Everyone loves fair food…right? I know I do and by the looks of my waistline, I should probably avoid a few corn dogs or delicious Italian sausages. Yeah, like that is going to happen! So the only thing that could keep me away from these epicurean delights would be if they made me sick.
Foodborne illness is a major public health problem. Each year roughly 1 in 6 people in the U.S. get sick from eating contaminated food, which equates to over 48 million people. Over 3,000 people die of foodborne illnesses each year which means they can be deadly to your customers and your business.
Whether you have Popper, a burger joint or make calzones, failure to follow food safety protocols can lead to insurance claims, lawsuits, health department fines and even loss of licensing. There are some tried and true steps you can take to keep the food your serve safe and keep your customers from becoming ill.
The most critical resources you have to keep your foodservice operation safe and sanitary are your foodservice managers and your employees. With proper training, they can be your best resource to identify problems and keep contaminants from making your food potentially dangerous to consume. You must train your foodservice managers and employees on the sources of contamination and the steps they can take to prevent foodborne illness.
Cleanliness is essential in combating foodborne illness. Daily, weekly and monthly cleaning schedules should be established, with routine cleaning tasks assigned to all employees. Frequent, routine inspections should be conducted to confirm that sanitation standards are being met.
Prevention Steps
Once you have identified and understand potential contamination sources as outlined above, here are some areas and tips to prevent contamination:
• Good Personal Hygiene & Health
• Proper Hand Washing & Glove Use
• Time-Temperature Control
• Preventing Cross-Contamination
• Preventing Chemical Contamination
• Cleaning and Sanitizing Equipment
• Knowing the Characteristics of a Food-Safe Facility
• Considerations for Temporary Food Facilities (TFF)
We all want our guests and employees to have a wonderful experience. We love for them to enjoy the many types of food and drinks available on our midway. Let’s be sure to do all we can to make those experiences safe, flavorful and fun.
For a more detailed look at Foodborne Illnesses, you can download our Loss Control Safety Alert on this topic from our website, www.mcgowaninsurance.com.
As always, remember, safety isn’t expensive…it’s priceless.
