ServSafe approved wardrobe

Wardrobe Advice For ServSafe Managers

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Whether their uniform accessories are for style or convenience, or if a celebrity TV chef makes it appear fashionable, there are several wardrobe quirks that ServSafe MN managers should avoid. While the possible list of uniform components that are food safety hazards can be extensive, we’d like to focus on three that we feel should never be part of your work attire.

Wardrobe Advice for ServSafe Managers
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Three Uniform Components to Kick Out of the Kitchen

Anything you add to your work dress instantly becomes susceptible to the same contamination risks as the rest of your uniform. The following are three things that we feel should not be allowed in your uniform policy.

  • Dry towels attached to the uniform
  • Arm and hand jewelry
  • Baseball caps as head coverings

Many food workers feel looping a dry towel around apron strings or slinging it over a shoulder is convenient. It keeps your towel handy and readily available when a plate or cutting board needs a quick wipe. Unfortunately, the apron is a common collector of dirt, grease, and debris in the kitchen, and the shoulder of your uniform can become contaminated with sweat and other bacteria. Keep your dry towels stored in a clean place that will allow them to be easily accessible when needed.

The regulations concerning jewelry in food preparation facilities are often overlooked. The food code states that only simple wedding bands and plain rings can be worn. Arm and wrist bands, rings, and other accessories can often go unnoticed, especially with the front-of-the-house staff in restaurants. Consider a necklace or anklet as an alternative for an employee wearing a medical alert bracelet. Management should also be advised for each employee who is wearing such jewelry so that it can be quickly located in the event of a medical emergency.

Ball Caps: A Wardrobe Dilemma For ServSafe Managers

While the Minnesota Food Code concerning head coverings doesn’t disallow baseball caps, we feel there may be a few concerns with incorporating them into your dress code. Most ball caps are crafted from absorbent cloth, and the bills are generally constructed from cardboard lined with soft material. Over time, this cloth and cardboard can become saturated with sweat, steam, and other substances. This creates a potential breeding ground for bacteria. While paper head coverings or hair nets are ideal, we understand that baseball caps are comfortable and familiar. Alternatively, if they’re part of your dress code, keep them clean and replace them regularly.

These three items seem to provide style, comfort, and convenience in the workplace, but unfortunately, they also create contamination dangers. By making it a policy to eliminate them, you can make the cleanest kitchen even safer.

Proven ServSafe Guide For Better Shellfish Storage

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The ocean waters are getting colder, which ushers in the prime season for live mussels from Penn Cove, Washington, North Atlantic clams, or fresh Virginia oysters. The import of live and fresh shellfish can raise ServSafe MN questions, such as how to keep shellfish alive during the storage of these seasonal catches.

Proven ServSafe Guide For Better Shellfish Storage
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Fresh Shellfish Storage Tips For ServSafe Managers

In the case of clams and mussels, the best time to cook them is when they are still alive. We recommend that they be cooked, processed, or sold within a day or two of their arrival. This will ensure incredible quality and freshness as well as reduce foodborne illness.

Upon receiving your fresh shellfish and before storage, we first recommend that ServSafe managers inspect them. If they have a pungent odor or you see several open shells, your shipment inevitably has dead clams, mussels, or oysters. The second thing we recommend is that you rinse shellfish under cold, running water. As you do this, be aware that live shellfish will drown if kept under unmoving water.

Once you have rinsed them, ignore your instincts to clean your shellfish, especially mussels. Many times, you will see plant life attached to mussels. This plant life can be attached to the membrane, which holds the shell shut. Removing it will damage and kill your mussels. We suggest that you wait to clean shellfish until just before processing.

ServSafe managers must train staff to keep live shellfish in refrigerated storage under 40oF. They should be stored in a perforated pan and covered with ice. Ensure you place your perforated pan in a deep enough container to accommodate ice melt. Remember that live shellfish will die if submerged.

You should also periodically check your shellfish. A good sign of a dead clam is an open clam while all the other clams are shut firmly. Remove dead shellfish as soon as possible to prevent contamination.

Allergy Concerns

With live shellfish, it is always recommended that you remember that many people can have severe allergic reactions to the slightest contact. To prevent cross-contamination with non-seafood items, ServSafe Managers should store your shellfish as far away as possible from other foods, and never above or below other raw meats. A good suggestion would be to store shellfish on a bottom shelf under packaged foods.

grease collection sanitation for ServSafe managers

Superior Grease Collection Sanitation For ServSafe Managers

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Your grease traps and hood vent filters must be emptied regularly. Cleaning the areas where grease collects is vital to prevent grease overflow. Food safety is the prime reason we discuss grease contamination in ServSafe Managers training courses and we want to provide tips for grease collection sanitation.

