How can you maintain food safety and sanitation in a restaurant?

1 Know the food safety regulations

The first step to maintaining food safety and sanitation is to know the rules and regulations that apply to your restaurant. Depending on your location, you may need to follow federal, state, or local laws and guidelines that specify how to store, prepare, cook, serve, and dispose of food. You should also be familiar with the food safety inspection process and the criteria that inspectors use to evaluate your restaurant. You can find more information about food safety regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), or your local health department.

2 Follow the four steps of food safety

The second step to maintaining food safety and sanitation is to follow the four basic steps of food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill. These steps are designed to prevent cross-contamination, kill harmful bacteria, and preserve food quality. To start, wash your hands, utensils, equipment, and surfaces with soap and water before and after handling food. Use a sanitizing solution or a dishwasher to disinfect them. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before cutting or peeling them. Additionally, keep raw and cooked foods separate at all times. Use different cutting boards, knives, and containers for different types of food. Store raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs in sealed packages or containers and place them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or freezer to avoid dripping juices. When cooking, use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of cooked foods and make sure they reach the safe minimum temperature recommended by the USDA. Furthermore, refrigerate or freeze perishable foods within two hours of purchasing or preparing them. Do not leave foods at room temperature for more than two hours or one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, under cold water, or in the microwave, not on the counter. Lastly, divide large portions of food into smaller containers to speed up cooling.

4 Implement a food safety plan

The fourth step to maintaining food safety and sanitation is to implement a food safety plan for your restaurant. This written document outlines how to identify and control the hazards that can affect the safety of food, such as biological, chemical, or physical hazards. To do this, you must identify the points in your process where you can apply measures to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the hazards to an acceptable level. Additionally, you must establish the minimum or maximum values for factors such as temperature, time, pH, or moisture that indicate whether a critical control point is under control or not. Furthermore, you must specify how to monitor and record the critical limits at each critical control point, what to do if a critical limit is not met or if a problem occurs that affects the safety of your food, and how to verify that your food safety plan is working effectively. Lastly, keep records of your hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification procedures.

5 Review and update your food safety practices

The fifth step to maintaining food safety and sanitation is to review and update your food safety practices regularly. You should conduct self-audits, inspections, and tests to evaluate your food safety performance and identify any areas for improvement. You should also seek feedback from your customers, staff, and suppliers on the quality and safety of your food. You should update your food safety plan and procedures whenever you make changes to your menu, equipment, suppliers, or staff. You should also stay informed of the latest food safety trends, research, and regulations and adapt your practices accordingly.

6 Seek professional guidance and certification

The sixth step to maintaining food safety and sanitation is to seek professional guidance and certification from reputable sources. You can consult with food safety experts, consultants, or trainers who can help you design, implement, and improve your food safety plan and practices. You can also enroll in food safety courses, workshops, or online programs that can teach you the skills and knowledge you need to handle food safely and sanely. You can also obtain food safety certification from accredited organizations that can demonstrate your commitment and competence to food safety and sanitation. Some examples of food safety certification programs are ServSafe, National Restaurant Association, and Food Safety Manager Certification.