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.
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.
