The Worldwide Food Service Safety Month is observed in December annually and was originated by the National Restaurant Association in 1994 specifically by their philanthropic foundation, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). It was designed to promote awareness of food safety education, especially in the food service industry.

Even in ancient times, there has always been concern about the safe preparation and preservation of food. The ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans were of the first to preserve food by sun-drying and smoking food products. In the U.S. and in several European countries, concerns regarding cleanliness arose as science began to link germs to diseases.

It seems appropriate that food safety is addressed in the month of December as it is the holiday season when many gather to dine in restaurants and at home. The main goals of the month are to spread healthy information on ways to keep food safe in foodservice areas like commercial kitchens and at home. The good news is that safely preparing food can prevent almost all foodborne illnesses. Preparing food correctly by adhering to food safety guidelines is a shared responsibility between the producers, food service industries, the consumers, and the government.

Here are some basic food safety steps from the FDA (US Food & Drug Association):

4 Basic Steps for Food Safety*

Each year millions of people get sick from food illnesses which can cause you to feel like you have the flu. Food illnesses can also cause serious health problems, even death. Follow these four steps to help keep your commercial and at home kitchens, your staff, and your family safe.

1. Clean
Always wash your food, hands, counters, and cooking tools.

  • Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Do this before and after touching food.
  • Wash your cutting boards, dishes, forks, spoons, knives, and counter tops with hot soapy water. Do this after working with each food item.
  • Rinse fruits and veggies.
  • Do not wash meat, poultry, fish, or eggs. If water splashes from the sink in the process of washing, it can spread bacteria.
  • Clean the lids on canned goods before opening.

2. Separate (Keep Apart)
Keep raw foods to themselves. Germs can spread from one food to another.

  • Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from other foods. Do this in your shopping cart, bags, and fridge.
  • Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods unless you bring them to a boil first.
  • Use a special cutting board or plate for raw foods only.

3. Cook
Foods need to get hot and stay hot. Heat kills germs.

  • Cook to safe temperatures:
    • Beef, Pork, Lamb 145 °F
    • Fish 145 °F
    • Ground Beef, Pork, Lamb 160 °F
    • Turkey, Chicken, Duck 165 °F
  • Use a food thermometer to make sure that food is done. You can’t always tell by looking.

4. Chill
Put food in the fridge right away.

  • 2-Hour Rule: Put foods in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours after cooking or buying from the store. Do this within 1 hour if it is 90 degrees or hotter outside.
  • Never thaw food by simply taking it out of the fridge. Thaw food:
    • In the fridge
    • Under cold water
    • In the microwave
  • Marinate foods in the fridge.

Think you have a food illness?
Call your doctor and get medical care right away.

  • Save the food package, can, or carton. Then report the problem.
  • Call USDA at 1-888-674-6854 if you think the illness was caused by meat, poultry, or eggs.
  • Call FDA at 1-866-300-4374 for all other foods.

Read PRO-TEK’s “The Best Safety Measure is Prevention” and find some other very important and helpful tips for keeping your commercial kitchen safe: https://www.protekny.com/blog/the-best-safety-measure-is-prevention/

Also, ensure that your Commercial Kitchen and staff are prepared for a surprise health inspection. Approximately 1 to 4 times every year, public health inspectors make unannounced visits to commercial kitchens and food establishments.
Find out more information from PRO-TEK’s “How to Prepare your Commercial Kitchen and Staff for a Surprise Health Inspection” article: https://www.protekny.com/blog/how-to-prepare-your-commercial-kitchen-and-staff-for-a-surprise-health-inspection/

Read “How to Properly Maintain Your Commercial Kitchen in 2022” to find valuable new information on preventative maintenance: https://www.protekny.com/blog/how-to-properly-maintain-your-commercial-kitchen-in-2022/

Concerned about keeping your kitchen clean and safe in the pandemic age? Click here for important information:
https://www.protekny.com/blog/keeping-your-commercial-kitchen-safe-during-the-pandemic-and-always/

Enjoy your holidays stress free when you keep food safety in mind!

ABOUT PRO-TEK
PRO-TEK is a service company providing repair and maintenance for food service operations across the nation. PRO-TEK is authorized by over twenty manufacturers worldwide. Let us share our 40 years of commercial kitchen repair and maintenance experience with you. PRO-TEK can help keep your commercial kitchen safe by repairing and maintaining your equipment and appliances. Contact us today at (866) 773-7717 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation or Contact us via our Contact form.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that all information in this article is for general information purposes only and not as legal or regulatory advice. This article does not constitute legal or other professional advice, and no attorney-client or other relationship is created hereby. Do not consider the above to be a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state or for obtaining regulatory advice regarding local or other regulatory requirements that apply to your facility. Significant local variances may apply to your facility, and requirements may change over time. This article is current as of its publication date and will not be updated for changes in law or regulations.

*Note: Excerpts taken from: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/food-safety-home