Reducing Waste, Raising Safety: Smart Strategies for Managing Food Waste
In the face of increasing food prices and an ever-increasing demand for foodservice operations to reduce the amount of food wasted, foodservice operators are increasingly looking to implement and develop programs to help stem the amount of food wasted in their businesses.
Across all sectors of the food supply chain, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has estimated approximately 32% of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted. In the foodservice industry, 85% of the unused food is thrown out, only a small amount is recycled or donated.
Managing food waste effectively while maintaining high food safety standards can be challenging, but it’s a crucial part of running a sustainable and customer-centric foodservice business. While it may not be evident at first glance, food waste and food safety are closely related. When food is discarded improperly or not stored correctly, it can lead to contamination, pest infestations, and the spread of harmful bacteria. Improper disposal of food waste also increases the risk of cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Managing food waste efficiently involves balancing the need to minimize waste with the responsibility of ensuring food safety. Foodservice operators must make sure that food is discarded safely, and that they are not creating unsafe conditions in the process.
One of the most important steps in managing food waste is proper food storage. Make sure to have a standard operating procedure for storing leftover food or surplus ingredients. This involves using the FIFO (first in, first out) method; ensuring older products are used first helps. Keeping track of expiration dates is also key in this regard.
When storing leftovers, ensure they are sealed in air-tight containers to maintain freshness and prevent contamination. Label containers with dates and contents to ensure they are used in a timely manner.
Over-ordering ingredients and large portion sizes are common contributors to food waste. By adopting portion control techniques, foodservice operators can reduce waste and help ensure that food safety is maintained.
While some food waste is inevitable, it’s essential to dispose of it properly. Recycling and composting food waste not only minimizes landfill waste but can also improve the overall hygiene and safety of your operation.
For food scraps that can’t be repurposed, composting offers an environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste. However, composting needs to be done properly to avoid attracting pests and creating unsanitary conditions. Designating separate bins for food waste, recyclables, and general trash helps ensure that food waste is properly discarded, minimizing contamination risks in the process.
…Food donation laws vary by region, so foodservice businesses should stay informed about local rules regarding food donations, including food safety protocols for donors.
In many cases, surplus food can be donated to local charities or food banks. However, donating food comes with its own set of food safety considerations. Operators must adhere to food safety guidelines to ensure donated food remains safe for consumption.
Food donation laws vary by region, so foodservice businesses should stay informed about local rules regarding food donations, including food safety protocols for donors. The health inspector is always a great place to start with questions related to the laws in your local area.
An often-overlooked aspect of food waste management is training staff to handle food properly. Employees should be well-versed in food safety protocols, including safe food handling, storing, and discarding practices. Regular staff training can help reduce food waste while maintaining high standards of food safety. Encouraging staff to be mindful of waste, whether by reusing ingredients or taking steps to reduce excess waste, can lead to significant improvements in both food safety and waste management practices.
Managing food waste while maintaining food safety is a delicate balance in retail foodservice operations. By implementing effective storage, portion control, recycling, and donation strategies, foodservice businesses can reduce waste without compromising the safety of the food they serve. Risk Nothing.
Remembering the Importance of Food Safety During Food Safety Education Month
In the foodservice industry, every plate that leaves your kitchen carries not just flavors and aromas, but also the responsibility of providing safe and wholesome meals to customers. Celebrated each September, National Food Safety Education Month provides a platform for foodservice professionals to reaffirm their commitment to food safety. It's a reminder that excellence in foodservice operations must always be accompanied by excellence in food safety; a reminder that any great meal begins with safe food as the foundation.
Embracing Technology for Enhanced Food Safety in Foodservice Operations
Technology. We love it, we hate it. I’ve always been fascinated by technology; I remember getting my first Blackberry in the mid-90s and thinking it was the pinnacle of technological advances. Before that, I remember ordering a dictation program in college that was going to revolutionize the way I “typed” my assignments. Looking back, it really wasn’t worth the box that the program came in. Now, we have ChatGPT that will write the entire paper for us!
Meat Color and Doneness: Persistent Pinking
Late in June, my family and I were able to visit the Black Hills, an area of the country in which I have not had the opportunity to spend much time. One evening, as we dined at a local restaurant, I observed a table across the dining room sending back a dinner. While I couldn’t hear the entire conversation and I certainly wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, it was apparent that the customer was unhappy with the cooking of their hamburger and was sending it back because it was too pink in the middle. That immediately brought to my mind the phenomenon known as persistent pinking. A term I became familiar with because of work done by some colleagues here at Kansas State, which they present each summer to a group of foodservice operators who join us on-campus for an in-depth week-long look at all things food safety.
Quat Binding – Why this Can Have a Disastrous Impact on Your Sanitation Program.
In June, I had the opportunity to represent FoodHandler and speak on food safety behavior for customers of Martin Bros. Distributing in Waterloo, Iowa. One of the questions that was asked caught me a little off guard. The question was about quat binding. It caught me off guard not because it was a bad question, but only because it was not something I had previously been asked nor had not yet been exposed to the phenomenon. However, I soon learned that in certain jurisdictions, it is resulting in changes to how sanitizing cloths are to be stored in sanitizing buckets (or not) in the foodservice industry. When I returned home from the trip, I had to dig into it to learn about what quat binding is and how it might impact foodservice operations.
