UPDATE:  09/12/17

SMF Training now offers a free employee illness training for your use.  The training takes approximately 10 minutes and briefly explains what foodborne illness is, the causes, symptoms, why it is important to report illness to management, prevention, proper glove use and hand-washing, reportable symptoms and explanation of the form.   Link for the training can be found on our website MarylandFoodHandler.com

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Do you have a sick worker policy?

Many restaurants do not have a policy that complies with the FDA recommendations. The majority of foodbourne illness comes from the transfer of feces to food due to poor personal hygiene. Feces of ill workers are a serious and high level risk in your facility.

According to a study performed by Environmental Health Services ¹ Almost 70% of managers could remember a time they had worked when sick and one in ten said they had symptoms of foodbourne illness.

Prevention:

• Educate managers and staff about when to restrict employees from working with or around food and when to exclude the employee. If you need assistance on this topic please contact me, I would be happy to answer any questions.
• Teach proper handwashing techniques.
• Avoid bare hand contact with food.
• Teach proper glove use.

Training & Education:

Create an environment where your employees feel comfortable reporting illness. An employee should never be reminded of lost wages, job security or made to feel guilty about under-staffing.  A valued and responsible employee will not abuse the illness rules just to get out of work.

Proper training and education of what illness must be reported is paramount in protecting your facility from a possible outbreak caused from employee illness.

We have put together a free poster for you to print and  display.  The poster describes what illnesses need to be reported.  The link for the poster is here.

In addition to the poster we have linked the FDA recommended Employee Illness forms that should be maintained in the employee file. Form 1-A Conditional Employee or Food Employee interview. Provide this form to employee AFTER job has been offered. You can not ask potential employees to complete this form. Also have employee read and sign form 1B Conditional employee or food employee agreement. This states that the employee will report illness to you and is evidence that you have informed employee of their obligation.

The FDA forms can be found here

Be food safe my friends!

Sue Farace, CP-FS

I hope you found the information in the previous 2 segments useful.  We will now take that information and help you create a plan that will provide a seamless and less stressful order process for your customer and allow your staff to provide honest answers that are accurate.

STEP  1: Identify the staff members to serve as your go-to-people and one person to serve as the Allergen Manager. You should have one go-to-person available for every shift.

STEP 2: The Allergen Manager should identify all foods in facility that contain common food allergens. This includes;

• checking labels of pre-made items like frozen items,
• check labels of all commercially processed foods like powdered creamers or drink mixes,
• review all recipes or meet with Chef to go over each menu item.

STEP 3: The Allergen Manager should meet with Chef and walk through procedures for the preparation of each item. Begin identifying items that may be cross contaminated through;

• Deep fryers,
• breading or batter,
• steamers,
• close contact with air borne particles. (pizza dough maker for instance could also be a problem for gluten)

STEP 4: Create Spreadsheet

Create a spreadsheet listing menu items on the left and 8 allergens across the top. Now in each box put an X if that menu item contains or potentially contains the allergen. Use this chart when assisting customers.

STEP 5: Train ALL staff, including go-to-people, waitstaff & kitchen staff.

Review all preventions we discussed in part 2 of this article

All staff should be familiar with the following;

• Proper procedures to clean and sanitize equipment, utensils and other food contact surfaces using new wash water and sanitizer,
• How to prepare an allergen kit. Use a different colored cutting board and tools,
• How to avoid cross contamination of products during storage by following good food safety procedures
• Understand the importance of following all recipes exactly and not making any deviations without prior permission.
• Chef must understand the importance of notifying Allergen Manager about changes to the menu, procedures or new sub-ingredients.
• Waitstaff must understand they need to utilize the go-to-person on duty when someone mentions an allergen.

Although this may take some time and  effort to properly implement, it will create a better experience for the customer and help avoid potential law suits. If you need assistance creating your plan we are here to help.

Contact Sue at 410-382-4325 for a free consultation. 

What should a restaurant do to prevent problems?

As with every part of your food safety management system, prevention is the best method. Informing employees of potential problems starts the conversation of prevention. Many jurisdictions require an allergen poster to be posted in an area that employees can readily see. Here is a link for a poster you can download: http://marylandfoodhandler.com/pdf/foodallergposter140206.pdf although this does not replace an Allergen Safety Plan (ASP) it provides valuable information to staff.

