Sign up below to receive the Food Safety Nation newsletter, and we'll send you the best links related to the restaurant industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE Brought to you by the creators of Respro Food Safety, Food Safety Nation is a network of restaurant professionals providing and sharing the latest in food safety and sustainability for restaurants. We will be scouring the internet every day to find expert information and important news that all restaurant operators should know. Now more than ever restaurants need to pay attention to their food safety practices and learn from past mistakes to prevent illness and protect their brands. Food Safety Nation will be creating content in an … [Read more...]
The Best Way to Protect Your Restaurant from Outbreaks
Today there was yet another restaurant outbreak in the news. Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill in Chicago is suspected in a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreak affecting at least 25 people. Not only that, on June 29, the City of Boston closed the Thai Dish Restaurant for too many food safety violations. Looking at these two examples of foodborne illness outbreaks, they are independent organizations that most likely won’t survive the financial and liability impact of closures and sick customers. Given the high stakes, how could they put themselves in this position? Local independent restaurants across America are having a hard time effectively managing food safety. Many of them don’t have … [Read more...]
Get a Restaurant Food Safety Plan in Less than 30 Minutes
Managing food safety in a restaurant can be a daunting task. Oftentimes it can be such a big job that it doesn't get done at all. Restaurants can't afford not to have a food safety plan given the amount of contaminated food delivered each day. At the very least, try to commit 30 minutes at the start of each shift for food safety. If each manager can do this, it will greatly reduce the chance for foodborne illness. If you only have 30 minutes, this is what you should focus on: 1. Check all cold-holding units. Temperature problems are a major source of foodborne illness. Verify the food is at the right temperature. If it's not, call a repair person to look at and fix the unit. Move the … [Read more...]
No Food Safety Plan Means Salmonella Could Land on Customer Plates
Salmonella is one of the most common types of food poisoning. Infection can result in diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps; however, more serious cases can lead to hospitalization, organ failure and even death. As a restaurant inspector, it never ceases to amaze me how cavalier some restaurants are with their food-handling practices. I've talked with so many owners who think foodborne illness can never happen to them despite the laundry list of critical violations they racked up on their last inspection. Unfortunately, it takes a foodborne illness outbreak that results in personal injury to their customers and lawsuits that result in paying major damages, which can often lead to closing the … [Read more...]
Dennis Keith has been working as a restaurant and food safety professional for more than 20 years.