Food Safety: Get Back to Basics

By Francine Shaw  |  Published July 25, 2018, on FoodandHospitality.com

I’ve spent most of my life in the foodservice industry, and things have changed dramatically since my early days in the business. Back then, we didn’t have single-use gloves in the restaurant, we wore our hair down, I hadn’t heard of Hepatitis A, E. Coli, Norovirus, Salmonellosis, or Shigellosis, nor would I for years to come. During my early days in the business, food-safety wasn’t even discussed.

But that all changed when Jack in the Box had an E. Coli crisis in 1993, and 700 individuals became ill, 171 were hospitalized and four died. Tragically the outbreak put food safety on the map. Since then, food-safety protocols have been developed to keep customers safe.

Foodborne illness is 100 percent preventable. The food safety experts at Savvy Food Safety, Inc. suggest going back to basics to keep guests safe:

• Create a food safety culture from the executive level to hourly team members. Don’t just talk the talk – walk the walk.
• Don’t just create policies and procedures, but explain why the policies are important. Your employees are more likely to comply if they understand why the rules are in place.
• Don’t allow employees to work when they’re ill. They could spread serious illnesses like norovirus, which is highly contagious.
• Train continuously. Educate employees about avoiding cross-contamination, using thermometers and following other critical food-safety procedures.
• Use temperature logs. This helps you spot temperature issues before they become a cost factor or a liability issue.
• Conduct self-inspections. Catch small issues before they become big problems. For example, if your recent delivery wasn’t stored properly, you can take corrective action. Otherwise, there could be a spoilage issue or a cross-contamination problem.
• Conduct third-party audits. Someone objective from the “outside” will see things from a different perspective and point out possible infractions. Hire someone reputable who knows the business and genuinely cares about your outcome.
• Check deliveries. Supplies must be at the proper temperature – hot food should be hot, cold food cold, frozen food frozen, and products should always be properly sealed.
• Only use approved reputable suppliers that are inspected and follow local, state and federal guidelines.
• If in doubt, throw it out!

Establish – and implement – food-safety protocols so foodborne illness outbreaks don’t happen to you.

Economics of Food Safety

By Francine L. Shaw

America’s food industry has a $55.5 billion safety problem annually, as recently reported by Fortune Magazine. This includes foodborne illnesses at convenience stores and restaurants, food recalls and other food safety issues.

The price can be steep. A 2015 study by Robert Scharff, an associate professor at Ohio State University, estimated that foodborne illnesses cost more than $55.5 billion per year in medical treatment, lost productivity and illness in the U.S.

Each year 48 million Americans become sick from foodborne illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Therefore, investing in food safety is one of the smartest things c-stores can do. The expense, time and energy necessary to implement— or elevate—your food safety protocols won’t be overwhelming, and it’s crucial to your business success.

Last May, nacho cheese sold at a California convenience store was linked to a botulism outbreak that sickened 10 people and killed one. The convenience store temporarily lost its food and drink permit—resulting in lost revenue—amid the ensuing investigation.

Earlier this year, approximately 2,000 7-Eleven customers in West Jordan, Utah were exposed to hepatitis A, due to an infected 7-Eleven employee who had gone to work and handled the c-store’s food while sick.

Having a foodborne illness incident or outbreak can result in decreased revenues, hefty legal fees, potential lawsuits, diminished sales (and loyalty) from guests afraid to visit the (possibly contaminated) store, and a damaged reputation that could permanently shut your doors.

Food safety should be part of your company’s culture. Everyone—on every shift— should be trained in proper food safety protocols.

TECHNOLOGY CAN HELPNew technological solutions can now enhance food safety protocols and make it faster, more accurate and more efficient to conduct inventory, auditing, and training.

Sensors ensure foods are being held at proper temperatures. Centralized, continuous refrigeration monitoring systems signal when temperatures in the store’s coolers or freezers rise above safe holding temperatures, eliminating the need to throw away entire coolers or freezers of food due to improperly working units.

Innovative digital tools can now be used for c-stores’ internal auditing systems, which is a more efficient, cost-effective and accurate solution versus the pen and paper methods often used in the foodservice industry.

