Current Trends

Since improper cooling is a major source of foodborne illness, it is critical that foods are cooled both quickly and correctly to curb the growth of harmful bacteria on cooked food that won’t immediately be served.

Spring is just around the corner and along with the sun and spring showers, comes the breeding of filth flies. House flies, blow flies, and cluster flies are major concerns for food establishments. Referred to as “filth flies” because of their propensity to breed and feed in garbage and manure, these insects can spread pathogenic bacteria by landing on surfaces (transferring bacteria via body hairs), defecating on food, and regurgitating onto food.

In food service facilities, food comes into contact with numerous surfaces throughout the production process. As food handlers, you want to ensure that all food contact surfaces are properly sanitized. QUAT (or QAC) and chlorine are the primary sanitizers used in food facilities. When used at the correct levels, both chemicals can sanitize adequately and safely.

It’s not new information that cut melons are on the FDA’s list of potentially hazardous food (PHF). What might be new information is the reason why melons are considered a PHF. Since melons grow on the ground, their rinds are more likely to come in contact with pathogenic bacteria from the soil, water, or manure. Melons also have an external texture that is favorable to bacteria.

When you have a self-service food bar, it is important to take extra care to ensure that the food served is safe.

The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) is central to workplace safety in any food service establishment as it provides workers and emergency personnel with the procedures for safely working with chemicals. The MSDS also includes information on the potential health effects, first aid, storage, disposal, and spill-handling processes for chemicals.

Shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams, etc.) are filter-feeders, living off microorganisms which can include human pathogens and toxigenic micro-algae. Because different shellfish have been exposed to different microorganisms, shellfish must be separated into batches by bay, by harvest date, and by species to prevent the potential “sharing” of toxins.

To ensure that potentially hazardous food items are maintained at the correct temperatures, it is essential that cold/hot holding temperatures, cooking temperatures, and cooling temperatures are regularly checked. This is not possible without a calibrated thermometer.

Manufacturers claim that using hand sanitizer can reduce the bacteria on your hands by 99.9%. This may not be altogether true. In studies examined by the FDA, hand washing is shown to reduce diarrheal illnesses by 89%, whereas sanitizer reduces such illnesses by only 71%. Other studies demonstrate that sanitizer has little effect on bacteria that cause respiratory illnesses.

When we cook at home, we often enjoy a taste here or a sip there. However, when we are preparing foods for others, we must be careful to only eat and drink in areas specifically designated for that purpose. In doing so, we avoid a potential for contamination.

The daily logging of food safety information does not have to be an overwhelming task. A well-run food service operation designs a documentation system that is clear, efficient, and timely – a routine that effectively manages documentation one bite at a time. Designating critical limits is the first step in effective documentation. Hazards must be understood, ranges must be specified, and a monitoring procedure must be established so that loggers can ensure that parameters are always met.

Consuming food that has been contaminated can cause food poisoning via bacterial intoxication. The bacteria multiply in the contaminated food product and/ or the body, and the byproduct of this multiplication can be toxic - which is a poison that leads to illness. Bacteria that produce toxins include Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, and Bacillus cereus.

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), approximately 30,000 Americans are treated in the emergency room for severe food allergies each year. Their symptoms range from hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis. To reduce the risk of such allergic reactions, the FDA requires that manufacturers label food clearly to identify the presence of the Major 8 Food Allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.), soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish (crab, lobster, and shrimp).

Senate Bill 602 requires that all food handlers possess a food handler card. For your convenience, please find the information you will need to know concerning this new bill by clicking on the blue hyperlink.

Fruits and vegetables have most likely been in contact with several contaminants during their course to your kitchen. Such contact can lead to consumer exposure to bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli (the most common causes of foodborne illness). To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, it is crucial that produce is prepared properly.

It is vital that cold, potentially hazardous foods are stored and served cold at or below 41°F (note: this temperature may vary with corporate policies and local health codes). This challenge starts with maintaining temperatures of ingredients and other bulk items by ensuring that refrigeration is kept below 41°F (around 38°F).

Handling fish properly is important to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. If certain fish are time and/or temperature abused, scombrotoxin (a type of histamine) can develop. The formation of this toxin is most common in fish not handled properly after being caught. Scombrotoxin is most common in a family of fish that includes yellowfin tuna, bluefish,mahimahi, mackerel, swordfish, skipjack, and bonito.

It is also important to ensure that your date marking does not exceed the original expiration date on all RTE (Ready To Eat) PHF's (Potentially Hazardous Foods). An example might be opening a container of potato salad on Nov 1st which expired on Nov 3rd per manufacture’s expiration date.

The FDA requires all refrigerated ready to eat (RTE) potentially hazardous foods (PHF) to be properly dated for a number of reasons. Not all health departments enforce these standards, but understanding the reasons can assist your operations with training and understanding.

Click here for a Spanish translation of the latest Everclean Report newsletter.

It is important not to use products after their expiration date. Not only can it take away from the desired flavors and recipes of your dishes, but eating expired foods greatly increases the risk of developing a case of Listeria infection. These infections can actually be deadly in some cases.