects of refrigerators that are forgotten, especially in walk-in units. Every so often it’s important to clean and maintain refrigeration:

  • Door seals
  • Condensers
  • Drain lines

Cleaning the seals or gaskets of every refrigerator in your establishment will help keep warm air from outside forcing your equipment to work harder. Rubber seals can also be a breeding ground for mold, especially if your doors are not sealing properly. The condensation from the temperature difference inside and outside of your fridge could accelerate mold and mildew growth which could end up in your food. When you perform your regular interior cleaning, make sure to wipe down and sanitize your door seals and inspect for any damage which could be allowing warm air inside.

Condenser coils tend to collect dust and moisture creating an environment for contaminant growth that could fall into food product. Your food safety training should include a review of cleaning these coils at least once a month to prevent buildup. These coils can sometimes be behind a service panel or on the back of the compressor.

Drain lines are notorious for mold buildup due to the near-constant drip of condensation. Due to the complexity of cleaning these lines, we recommended you seek out a professional technician to service and clean your larger refrigerators once a year.

Have you taken the time recently to check on the cleanliness of your refrigerators? Do you have any additional food safety training tips for others?

New ServSafe Managers Guide to Seasonal Food Stands

New ServSafe Managers Guide to Seasonal Food Stands

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With the warmer weather approaching, many Minnesotans will be getting outside and attending events in the fresh air. Farmer’s markets, carnivals and other events are great opportunities for food businesses to showcase their product with seasonal food stands. Since these stands aren’t located at a restaurant or other indoor facility, there are some special rules that ServSafe managers should be aware of when planning their temporary outdoor eating establishment.

New ServSafe Managers Guide to Seasonal Food Stands
Image credit: duncan c via Flickr

How to Plan a Seasonal Food Stand for ServSafe Managers

In order to have an outdoor eating establishment approved, the operator cannot simply set up shop and begin cooking, regardless of their ServSafe certification status or if their home-base outlet is licensed. A detailed plan must be submitted at least 30 days before operations begin. Your plan must include:

  • Menu
  • Anticipated volume of ingredients and finished product
  • Layout and equipment specifications
  • Details on freshwater supply, waste removal and sanitation procedures

In order to gauge what permits or licenses are needed, your local inspector will need to know what type of food you’ll be serving. Grab-and-go items that are prepackaged or simple heat-and-serve meals have different requirements than freshly prepared food from raw ingredients. Lower volume seasonal stands may also have different licensing issues depending on location, so the anticipated volume can be a big factor during an inspection before opening.

ServSafe food managers also need to be very detailed when it comes to the layout and equipment used in the seasonal food stand. All equipment must still pass the same certifications for restaurant use as in your brick-and-mortar establishments.

The last part of a plan for Servsafe managers to use for a seasonal food stand should outline how water will be supplied and how the equipment will be sanitized. Fresh, clean water is a requirement for handwashing, sanitation, and any cooking procedure that involves water. A simple garden hose run from a nearby building won’t cut it. If you’re not using a portable handwashing and water supply station, make sure to investigate the source to see if it is approved for use in your temporary stand. If you have multi-use utensils, equipment for storage or serving items, a dishwashing plan must be in place. If you do plan on using these types of items, plan on having a triple sink with access to hot water available.

Are you planning on showcasing your food business at seasonal events this summer?