Many companies now provide downloadable apps that enhance the way foodservice employees conduct inspections, keep temperature logs, conduct training, manage QA forms, access food code information and more. Now, critical food safety data can be at employees’ fingertips.

Operational efficiencies have been proven to improve stores’ bottom line. Eliminating pen and paper line checks can save $250-$600 per year per store, smart sensors that prevent food spoilage can save $1,100 per episode, and reducing food and labor costs can save $4,700 per year per store, according to a recent CoInspect survey. Further, CoInspect experts said the ROI on in-store technical solutions can be as high as $10,000-$15,000 per year for c-stores with foodservice capabilities. Digital tools can help with brand protection and quality assurance concerns by optimizing and improving line checks, shift logs, inspections, auditing and other reporting.

CHEATING HISTORY
There’s a widespread “pencil whipping” problem in the foodservice industry, where employees using paper record systems falsify records or “cheat” on their processes, which digital tools eliminate through real-time data collection, and visual records using photos and videos.

Technology that can help minimize labor, reduce (or eliminate) foodborne illness risks and minimize food waste is not an expense, it’s an important investment.
Often, c-store owner/operators will tell me, “I can’t afford to make the investment.” My response is always, “You can’t afford not to.”

Francine Shaw is president of Savvy Food Safety Inc. and has been featured as a food safety expert in numerous media outlets, including the Dr. Oz Show, the Huffington Post, iHeartRadio, Food Safety News and Food Management Magazine.

Shared values are the foundation for a culture of food safety

By Francine L. Shaw

To create a food safety culture in any organization, there first must be understanding of what this means.

I frequently discuss the importance of having a food safety culture with operators of a variety types of companies, and they all tell me the same thing: “my company has a great food safety culture.” But when I ask what that means, their answers are not as confident.

So, how do you build a good food safety culture and make sure your employees embrace it? Understanding the value of food safety is where it begins. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 6 Americans contract a foodborne illness each year.

When food safety policies and procedures are created, correctly implemented, and instilled as part of a business culture, mistakes that can lead to foodborne illnesses are significantly reduced.

As a result, in addition to boosting food safety, profit increases, employee morale soars, employee turnover is reduced, absenteeism is minimized, and the company’s reputation remains secure. If food safety is neglected, food contamination can cause outbreaks, which not only critically damage a company’s reputation, but can also result in criminal negligence lawsuits and bankruptcy.

A food safety program that works for one organization may not work for another. It is necessary to find what works best for each organization, and then be committed to continuously reviewing the processes, evaluating them based on feedback and measurable results from team members and, when necessary, making changes.

If possible, company leaders should create a food safety team to collect data that can be used to analyze results. Use key performance indicators to study what is happening within your company – this is how you will determine what, where, and when changes need to be made.

Using feedback and data, a culture of food safety can be built on a set of shared values that management and employees follow to produce food in the safest manner. Establishing and maintaining a food safety culture means that management and employees recognize the risks linked with the products or meals they produce, understand why controlling the risks is important, and successfully manage those risks in an evident way.

In an organization with a good food safety culture, employees are expected to enact practices that represent the shared value system and point out where others may fail. By using a variety of tools, consequences and incentives, corporations can show their staff and customers that they are aware of current food safety concerns, that they can learn from others’ mistakes, and that food safety is important to their organization.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were eating at a restaurant that is part of a large organization. I am certain this company would say they have a good food safety culture. Yet as we were eating in the dining room, I observed the cook eating food and drinking a beverage with her single-use gloves on while preparing food for customers. She didn’t wash her hands or change her gloves the entire time we were there!

Such behavior has the potential to cause a foodborne illness outbreak. Clearly, somewhere in the company, there was a breakdown in the value system, and this employee wasn’t following proper food safety protocols.

While there are many exceptional operations that have great food safety cultures, I have walked into establishments on many occasions to conduct health inspections or third-party inspections only to see employees and management tripping over each other to fill buckets of sanitizer, put on aprons, date product, etc., because they knew an inspector was in the building.

Building a food safety culture involves activities that go beyond grabbing a broom and sweeping up dirt.

