From Farm to Fork: Knowing the Importance of Food Origins
In the foodservice industry, maintaining high standards for the food that comes into your back door is important – both from a food quality and a food safety perspective. One often overlooked aspect of achieving these standards is knowing the source of your food. Understanding where your ingredients come from can significantly impact your operation, food safety, customer satisfaction, and overall business success.
Many operators, including myself, ordered most of our items from a national broadline distributor. While mistsakes can happen in any business, these businesses generally do an excellent job of ensuring the food that they source to sell to you comes from reputable and established producers and growers. But, as we enter the summer months and fresh produce is readily available from local purveyors, food safety is an important aspect to keep in mind.
One misconception we often hear in programs such as farm to school or other farm to business programs is the thought that if a product is local, it must be safe. While this may be the case, it is not always true. The National Outbreak Reporting System data showed that from 2009 through 2021, there were over 2,000 outbreaks related to fresh produce, causing over 48,000 illnesses and 65 deaths. Granted, this data doesn’t show the source of the product in terms of a local supplier vs. a broadline distributor. But, when you get the product locally, you need to make sure the grower applies the same safeguards to the growing of that product than those who supply your local broadline distributor would.
While the farmer down the street may have a great product, ask the right questions, and ensure she or he follows the same practices that you might expect in your own kitchen.
A good starting point in discussing safety and quality with any local grower is to ask about what Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training or certification they have received. While having certification is not a requirement, it can tell you a bit about their background related to these practices.
If possible, visit the farm and observe their practices. Or sit down with the grower and ask about things such as pesticide and chemical use, irrigation, and transport.
Many farmers use pesticides or other chemicals on their crops. If not applied correctly or if the produce is not properly washed before consumption, residues of these chemicals can remain on the fruits and vegetables, posing health risks.
If irrigation is used, ask the grower what the source of the water is and if testing is done on the water. In recent years, produce has been contaminated by pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella from soil, water sources, or handling practices. Improper irrigation, animal waste runoff, or poor hygiene during harvesting and processing can contribute to contamination.
Even if the produce is safe when harvested, mishandling during transport or improper storage conditions can lead to cross-contamination. For example, if fruits and vegetables come into contact with unclean surfaces or are stored at incorrect temperatures, they can become contaminated. How does the grower transport the product from the farm to your place of business? If she or he uses a truck (for example), what else is the truck used for? For example, was a dog or potentially livestock in the back of the truck the day before?
Small-scale local farmers may have limited resources or access to training on food safety practices. Without proper knowledge or infrastructure, they may inadvertently compromise the safety of their produce.
My colleagues at Iowa State University have a great resource available for the purchasing of local produce – and the best part, the price is right – free! Check out their Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Fresh Produce for an excellent resource that will help you ensure the safety of local produce as it comes into your operation. While the farmer down the street may have a great product, ask the right questions, and ensure she or he follows the same practices that you might expect in your own kitchen. Risk Nothing.
During National Food Safety Education Month is it time for Your Food Safety Refresher?
You see them in every restaurant and commercial foodservice operation across the United States. Framed and proudly displayed, often by the kitchen, the cashier, the kitchen entrance, or the service counter - just as they should be. To what am I referring? The food safety certification certificates, of course!
Welcome to National Food Safety Education Month!
In September of each year, we not only have the opportunity to celebrate Labor Day, but we also welcome National Food Safety Education Month! It is this time of the year when it is important to remember that Foodborne illnesses are still a major concern in the United States, although I am guessing many Americans don’t think about the safety of the food they eat as they go throughout their daily lives. The statistics show one in every six Americans will suffer from a foodborne illness each year, for a total of about 48 million cases each year.
Protecting Fresh Produce Post-Harvest, Integral to Safe Food
During the height of the summer, at least in the Midwest, farmers markets are in full swing and fresh produce is plentiful. Every backyard gardener is reaping the benefits of their work, with bountiful harvests of tomatoes and cucumbers. Everyone seems to have a neighbor who is trying to pawn off his or her over-production of cucumbers or summer squash during this time of year. When picking up that produce at the farmer’s market or from your neighbor down the street, have you ever given any thought to the microbial safety of it? Honestly, even in my position, it certainly is NOT the first thing that comes to my mind. But, earlier this month, I came across a news story out of Wisconsin discussing a Salmonella outbreak associated with shelled peas sold at a local farmers market. Who would have thought shelled peas would be impacted? The story noted, and it served as a great reminder, that most outbreaks associated with Salmonella in produce are due to mistakes made in handling or transportation of produce after harvesting.
Properly Cleaning and Sanitizing: The Right Chemical Mix to Maintain Ultimate Effectiveness
A few weeks ago, my family and I had the pleasure of setting sail on a cruise vacation. It is truly one of the only ways that I find that I am able to unplug from work and relax for a small spell. However, as I walked around the ship in our post-COVID world, I couldn’t help but admire all the extra cleaning steps the staff were undertaking to keep us all as safe as possible while in the middle of the ocean with 3,000 other vacationers. All of this cleaning and sanitizing had me thinking about how we each clean and sanitize our own operations and which chemicals we chose to use.
