Beyond Simple Compliance: Nurturing a Food Safety Culture in Your Team
In writing my last blog post, I was torn on addressing the issue of getting ready for a health inspection. I was torn, not because it isn’t an important topic, but because I didn’t want the reader who just stumbled upon the post and has not followed the FoodHandler blog previously to think I was promoting a reactive food safety program – one where we just get ready for the health inspection a month out from when we think that inspection might occur and forget about food safety the rest of the year. Deep down, I believe that food safety in retail foodservice establishments should be a proactive system, a system where we have developed a food safety culture among our team members.
Establishing a robust food safety culture within your establishment is essential for ensuring the health and well-being of your customers, maintaining regulatory compliance, and safeguarding the reputation of your operation. A food safety culture encompasses the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that prioritize safe food handling practices at all levels of the organization. When we work with schools, we often talk about how the school system’s superintendent must buy into the food safety program, not just those managers and employees in the kitchen. In the restaurant setting, this means everyone from the general manager to bus persons.
A strong food safety culture begins with a visible commitment from leadership. What visibility means for your operation depends on the operation. Remember, it starts at the top and employees take their cues from the leaders. At the very least, we always say if you are a general manager and you want to promote food safety, but when you enter the kitchen and don’t wash your hands, what message does this send to your employees? When managers actively demonstrate their dedication to food safety, it sets a standard for the entire team. This also includes allocating resources for training, implementing comprehensive food safety policies, and fostering an environment where safety is prioritized above all else.
Investing in regular and thorough training is vital to food safety program success. Training ensures that staff members have the knowledge and skills to uphold food safety standards. Food safety training alone does not change on-the-job behaviors, but if you want employees to work toward changing behaviors, they must know the basics. Training should cover essential topics such as proper handwashing techniques, safe food storage practices, temperature control, and recognizing signs of foodborne illnesses. Understanding that knowledge alone isn’t sufficient; translating that knowledge into safe practices is key.
Food safety should not be viewed as a standalone requirement but as an integral component of your establishment’s core values.
Encouraging transparent and open communication allows employees to voice concerns, report potential hazards, and suggest improvements without fear of retribution. Regular meetings, feedback sessions, and anonymous reporting mechanisms can help in identifying and addressing issues before they escalate. This two-way communication fosters trust and reinforces the importance of collective responsibility in maintaining food safety.
Empowering employees to take ownership of food safety practices instills a sense of responsibility and pride in their work. Recognizing and rewarding safe behaviors can motivate staff and reinforce positive actions. Conversely, holding individuals accountable for lapses ensures that everyone understands the seriousness of food safety and the potential consequences of negligence.
Food safety should not be viewed as a standalone requirement but as a vital component of your business. By aligning food safety efforts with overall company objectives, you create a unified approach where every team member understands their role in maintaining these high standards. This alignment ensures that food safety becomes a natural and consistent part of daily operations.
Incorporating these strategies into the daily operation of your establishment can lead to a sustainable and effective food safety culture. In the end, remember that food safety is not a reactive program. A proactive approach helps mitigate risks and enhance the organization’s overall safety culture. Risk Nothing.
Flour Safety: Don’t Let E. coli become the Secret Ingredient in your Cake.
Earlier this month, we started to see information coming out about a foodborne illness outbreak from an unlikely source – flour. As of early-April, 12 people had fallen ill, and three people had been hospitalized as a result of flour contaminated with Salmonella. While the outbreak is still in its early stages, no individuals have died because of their illness. A specific source has not yet been identified in the outbreak, but all who have fallen ill have reported eating raw batter or dough due before developing symptoms – and flour has been identified as the only common ingredient in these batters and doughs.
Be Proactive and Don’t End Up in Food Safety Jail!
Ok, I admit – there really is no food safety jail. But there is jail and, while it is uncommon, you can be sent there for not practicing food safety. Just the other day, I ran across a news report about two individuals in Wales who were sent to jail (albeit a suspended sentence) for “failing to take action to protect food from the risk of contamination; placing unsafe food on the market; failing to comply with a Remedial Action Notice and operating the business without approval after permission to supply seafood was suspended.”
Was that last 24 Hour “Bug” You Had Really a Foodborne Illness in Disguise?
Within this blog, I have discussed many foodborne pathogens: E. coli, Hepatitis, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter. But we’ve somehow managed to omit Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).
30 Years Later: The Foodborne Illness Outbreak that Changed Food Safety
In January, we hit a major anniversary. One I am betting snuck by many of you – including me! January marked 30 years since the deadly 1993 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at Jack in the Box restaurants on the west coast. The anniversary wasn’t on any of the major news networks that I recall. It did make it into a few newspapers, at least one or two of the newspapers that are left. It wasn’t until late-February that I realized it.
