Ensure everyone is properly trained.
All managers and staff must have proper food safety knowledge. The health inspector will ask questions and a restaurant can be fined for showing inadequate knowledge of safe food handling practices.
Hands must be washed.
One of the main culprits of foodborne illnesses is person-to-person contact resulting from dirty hands. Restaurant employees must regularly and thoroughly wash their hands in order to protect customers and the restaurant from a food poisoning outbreak.
Produce must be washed.
Fresh produce is not always cooked before serving so washing by hand is the only way to remove any bacteria that may be on the surface.
Store refrigerated foods properly.
Refrigerators must maintain a temperature at or below 40 °F to minimise bacterial growth. Also, remember that refrigerated foods can only be stored for a certain amount of time before they start to go bad.
Cook foods to the correct temperature.
In order to kill any bacteria present foods must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature and sustain that temperature for at least 15 seconds.
All food contact surfaces must be sanitised.
Countertops, cutting boards, utensils, pots and pans and employee hands are all food contact surfaces that must be cleaned and sanitised before and after they touch food items.
Inspect your own premises.
Walking through your own establishment once or twice a month will help you identify any potential food safety concerns. You can download a self-inspection form or ask your health inspector for some of their forms so you know exactly what areas pose the greatest risk.
Know your local health codes.
When opening or operating a commercial kitchen it is important to know the local health codes to avoid fines and prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.
Check temperatures regularly.
Food either in commercial refrigeration or warming and holding equipment needs to be checked every two hours to assure that it is not in the food Danger Zone. It is sufficient to just check the equipment thermometer on refrigerated foods to assure that they are within safe levels. But for prepared foods, like soups and buffet items it is necessary to check the foods’ internal temperature to ensure that it is above 140 °F.
Check all incoming shipments of foods.
Food can be contaminated anywhere along the supply chain so it is important that food service operators purchase foods from approved sources. Check everything on delivery as once it is on your premises you are responsible for any subsequent side effects.
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