Processes and procedures vary from establishment to establishment  and the plan your facility creates could be vastly different from another facility. Please note we are not discussing manufacturing and labeling requirements here. These are recommendations for restaurants that provide on-demand food service.

Have a go-to-person

Having a go-to-person or special menu is an essential part of your ASP. A go-to-person would be someone that has been trained in processes and procedures of the kitchen, familiar with the 8 common food allergens (see previous post), can demonstrate knowledge about allergens, and has time to discuss safe options with the customer. As an alternative many larger restaurant chains have opted to create a menu designed specifically for someone with allergens. However, this takes a lot of resources and may limit chefs from making seasonal changes to the menu. Most small to medium restaurants opt for a go-to-person.

The go-to-person and Chef need to have a good working relationship. When the Chef changes any process or procedures they must notify the go-to-person of these changes so they can discuss whether it affects any menu items. In addition to processes and procedures, the go-to-person must check all ingredient labels and all the sub-ingredients used in a dish. It is easy to identify common allergens on labels. The eight common food allergens must be listed separately under the ingredients with a clear “contains: “ statement.  Not all foods are what your think they are. Did you know there are milk proteins in many hot dogs and soy in most prebreaded items?

Cross contamination is also very important to understand. In food safety we think of cross contamination as the act of pathogens being transferred from one surface to another. However, when creating your ASP you have to look a little deeper. For instance, it is perfectly acceptable to use one deep fryers for all products. There are no food safety concerns. Remember though with allergens it is the protein that causes the negative reaction and proteins can survive in cooking oil temperatures. So, by simply cooking fried shrimp in the same deep fryer that you cook french fries in those fries could cause a reaction in someone allergic to crustacean shellfish, even if they are not cooked at the same time. Does this mean that you can’t cook french fries and shrimp in the same grease? No. It just means that the go-to-person must be aware that this is the procedure. The same result could also occur if using the same egg wash, breading or batter for fish and crustacean shellfish. These are two different allergens.

Cross contamination could also occur during storage. General food safety procedures require that all products should be stored separately and different utensils should be used for each ingredient. This is very important when working with the eight common food allergens. The go-to-person should make observations of the kitchen staff on a regular basis to make sure they are following proper procedures.

When an order is placed by the customer, with the assistance of the go-to-person, the order should be flagged that it is for someone with an allergy and what food they are allergic to. This alerts the kitchen staff that they need to go into allergy mode. Gloves should be removed and hands must be washed. All surfaces that the order will come in contact with must also be cleaned and sanitized before proceeding. This includes equipment as well. It may not be reasonable to clean certain equipment in the middle of a rush, a flat top for example. So this is something also that needs to be addressed with the go-to-person in advance. Okay, so the order is in the kitchen and all surfaces are cleaned and sanitized, however, wouldn’t it add a extra layer of protection to have an allergy kit. In this kit could be a knife, cutting board, utensils, etc…anything necessary to prepare an order. This equipment must be properly cleaned and sanitized in advance and stored in a separate tote allowing kitchen staff to create the order with minimal interruption.

Now that the order is complete it is recommended that the go-to-person carry allergen order to table to avoid any cross contamination with other dishes carried by server. Remember, never use a multi use wiping cloth to clean sides of plates, use a single use towel for each dish. Also, train staff to never thumb plates when serving.

In the next segment we will provide you with a check list to assist you in the creation of your ASP.

Do you have an allergen safety program?

If not your are putting your consumers and your business at risk.  In this three part series we will discuss what allergens are, what restaurants  are required to do and what good practices should be followed by all staff members and help you create an allergen safety plan for your facility.

During my food safety training classes we discuss the topic of allergens. Often I hear stories from food handlers who just didn’t believe the customer was really allergic to the food.  They believed that the customer was just saying they were allergic to get special foods prepared for them. This is a BAD and DANGEROUS attitude to have in the culinary world. Food handlers need to take every order presented to them as if the customer has the most serious off allergies. 

What is a food allergy?

An allergic reaction occurs when your bodies immune system negatively reacts to the proteins in certain foods. A  food allergy can be very dangerous. There are also some individuals that also have food sensitivity or food intolerance. Although they can be disruptive and cause mild symptoms they are not nearly as dangerous. 