When I see employees scrambling to “catch up” on the food safety protocols because I’m visiting and inspecting their facility, I know – and they know – that they have been neglecting tasks that they should have been doing on a regular basis. Witnessing them scramble indicates that these people do not take food safety seriously. In a company with a good food safety culture, the standards are the same every day, regardless of whether there is an executive or a health inspector visits. Because the health of your customers and the reputation of your company are, ultimately, your biggest concerns.

As you are creating and implementing your food safety plan, some important items to remember are:


make training fun
lead by example
explain why
follow-up
use job aids



Creating a food safety culture takes more than discussing it at an occasional staff meeting or industry conference. It takes commitment to every level of management and staff, every second of every day. And when you have that level of commitment, employees will be more inclined to take their jobs seriously and less likely to take chances that put the company at risk.

The Importance of Food Safety Training

By Francine L. Shaw

This is part three of a four-part series on building a food safety culture in your establishment by Francine L. Shaw, president, Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc.

While attending a recent food safety conference, an attendee said something that really hit home for me: “We don’t provide food safety training, we provide food safety education.” She explained further, “Do you want your children to receive sex training or sex education?” BINGO! She’s right.

As foodservice professionals, we train our teams on many aspects of the foodservice business and that must include food safety education. We provide employees with knowledge about food safety protocols and procedures so they can perform their jobs correctly and safely, and so that our guests will remain safe and healthy. 

Why is food safety education and training important?

If food safety is neglected, the risk of food contamination increases, which can cause foodborne illness outbreaks. Foodborne illnesses can critically damage a company’s reputation and result in criminal negligence, loss of sales/profits, scathing media coverage and even bankruptcy. Food safety education and training is a win-win situation, protecting both the guests and the company.

Food safety education and training is a win-win situation. @FSTS3787 #ACFChefs

CLICK TO TWEET

Educating and training employees involves some expense, but the return on investment is immense. If your company has a well-established food safety culture, employees are more likely to follow company policies and procedures correctly. As a result, mistakes significantly decrease, profitability is amplified, employee morale is boosted, employee turnover and absenteeism is reduced, and the company’s reputation remains secure.

Many times, food safety lapses occur when new employees are not properly trained or during a change in company policy. Training also gets neglected when finances are tight or things get busy. Create a system to prevent these lapses!

While we want to think that our employees do things correctly all the time, in reality, they do not. Before becoming a food safety professional, I spent over 20 years in the foodservice industry. I had a great team, yet I sometimes caught my wonderful employees taking short cuts. They were well-trained, we did well on our internal inspections, health inspections, third-party audits, etc., but one of those short cuts could have made someone sick. 

Educate Employees on the Why

Often, employees aren’t educated about whythings are important. Perhaps they don’t understand why it’s important to wash their hands often and well, why poultry must be cooked to 165°F, why raw proteins should be stored on the bottom shelves in the coolers, etc. Understanding why these things are critical helped me (and my employees) follow the rules more closely. If employees understand that juices from raw poultry could drip onto ready-to-eat foods such as vegetables and contaminate them, they’ll be more likely to follow the rules versus if their manager told them to store poultry on the lower shelves without offering an explanation about why this behavior is important. When training, it’s always important to explain the “why” factor.

When developing a training program, there are many things to consider:

• Determine whether your current program is effective.
• Remember that various levels of management require different training, but all levels should be educated in food safety.
• Determine which training certification program will be best for your restaurant.
• Determine who will be certified?
• Will classroom or online training be best for your team? (I recommend that the initial training is done in a classroom environment.)
• How frequently should your team be trained? (Regular, ongoing training is best.)
• Would your team benefit from a food handler program?
• Would incorporating company-specific information be beneficial?
• Who will deliver the training?

Other training tips include:

• Incorporate visual aids for participants who may be visual learners.
• Include participatory exercises to help make the materials and lessons more memorable.
• Use consistent terminology throughout the program.
• Ensure that managers serve as role models. Employees will emulate their leaders, so they should lead by example.
• Make it known that senior management was involved in the training development process and they expect all employees to embrace and follow the program.

A good food safety training program will be at the core of your food safety culture. The health and safety of your employees and guests depend on the food safety training and education that you provide, so make this a priority no matter how busy you are.

Food Allergy Training Is Slowly Being Mandated Across The U.S.

