Ask any restaurant owner what their top five concerns related to the operation of their business is and you’ll most likely hear food safety come up as one of those items. So why is food safety so important? The obvious answer is; so the customers don’t get sick. While that is one of the main reasons that food safety is so important but making sure health inspector visits go smoothly is also toward the top of the list. Food safety may seem like an overwhelming task, but with these eight easy suggestions you’ll quickly be on the right path:

1. Store cooked and ready-to-eat foods above raw food

2. Prepare food in batches

3. Replace or sanitize buffet utensils every 1/2 hour

4. Never thaw at room temperature

5. Use products such as blast chillers and cooling paddles to cool food, not freezers and refrigerators

6. Create a daily cleaning and maintenance checklist and schedule

7. Have frequent employee training sessions on food safety

8. Ask your foodservice equipment and supply dealer for help. Many dealers have received formal training on food safety. They can provide cost-effective products that support a HACCP program as well as valuable information on constantly changing safety rules and regulations

If you have additional questions regarding food safety, feel free to contact us via phone at 800-797-3788 or click the picture of the customer service representative at the top left corner of each page of the site to launch a live chat.