A typical allergic reaction can cause symptoms ranging from upset stomach and mild rash to swelling, difficulty breathing and in some cases possibly death. Restaurant staff need to take customers seriously when they state they have an allergy and know what to do to protect the customer.

The FDA identified 8 foods that cause 90% of reactions in humans, they are as follows:

• Eggs
• Dairy
• Wheat
• Soybeans
• Fish
• Crustacean Shellfish including crab, shrimp & lobster ¹
• Peanuts
• Tree Nuts 2

When someone enters your restaurant and states they are allergic to an ingredient on the list of eight the staff should be trained to get the go-to-person.  But what happens when someone states they are allergic to something not on the list of eight? Be honest! Now is not time for guessing. Unless you have access to all the ingredients and ingredient labels in all the sub-ingredients used to make the product, know all the processes and procedures for that product  you must state that you just don’t know and offer another option.

What about the chefs secret and very special sauce and the chef is off today? There are no secrets when it comes to food allergies. You don’t need to disclose the entire ingredient list but at minimum allergens must be disclosed to “go-to-person”.

Understanding what causes the allergic reaction is just the start. Your facility should have a plan in place for how to handle allergens. Imagine your busiest time and staff is maxed out and moving at a speed most people don’t even understand. Now a question is thrown at the cook about a particular dish. Is he/she really able to process the question and give a safe answer? NO. In the reverse can the average waitstaff handle questions? Are they knowledgeable about ingredients used in sauces, marinades or binders? NO. Having a plan already in place should be a priority for every facility. In tomorrows installment of this series we will discuss what a restaurant is required to do, explain the go-to-persons responsibilities and understand cross contamination that could occur.

If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to ask question on our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/MarylandFoodHandler

1 – this does NOT include Molluscan Shellfish like oysters, clams and scallops

2 – Common or usual name of treenuts; Almond, Beech nut,Brazil nut, Butternut, Cashew, Chestnut, Chinquapin, Coconut, Filbert/hazelnut , Ginko nut, Hickory nut, Lichee nut, Macadamia nut/Bush nut, Pecan, Pine nut/Pinon nut, Pistachio and Walnut ( English, Persian, Black, Japanese, California), Heartnut Butternut 

Most if not all major restaurant chains participate in third party inspections on a regular basis.  Why?  Accountability of staff and desire to strive to be the best.

The owner or stockholder must stay informed if they are going to protect their investment.  Costly mistakes in the kitchen can include loss of product or worse a facility outbreak.  A third party inspection provides the owner with a view of how the food handlers are complying with the food safety system in place.  They understand the need for continual improvement and how that translates positively on the bottom line.

I often hear complaints from independent restaurant owners about how hard it is to compete with the big chains and franchises.  I completely understand.  Chains have an advantage.  They have programs in place that provide for a consistent product, on going food safety training, regular maintenance and more.  This allows them a competitive edge.  Lets face it.  Consumers like consistency.

An independent business owner with one or two locations can now compete with the big boys.  It is difficult with all of the other responsibilities of ownership to watch over the kitchen and keep up with new trends in food safety and current regulations.  A third party inspection can arm the owner with the same information as a big chain and give you a competitive edge.    We can inspect your facility, provide a detailed scored report and an action plan for correcting violations and make recommendations to help your facility operate at top compliance.   The best news is we can do this for a very affordable price.  Our first inspection is $195 and provides a complete report.  Depending on the size of your facility and frequency of inspection we will provide you with a quote for future inspections.  There is no obligation beyond the first inspection.

We are confident that as a business owner you will find value in the inspection.  You can contact Susan Farace, CP-FS directly at 410-382-4325 or call the office at 410-687-1015.

Susan Farace, CP-FS is certified as a Certified Professional of Food Safety by the National Environmental Health Association and a Certified Food Safety Trainer by NEHA and ServSafe.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Susan Farace, SMF Training & Consulting, 410-687-1015

Susan Farace Earns Certified Professional of Food Safety Distinction

Essex, MD October 8, 2014 Susan Farace, owner of SMF Training & Consulting has earned a Certification of Registration as a Certified Professional of Food Safety (CP-FS) from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA). This prestigious certification demonstrates Susan’s continued growth as an expert in the food safety industry. NEHA describes the CP-FS certification as the “prestigious credential [that] integrates food microbiology, HACCP Principles and Regulatory Requirements”.

