Wash Hands Frequently

Every employee should always wash their hands before handling food, switching between tasks in order to maintain the highest level of food safety. It is important to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds in warm soapy water.

Sanitize all Surfaces

Your food safety routine should include regularly sanitizing and cleaning all surfaces, including prep areas, cutting boards, equipment, storage areas, trash cans, and floor drains. To keep pests from living on surfaces and spreading dangerous illnesses such as Listeria and Salmonella, you must regularly clean and sanitize all surfaces.

Always Wash Fruits and Vegetables

To get rid of any bacteria and dirt that might be on your produce, all fruit and vegetables must be washed thoroughly. When necessary, use clean, cold water and a vegetable brush.

Avoid Cross Contamination

Cross contamination is the unintentional transfer of harmful bacteria, allergens, or other microorganisms from one object to another. The results of this can be extremely dangerous or even fatal to customers. By using color coded cutting boards and kitchen utensils you can further prevent cross contamination.

Prepare and Store Foods at Safe Temperatures

To prevent food poisoning, make sure to cook raw meat, ground meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood at the proper temperature. Always make sure to monitor the temperature of your foods with a foodservice thermometer to make sure they do not go above or below the danger zone.

Be Aware of Food Recalls

Keep track of any food recalls affecting your stock of food in order to avoid an outbreak of a foodborne illness. You can find a list of recalled foods online at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

If you have any questions regarding the purchase of new foodservice equipment, we are happy to help.