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!
Greens & Spinach – Please Lettuce Be Safe to Eat
According to the new food nutrition pyramid, we are to eat at a minimum, around 3 cups of dark green vegetables along with other servings of fruits and vegetables each week. That is becoming more difficult as outbreaks such as E. coli 0157:H7 creates bad news for the produce industry, not to mention the victims.
Refrigeration Tips to Keep Your Food Safe
A refrigerator is one of the most important pieces of kitchen equipment for keeping foods safe. In a food service environment, our existence depends on the cooling equipment. The science of refrigeration has evolved from prehistoric times when man found his wild game would last longer packed in the coolness of a cave or packed in snow. Our ancestors harvested ice to keep food cold. Now, if the power goes off, we are instantly reminded of the refrigerator’s importance to our daily life, at home and certainly in a food service facility.
Food Service Hand Hygiene: Basic Handwashing – Part II
Ignoring handwashing as a priority is easy until faced with a crippling lawsuit. Your risk of transmitting a foodborne disease via a food workers hands will never be zero, but the good news is training your crew about handwashing is not complicated. Molding behavior to do it at the right time, using the correct method is the tough part. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention says the single most effective way to stop the spread of infection is through handwashing. Last month’s article was on the physical equipment to help get better handwashing compliance. The most important part is the practice of the basic handwashing steps:
