Ghosts of Procedures Past: Are You Up to Date?

Food safety resources to support continued success in the kitchen.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of doing things the way they’ve “always been done”. When it comes to food safety however, it is vital to check in regularly to review and correct any food safety procedures that may be in place. Failure to do so can lead to illness outbreaks, failed inspections, or worse. Food recalls, newly released information, and updates to previous recommendations can happen at any time, and the best way to prepare for these unexpected challenges is to create a system of checking in. This can be a checklist reviewed monthly, joining alert newsletters from food service authorities (see list below for ideas), or a Monday morning routine of scanning a few key websites as part of opening procedures. There are many ways to establish review procedures, and each operation will find what works best for them. The key takeaway is that there should be some procedure in place

Some food service operations may have quality control or safety managers whose responsibility it is to stay abreast of updates and changes. There are, however, many free resources widely available to assist with anyone looking to ensure their kitchen or operation is up to date with safety standards. Explore the resources below to get started.

Have a resource you’d like to add that isn’t in this list? Join the conversation and post your resource in the comments!

Safe Food Handling with Print & Share PDF (U.S. Food & Drug Administration):
https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling -Safe Cooking & Storage Temperatures-Symptoms of Foodborne Illness
-Safe Food Handling-Cleaning & Sanitation

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts (U.S. Food & Drug Administration): https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts
-Sign up to receive recall and safety alerts -Follow on Twitter @FDArecalls

Food Safety Newsletter (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention): https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/announcements.html

Sample Food Service Manager Self-Inspection Checklist (Department of Health, South Dakota): https://doh.sd.gov/documents/Food/Checklist.pdf

Food Safety Education Month (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention): https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/education-month.html
-Foodborne Illness & Germs: A-Z Index-How to Prevent Food Poisoning
-People at Risk/ Information for Groups-Resource Library

Food Allergen Safety Training for Restaurant Workers & Managers: See Quick Links Section (Food Allergy Research & Education): https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/fare-training/restaurant-workers