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Monday, August 29, 2011

After the Storm: Food Safety

Hurricane Irene recently went through my area and although it did not affect me at all, it is always good to be prepared. I found the following article and thought it had some great tips on keeping your cold foods cold during a power outage:

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/weather/hurricane/storm-ready-after-the-storm-food-safety

Friday, August 19, 2011

Hand Washing, simple but overlooked

Hand washing is one of those things that everyone should know how to do, but most people either do not know how to properly do it or they neglect to do it properly (if at all). Many foodborne illnesses can be prevented by implementing a proper handwashing system. Since humans are considered the highest threat to food safety, we need to make sure that we are washing our hands frequently.

What is the proper way to wash your hands?
Step 1: Make sure that the water is at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Wet hands.
Step 2: Apply soap (you want enough soap to create a good lather)
Step 3: Scrub for 10-15 seconds.
Step 4: Dry your hands with a Single Use Paper Towel or a hand dryer

These rules are based on the national ServSafe certification. A few extra rules to consider:
-Sanitizer is NOT required. If it is used, it must be FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved. If it is used, hands must be washed first -- NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR HANDWASHING.
-Never use a common towel
-The whole process of handwashing should take 20 seconds.

5 things every handwashing sink needs:
-Hot water (100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
-Soap
-Single Use towels (or hand dryer)
-Trash Can
-Sign informing employees to wash hands


When to wash your hands:
This information comes directly from FoodSafety.gov
  • Before eating food.
  • Before, during, and after preparing food.
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound.
  • Before and after caring for someone who is sick.
  • After handling uncooked eggs, or raw meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices.
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • After touching an animal or animal waste.
  • After touching garbage.
  • After using the toilet.

This video has some great information:

Note that he says that you should carry a hand sanitizer with you. This is good for personal use, but if you are serving food to someone else it is essential that you wash your hands.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Ice is Food


One of the things that is overlooked in food service is ice. Working at Dunkin Donuts, I am required to use a lot of ice (iced coffee during the summer especially). I took an online training course, which taught me how to clean an ice machine. If you are using an ice machine, it is essential that cleaning is maintained. This should be added to the Master Sanitation Schedule. Bacterial growth in an ice machine can lead to people being infected with Listeria.



A few things to consider:
-Keep in mind that "Ice is Food."

-Never use glass to scoop ice, as glass can break easily. It may be hard to find the transparent glass in a pile of ice.

-Always ensure that ice is made from potable water

-Use a separate cooler for food and drinks




Read an interesting article here: http://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/packaged_ice.html





Food Safety Concerns

I had the privilege recently to take a free ServSafe class. I have been working in the food service industry for about 6 years now and taking this class has opened my eyes to many food safety concerns that I had previously overlooked. ServSafe built me to be paranoid and thus build me into a food safety machine. In order to keep this information fresh, I am going to blog about various food safety issues. These issues can benefit readers who would like to learn more about how to keep food safe. Those of you who are taking the ServSafe certification class may also benefit by reading this information, although it may be redundant.

I had a long conversation about food safety and quality with my friend Al Niles. Al creates fantastic sandwiches at his shop WAN Convenience. (Check out a review of his sandwiches at Phantom Gourmet, and a menu here). Al and I spoke for nearly an hour about how to keep food safe and why it is important. Although Al takes a long time to make each of his subs, he does ensure that they are cooked thoroughly. He talked to me about using fresh vegetables for each of his subs. He talked to me about preparing chicken and seafood salad. We talked about preventing cross-contamination. Talking with him inspired me to create this blog and hopefully have more food safety discussions and learn more about creating great tasting food that is safe to eat!


Just in case that facebook link didn't work, I'd like to post the menu that it provided
WAN Convenience menu:
Reuben- corned beef, melted Swiss, sauerkraut, Rissian dressing on marble rye bread
Niam- honey smoked turkey, banana peppers, onions, mayo, and special spices on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Balboa- barbeque pork, sauteed veggies, and barbeque sauce on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Bizzy Bone- chicken salad, bacon, and honey mustard on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
The 139- corned beef, cole slaw, and Russian dressing on a French baguette
Bob Marley- honey smoked turkey, bacon, honey mustard and mayo on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Jessica Alba- smoked turkey, Russian dressing, cranberry sauce, and Swiss cheese on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Jerry Springer- Genoa salami, turkey, provolone, onions, banana peppers, and Italian seasoning on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Hero- salami, roast beef, corned beef, ham, mayo, and secret seasonings on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Three Way- roast beef, turkey, and chicken salad on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Bal-more- turkey breast, melted cheese, banana peppers, mayo, and spices on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Richard Prior- roast beef, turkey, Swiss, mayo, and rach on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Healthy Mission Hill- veggies and cheese on a French baguette
Orgasm- roast pork, roast beef, sauteed veggies, honey mustard, and melted cheese on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Debbie Experience- seafood salad and a hint of Russian dressing on a bed of lettuce ona butter-toasted French baguette
Nina Caliente- buffalo chicken, spices, sauteed veggies, and a choice of BBQ sauce or bleu cheese on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette (spicy!!)
Witch Doctor- prime rib, pesto, spices, and sauteed veggies on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
Turkey Madness- turkey, sauteed veggies, honey mustard, and mayo on a bed of lettuce and tomato on a French baguette
The Hush- shh, it's a secret!

As I do live in Boston, from time to time I may talk about some restaurants that I like to eat at. If you live in Boston, or you visit Boston at some point, I would recommend checking out some of
these locations!

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