Every restaurant and catering owner should read this. The arrival of summer signifies the most productive season for many restaurants and catering businesses. Thousands of vacationers flock to Florida in search of sun, beach, entertainment, and the taste of Latin music and food.
This wonderful opportunity to make a profit can turn into bankruptcy if timely measures are not taken to prevent food poisoning among customers. Summer is also the time when the occurrence of salmonella and norovirus, germs present in improperly handled food, skyrockets, leading to severe illnesses.
Each year in the US, around 48 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses, with 128,000 requiring hospitalization, and unfortunately, about 3,000 deaths occur, according to CDC data.
To prevent outbreaks of food poisoning in your business, it is important to:
- Cleanliness
Germs are the primary cause of food poisoning and can survive and spread under suitable conditions. Those handling food should wash their hands with soap before and after preparing them, especially after handling meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, flour, and salads. Utensils and work surfaces, such as cutting boards or kitchen tables, should be thoroughly cleaned with detergent after each use. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be washed before serving or being used as raw ingredients for juices. - Avoid cross-contamination
Beef, chicken, fish, or seafood release their own juices or blood. They should always be handled and refrigerated separately to prevent their juices from mixing with each other or with other foods. Restaurants should have separate cutting boards for meats, vegetables, and bread. - Cook at the proper temperature
Food should be cooked in a way that heat kills the germs. Meat should reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (F), chicken should reach 160 degrees F, and turkey should reach 155 degrees F. - Refrigeration
Cold temperatures are one of the main enemies of bacterial growth. Bacteria tend to multiply at room temperature. Pathogenic microorganisms reproduce between 40 and 140 degrees F. Therefore, refrigerators should operate below 40 degrees F, and freezers should be set below 0 degrees F. Perishable foods, such as beef, chicken, or seafood, should maintain the cold chain during the purchasing, transportation, and storage process. Necessary measures should be taken to ensure their temperature never exceeds 36 degrees Fahrenheit. - Staff
Personnel handling food should be well-trained and should not work while being sick, having a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. - Insurance
You should have proper commercial BOP (Business Owner’s Policy) insurance that covers all the risks of your business, including food contamination, and protects you in case any governmental authority orders the closure of your business for this reason, as well as from potential lawsuits filed by intoxicated customers.
Call Univista Insurance and request the cheapest commercial insurance in all of Florida. Every restaurant and catering owner should read this.
Call us today for a complete assessment! 305-728-2088. You can also get a free quote here.
