WWUD IF …? Common Emergency Scenarios in Foodservice Operations
It is cold outside, at least here in the Midwest! Here’s hoping the water pipes don’t freeze or the wind doesn’t blow down power lines causing us to lose electricity! What would we do if these types of emergencies were to happen?
Having an emergency plan in place helps foodservices facing these situations, or other types of emergencies, be prepared. In our first blog for this month, we covered some of the basics in developing an emergency preparation plan. In this blog, we will review some of the action steps to take in a few “typical” emergency situations: flooding, water disruption, and fire. Hopefully your foodservice never has to respond to any of these, but just in case, it is good to have a plan ready that will provide guidance in responding. Have the plan reviewed by the local health authority to ensure it is compliant with regulations and get approval.
Flooding. Unfortunately, several parts of the country, including western Iowa, experienced multiple flooding occurrences this last spring. Broken pipes in a foodservice could also cause flooding. Obviously, suspension of operations needs to occur so that cleaning and sanitizing can take place. Local health inspection may be needed before reopening. Not all foods need to be discarded but those in contact with the flood waters and any food or supply item (such as paper goods) do. If in doubt, throw it out! Any food packed in plastic, paper, cardboard or similar materials should be discarded. Same with any food or beverage items with screw caps, snap lids, crimped/twist caps, and flip tops. Undamaged, commercially-prepared foods in all metal cans or retort pouches can be saved if labels are removed, cans are thoroughly washed and rinsed, followed by disinfecting with 1 tablespoon of regular bleach per gallon of potable water (50 to 100 ppm concentration). Relabel containers as needed with necessary information, such as expiration date.
Water disruption is a likely emergency scenario in foodservices at some point. This can happen from natural causes or because of the actions of humans. Recent versions of the Food Code require foodservices to have a written plan addressing procedures to follow should this occur. What to do? Having disposable service ware on hand is a good preparation strategy. The biggest challenge with disruption of a potable water supply is ensuring hands are washed when and how they should be – it’s kinda hard to get hands clean with soiled water! A foodservice will want to check with local regulatory authorities as to whether alternative strategies, such as double hand sanitizing, is allowed. Or whether the foodservice can stay open IF only packaged foods are served by staff with gloved hands. If the disruption is long lasting, such as during a hurricane, potable water may be trucked in to locations. If that is the case, then a foodservice could use disposable service ware and set up a portable handwashing station. Most health agencies have guidance on how to set up these stations.
Fires from sources outside the foodservice, or that originate inside the operation, are a potential concern. For a foodservice recovering from a fire, there are concerns with the safety of the food because of the heat, fumes from the fire, and/or toxicity from the chemicals from fire extinguishers. Food packed in cans and jars that have been close to the heat of the fire may not be safe because the high temperatures can activate food spoilage bacteria. Fumes from burning materials may permeate packaging of food items, particularly cardboard and plastic containers, which contaminates the food. And, the chemicals used to fight fires are toxic. So any exposed food should be discarded. Canned goods, equipment, utensils, and other food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized before the operation re-opens. As with other response plans, check with your local health agency to see if an inspection is needed before resuming operations.
We noted in the first blog resources that are available to use in crafting your operation’s emergency preparation plan. Being prepared is good business. Having a written emergency plan guides actions, therefore minimizing the risks from improper responses. It is recommended that an emergency kit is kept in all households (flashlight, batteries, phone list of contacts, bottled water, nonperishable food, blankets, medications, candles, matches, along with first aid and pet supplies) and that a “go bag” be ready for evacuations. Those of you traveling over the holidays may have an emergency kit kept in the car. While we certainly hope you don’t need to use these, we applaud your forward thinking and being ready. Here is hoping all of our readers have a safe and happy holiday season. Be prepared! Risk Nothing!
Foodborne Illness Myths & Facts
“It must have been something I ate.” That’s the typical statement when a person develops some relatively minor symptoms from food. Maybe not severe enough to go to the doctor so you choose to tough it out without medical care. Sudden onset of flu-like symptoms such as onset of stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever could possibly mean you are the victim of a foodborne illness. The illness is sometimes referred to as “food poisoning”, but it’s often misdiagnosed.
Don’t Compromise: Clean and Sanitize
The subject is cleaning and sanitizing. Chefs, food service directors, managers and staff try to practice safe food-handling at every turn in the kitchen. Don’t let that effort go down the drain by slacking off on the many aspects of sanitation. That includes dish and ware-washing techniques (pots, pans, equipment), and cleaning all the areas that give us that “neat as a pin” appearance in your customers eyes. Customers seldom fail to bring that soiled silverware or glass with lipstick on it to the attention of the manager or wait staff. Improperly cleaning and sanitizing of food contact equipment does allow transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to food and ultimately our customer.
The Route to Safer Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Although fruits and vegetables are one of the healthiest foods sources in our diet, we continue to have foodborne disease outbreaks of significance from produce, sometimes affecting large groups of people in multiple states because of their wide distribution. The CDC estimates that fresh produce now causes a huge number of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States. Produce needs our continued food safety efforts at the restaurant level as well as at the stages in agricultural production. Occasionally, fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with harmful bacteria or viruses, such as Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A. This contamination can occur at any point from the field to our table. If eaten, contaminated fruits and vegetables can cause foodborne illness.
Be Cool, Chill Out, Refrigerate Promptly!
The Cold Chain -- Keeping perishable foods at proper cold holding temperatures (between 28°F and 41°F maximum or 0°F for frozen food) from your food producers / manufacturers to your customers has to be one of our strongest links to safe food and high quality. Sometimes that is referred to in the food industry as “maintaining the COLD CHAIN”. Any slip ups in the cold chain, and we have a weak link. Most all of our state food regulations require 41°F as a cold maximum, but colder is a “best practice” policy to maintain.
