Food Safety Should be at Top of List
Food Safety Matters
Food Safety … It isn’t something most people think about on a daily basis, except for the restaurant industry that is. We think about it everyday because the last thing any of us want is for someone to get sick from the food that we work hard to prepare. We also don’t want to think about our restaurant being shut down because we didn’t meet food safety standards.
Food Safety Guidelines
With the right equipment and the right knowledge, food safety is a pretty easy thing to handle.
Some great guidelines to remember are:
- All restaurant employee employees should follow hygiene guidelines; such as washing hands after using the restroom and before preparing food.
- Cross-contamination of foods should be avoided at all times. Wash, rinse and sanitize all food contact surfaces, such as work tables, slicers, and other preparation equipment.
- Foods must be cooked to recommended internal temperatures.
- Hot foods should be held hot at temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or greater. Holding cabinets provide a constant source of proper heat.
- Cold foods should be kept cold at temperatures of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Keep a thermometer in your refrigerator to make sure the temperature is at the proper setting.
- Abusing standard time and temperature standards for food should be avoided at all costs when handling prepared foods.
- Leftovers should only be reheated in the oven once; after that they should be tossed out.
Food Safety Means Better Health
As stated earlier in the post, food safety matters to everyone … restaurateur, chef, employees, and patrons can all be harmed by foodborne pathogens. There are more than 250 known foodborne diseases that cause anywhere from minor illness to death. By following the simple guidelines listed above and by making sure all of your equipment is functioning properly, you can help prevent disease and illness caused by unhealthy foods.
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