Calibrating More Than Just Thermometers
While classic bimetallic-stemmed thermometers have largely given way to modern digital alternatives, the act of calibrating them remains a fundamental food safety ritual drilled into foodservice professionals from their [...]
Sparking Culture behind the Line: Turning Food Safety Compliance into a Point of Pride
Every Fourth of July, we gather to celebrate independence, freedom, and the shared victories that define our nation. The air fills with the smell of barbecue, and the sky [...]
The Hidden Danger of Kitchen Biofilms
In previous blogs, we discussed why cleanliness is not always safe in the kitchen of a food service operation. The fact is that your employees can do everything right [...]
Transitioning Your Kitchen from ‘Visually Clean’ to ‘Code Compliant’
A few years ago, as part of a larger food safety research grant, our research team was exploring the behavioral patterns of foodservice employees. We installed cameras in several [...]
Building an Internal Food Safety Audit Process
I can’t speak for you all, but one of the moments I always hated in the day-in-the-life of a foodservice manager was when the inspector walked in and let [...]
The FDA Food Code Requirement for the Person in Charge
Every restaurant has someone running the show during any given shift. The FDA Food Code has a name for that person, the Person in Charge (PIC), and it has [...]
PanPals®: A Smart Solution for Restaurants Facing Labor Shortages
The restaurant industry continues to face a growing challenge: understaffing. According to recent industry reporting, labor shortages are not only costly for operators but are also expected to persist—and [...]
What Every Foodservice Operator Must Know About Written Employee Health Policy Requirement of the FDA Food Code
In our last blog, we established that while the FDA Food Code doesn’t explicitly require a written employee health policy, a verbal system is unverifiable, inconsistently applied, and leaves [...]
Is a Written Health Policy Right for your Foodservice Operation?
Last month, we introduced you to the foodborne pathogens every foodservice employee should know by name: Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli, and Salmonella. We talked about [...]
Foodborne Pathogens Every Foodservice Employee Should Know by Name
Ask most foodservice employees what they're trying to prevent when they wash their hands or when they cook chicken to 165°F, or ground beef to 155°F, and you will [...]
HACCP Doesn’t Have to Be All or Nothing: Even Incremental Changes Can Have a Big Impact on your Food Safety Program
Most foodservice operators hear Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, otherwise known as “HACCP," and picture binders full of flowcharts, scientific analyses, and regulatory paperwork. And while a full, [...]
Cold Chain Management in Winter: Why Cold Weather ≠ Safe
In early January, my family and I returned home from an extended time away to find that one of our freezers, wasn’t quite “frozen”. In fact, it was just [...]