Susan, a Baltimore native, owns and operates SMF Training & Consulting in Essex, MD. She has been an instructor for the nationally recognized ServSafe® program for the past 5 years and has training thousands of students in the Baltimore / Washington area. The CP-FS certification demonstrates that Susan is qualified to complete third party food safety audits.

For more information about Susan or SMF Training & Consulting, please visit www.SueFarace.com or call Sue directly at 410-687-1015.

SMF Training & Consulting

617 K Stemmers Run Rd

Essex MD 21221

410-687-1015

www.suefarace.com

Okay, maybe I am a little behind on this post.  Since I am not the cook at Thanksgiving the cranberry sauce I am served normally comes from a can.  The other day while looking in the refrigerator for sides to go with my roasted chicken I found a bag of cranberries I purchased for Christmas and forgot to use.  The only thing I have ever used fresh cranberries for is table decorations, they are beautiful in a glass vase with a tea candle floating on top.  But I digress, I don’t want to waste the little berries, and I do love cranberry anything.  The wheels started moving and making my first batch of Cranberry Sauce began.

The ingredients that I choose came from what I had on hand as it was a cold snowy day in the east and I was not going out for more.  After searching a few recipes, most calling for sugar only and orange juice, I came up with what I would use from what I had on hand.

Here is my list of ingredients:

Cranberries float when fresh

• 1 bag cranberries (rinse in water and discard any berries that do not float)
• 1/4 cup clover honey
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• zest from one lemon
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup lingonberry juice (not concentrated but made to directions)

Put everything in a pot and bring to boil then turn down to a hard simmer.  Cooking time is about 10 minutes but refer to the pictures below and you will see when it is done.

After cooked place in a heat safe bowl and cool until able to be refrigerated.  Remember never place anything in the refrigerator over 70 degrees, it will increase the temperature of your unit and food inside.  You can use an ice bath too quickly cool down hot foods.

Just starting to cook, a lot of foaming and cranberries are popping open

Cooking almost done, notice foaming is almost gone

Sauce is finished, almost no foaming

If you have never heard of Lingonberry Juice you can purchase from IKEA, it is comparable to cranberries.  Being Scandinavian myself I have been enjoying Lingonberry Juice for a while, but now even Dr. Oz  has noticed the little red berries.

Lingonberry concentrate from IKEA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 3, 2013 – Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon is voluntarily expanding its October 22, 2013 recall of refrigerated ready-to-eat products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria is an organism which can cause serious and sometime fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and individuals with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may suffer only short term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant woman.

The recalled refrigerated ready-to-eat products were distributed nationwide and Canada.

The product is sold in retail and food service establishments. The packages will be marked with a Use-by-Date or Best By Date and followed by a plant identifier code of 20. Products affected by this recall are listed below.

There are no confirmed illnesses associated with these products.

The recalled products were manufactured at the Topeka, KS salad manufacturing facility. No other Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. manufacturing facilities are involved in this recall.

Consumers who purchased the product may take it back to the store for a refund or discard it.

For more information please contact Reser’s Fine Foods Consumer Hotline 1-888-257-7913 (8am-10pm EST) or visit the FDA website: www.fda.gov.

www.resers.com

We have been having a lot of fun and education over on our Facebook page.  Our series on the #4keys to #foodsafety is moving along and we are now talking cleaning and sanitizing.  Our Facebook contests have expanded to Twitter and the weekly prizes keep getting better and better.  THEN….

We are watching the news and they are talking about the Salmonella Recall for Chicken from Foster Farms.  They show a person washing chicken under a steady stream of running water then placing it in baking dish that is 2-3 feet away…the chicken dripping all over the counter and possibly the floor.  There was no mention of cooking the chicken to 165 using a food thermometer for checking temperature.

First off, please do not wash chicken. You take the risk of spreading any bacteria that is present to other surfaces in your kitchen.  If you open package and smell an odor return it.  Fresh chicken should not smell.  Second, get a food grade stemmed thermometer and make sure that your chicken is cooked to 165 degrees.  Salmonella will be killed at this temperature.  Third practice your #4keys, clean and sanitize all surfaces that could have come in contact with the raw chicken juices and wash hands before and after handling raw poultry.

Be food safe!!

Now back to the fun…check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MarylandFoodHandler for our most recent contest…