Superior Grease Collection Sanitation For ServSafe Managers
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ServSafe Managers Benefit from Clean Grease Traps

Grease collects on the outside of your deep fryers, and the traps on your flattop grill. In addition, it can also build up in the filters of your hood vent system. It can potentially create food hazard risks by:

  • Attracting insects
  • Providing a breeding ground for bacteria
  • Contaminating food

First, grease attracts three common kitchen pests. Greasy areas are a preferred food source and breeding grounds for fruit flies, common flies and cockroaches. Fruit flies can become especially troublesome. They can gain sanctuary in greasy areas and spread to the rest of your facility.


One common misconception ServSafe Managers have with grease collection sanitation is since it has already been heated on the stovetop or grill, it cannot be a severe foodborne illness risk. The grease in your traps and hood vents contains elements of the food that you have cooked and essentially lives in the danger zone 24 hours a day. Basically, if you have excessive grease anywhere in your facility, you have created perfect growing conditions for bacteria that can potentially end up in your guest’s food.

Simple Solutions to Avoid Grease Contamination

There are simple solutions ServSafe Managers can use to keep food safe from grease contamination. First, empty and clean your traps a vent filters often. Secondly, make sure that your overhead hood vent filters are completely dry before replacing them. Allowing water to drip from them onto your cooking surface can create safety hazards above deep fryers and cross contamination issues if the water drips onto food. Lastly, take the time each day to clean areas where fryer oil and other greasy food components are prepared. This will prevent buildup and make thorough cleaning easier.

Like many foodborne illness concerns, simple sanitation is the easiest was to keep your guests safe. What simple tasks do you feel are important to prevent small issues from becoming major problems?

ServSafe Managers Should Consider When Using Local Farmers

6 Important Tips For ServSafe Managers Using Local Growers

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According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the use of local produce at MN food facilities has risen considerably in the last decade. While buying locally requires extra work and extra attention, the results are usually well worth the time. Local produce is fresher. Buying local food supports the community and the environment. There is growing consumer demand for local food. Using local produce can substantially increase a food establishment’s popularity. We created a list that ServSafe Managers should consider when sourcing produce from local growers.

6 Important Tips For ServSafe Managers Using Local Growers

Six Things for Restaurant Managers and ServSafe Managers To Consider When Using Local Farmers

This information is helpful for ServSafe Managers certification in MN.

  • Take Small Steps – It is easy to add a few items to existing menus.  For example, it’s possible to extend a salad bar to include local tomatoes and specialty greens in season. Local fruits and vegetables can replace the standard fare from a national distributor. Local varieties of root vegetables can substitute for more generic produce. Start small, and adjustments are easier to make.
  • Buy in Season – The great advantage of local produce is that it does not travel far. It is harvested at its peak of flavor and ripeness. It is consumed closer to the time of its harvest. Buying in season saves money and generally guarantees freshness. By keeping track of what is available throughout the growing season, ServSafe managers optimize their use of items from local growers.
  • Work With Distributors – Many distributors have expanded to include the local produce markets, at least in part. Check with your existing distributors to make sure they include local produce. As demand for local produce grows, so do services to provide that food effectively. Local distributors will have email lists, websites, phone hotlines and other means of letting their customers know what is available week to week.
  • Visit the Farm – Buying local produce is an investment in the local community. Farms frequently have visiting days during the harvest season. Checking the care, cleanliness, and competence of farm production and personnel will build confidence and a good working relationship with local growers. Local growers should be aware of requirements for ServSafe managers certification.
  • Plan Effectively – Using local produce requires flexibility. Buy produce in season. Take advantage of weekly specials. If a local product is not available, the distributor may offer a substitute. Keep a close eye on spoilage, and rotate what’s been purchased. Use produce as close to purchase time as possible.
  • Keep Track – Take special care to check in orders for local produce, especially as there may be numerous small orders in each delivery. Always get a receipt, and save it. Document and analyze your purchases to determine if the use of local produce is cost-effective.

These are some of the challenges and benefits to food service and restaurant managers when using local produce. As a certified ServSafe Manager do you treat locally grown food differently then food from national suppliers?