Resources for Effective Purchasing and Receiving in Foodservice Operations
In our first blog for August, we reviewed best practices for purchasing and receiving, and why these can mitigate risks to safety of food from unintentional or intentional threats. In this posting, we offer some resources from trustworthy sources that can help foodservice managers in developing their own guidance for staff to follow when purchasing or receiving from vendors. Written guidance in the form of a standard operating procedure (SOP) makes clear to everyone in the relationship (vendor and foodservice staff) what and how tasks should be accomplished.
Written SOP templates to guide purchasing and receiving can be found at several extension websites or through health agencies. We’ve worked to develop those at Iowa State University, which are tailored for restaurants, schools, assisted living, or childcare foodservices. SOP templates are also available from the Institute of Child Nutrition.
With COVID being a concern, the trend of purchasing from local sources is gaining in popularity. A checklist of questions local fruit and vegetable growers can complete will ensure the foodservice has documentation that safe practices are followed by the farmer. The National Restaurant Association and Food and Drug Administration, and of course FoodHandlers, provide guidance regarding delivery of supplies by vendors, in addition to other reopening recommendations, following COVID-related shutdowns.
As an example, here are the SOPs from Iowa State University for Restaurant Purchasing and Receiving. Notice that the SOPs provide a rationale, assign specific tasks with detailed instructions, include measurable or observable standards to either employees or managers, and describe monitoring functions.
We would add that monitoring is NOT the responsibility of ONLY the manager. In a safe food culture, all employees should be comfortable providing nudges to others or calling attention to management to correct unsafe practices. Only by having everyone attuned to correct food handling and cleaning practices can a foodservice consistently provide safe food and avoid risk. Risk Nothing!
Keeping Food Safe While Serving Outdoors
This afternoon I met some friends for lunch and as I drove through our beautiful downtown area in Manhattan, KS, I noticed that many people were taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and dining outside with friends. For our local community - outdoor dining is one of the remnants of COVID that we actually have come to enjoy on beautiful days. With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, many foodservice operations are taking advantage of the warm weather by offering outdoor dining options.
The Importance of Air Gaps in Providing Safe Food to All
Late last month, I was exploring job tasks that are important for entry-level foodservice managers to understand related to food safety. The usual items that you would suspect were on the list were certainly included – foodborne outbreaks; temperature danger zone; physical, biological, and chemical contamination; personal hygiene and proper glove use; HACCP systems, etc. But one thing I noticed was missing that really is integral to protecting the food supply in any foodservice operation is air gaps.
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.”
