We hope you’re taking care of your restaurant and keeping it up to par in regards to cleanliness. Even if you’re keeping up with cleaning your restaurant, it might not be enough to entirely conform to the health and sanitation codes set by local government. The FDA’s goal is to guarantee the USA’s food supply is safe for consumption. Their guidelines aim to prevent future contamination and how to react to contamination if it already exists.
Food Sanitation
The main dangers when dealing with food are physical, chemical, and biological. Physical refers to dirt, hair, etc. that falls into the food. Chemical includes pest control, while biological includes bacteria and microorganisms.
To prevent food contamination:
- Store food for the proper amount of time at the right temperature
- Clean and sanitize all utensils, equipment, and food contact surfaces
- Provide suitable cleaning and maintenance
Kitchen Sanitation
The kitchen is exposed to various contaminants, including cooks, servers, and cashiers who might contaminate food items. Employees should be sanitizing all surfaces they come in contact with, even items and surfaces they might deem irrelevant
Employee Hygiene
Most foodborne contamination and illnesses spawn from bacteria and other microorganisms that are passed from those that work with the food. All employees should be washing hands and exposed arms when going to the bathroom, and when switching between raw and cooked food. Employees should be washing their hands for a bare minimum of 20 seconds in sinks designed for washing hands.
If you’re not keeping up with the cleaning in your restaurant, you’re putting customers at risk, and you’re at significant risk to be closed down for sanitation reasons. Be sure to be conscious of what your employees are doing and how often everything is being cleaned.