By Susan Algeo, MPH, CP-FS, Director of Project Management

As I’m sure most of you know, we have seen an increase in food allergies in the United States over the past two decades. The science and theories about why that is happening is a topic for another day. However, the rise in food allergies has had a major impact on restaurants and food service establishments. As we see an increase in food allergies, we need to see an increase in food allergy training. This is happening, slowly, in food service across the country. Over the past few years, more allergy training courses and certifications have been developed, and regulations for training and notifications have been put into place. But more needs to be done to educate and train food service employees around safely and successfully accommodating food allergies.

Susan Algeo, MPH, CP-FS, Director of Project Management at Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc.

Let’s review some basic food allergy statistics. Approximately 15 million people in the United States have food allergies, including 9 million adults and 6 million children. The 8 most common allergies – including milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts – make up 90% of American’s food allergies. Keep in mind, though, there are many other foods that people may be allergic to. In fact, there are over 160 foods that have been identified as an allergen, including some spices. The CDC has found that between 1997 – 2007 there was an 18% increase in allergy rates in children. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include itching, swelling, stomach cramps, vomiting, dizziness, and even death. It is important that food employees get proper training to protect their customers from illness and, potentially, death. Along with concerns about proper procedures for food allergens, we must also protect customers with food intolerances and sensitivities and those with Celiac Disease.

Food service employees need to understand the risks associated with food allergies and ways they can prevent allergic reactions from happening to their customers. Proper training is required to learn about the allergens, how to avoid cross-contact, the importance of labeling, and how to engage in open communication with the customers. With all the things that are happening in a kitchen, food allergy concerns can take a back seat. When front-of-house and back-of-house employees work together, customers can be served safely and it could very well save their lives.

Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCP) in 2004 which applies to labeling foods regulated by the FDA. But labels can only do so much to protect customers that are being served in restaurants and other food service establishments. That is why more ongoing training is necessary for all food service employees.

As of right now, there are five states, and a few counties and cities, across the country that have some type of mandated allergen training for food service. Just as it took for time for food safety manager certification to become standard across the country, so will mandated food allergen training. Massachusetts led the way with passing the Act Relative to Food Allergy Awareness in Restaurants (FAAA) in January 2009. Along with having certified food protection managers take additional allergen training, the law also required allergen awareness posters to be displayed in staff areas and notices on menus for consumers. Rhode Island followed suit, passing a similar law in 2012. Michigan’s regulations came in 2014, requiring the poster and manager training to address food allergies. In 2015, Virginia added allergen training standards to their regulations along with providing food allergy education materials to foodservice employees. Maryland started requiring food allergy awareness posters to be displayed in staff areas in 2016. New York City, NY and St. Paul, MN are two cities that have their own similar allergen awareness requirements. There are more states and jurisdictions that are trying to get regulations passed that will require additional training or some type of customer notification about food allergies.

Although we have seen an increase in food allergy rates, the actual number of people with severe food allergies still remain a small minority of customers (about 4% of the adult population). I believe this is the main reason we haven’t seen more states adopt these new laws to protect those customers. It will take much more time for allergen training and customer notifications to be regulated across the country.

Until the laws meet the protection of consumers, we have to take it upon ourselves to protect our food-allergic guests. Continue to train employees on food allergens, make them aware of the risks of cross-contact, and have discussions with customers to explain how dishes are prepared and any potential allergens in the facility. Having regulations for awareness posters displayed and a certified food protection manager knowledgeable about – and trained around – accommodating food allergies is a step in the right direction, however, restaurants need to continue to work to improve the quality of services for their food allergic customers. By all of us working together, regulators, industry, and consumers, we will be able to make the necessary changes to protect anyone with a food allergy.

Susan Algeo is the Director of Project Management at Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc., where she facilitates food safety training classes, including ServSafe® and NRFSP®, for numerous corporations nationwide. She’s known for making the lessons – and the subject matter – memorable and engaging. An integral part of the Food Safety Training Solutions team, Susan also provides other food safety services, including consulting and more. As a consultant, she helps operators and their teams improve their standards, procedures, and overall commitment to food safety. Additionally, she conducts third-party inspections of customers’ operations to improve their health inspection results.