Chemicals are used to clean and sanitize your kitchen, but when mismanaged, they can lead to increased costs, health code violations, and significant personal injury. A management plan for controlling chemicals needs to be implemented. Each plan must address labeling, storage, proper chemical concentrations, and retaining manufacturers' labels and instructions. Here are some helpful tips: Labeling: All containers, spray bottles, and buckets need to be labeled with the common name of the contents. Using pre-labeled bottles and buckets can be very helpful. If using generic containers, labeling can be accomplished with a permanent marker. It's important to remember that the contents … [Read more...]
Date Marking Keeps Food Safety in Check
Dating and labeling potentially hazardous foods is an important part of maintaining quality and preventing foodborne illness. Even if food is held at the proper temperatures, bacteria will still grow but at a lesser rate. Ready to eat/potentially hazardous foods (RTE/PHF) shouldn't be held for longer than 7 days to ensure the growth of bacteria doesn't reach dangerous levels. Date Marking is required for foods that meet the following criteria: Ready to eat Potentially hazardous Refrigerated Held for more than 24 hours Best Practices for Date Marking After food is prepared, label the container with the name of the product, the date it was made, and who prepared it. Make … [Read more...]
Dennis Keith has been working as a restaurant and food safety professional for more than 20 years.