One-sixth of Americans fall victim to a foodborne illness each year. It's important for food service businesses to stay vigilant in order to keep their customers healthy.
So, if you're starting a new food company, what do you need to do?
Read on to find out about the top food safety tips you need when you're starting a company.
1. Follow the Food Safety Laws
When you're managing a new food service business, there will be rules in place you need to follow. These rules can differ based on your state and city.
Look up the rules for your area, and ensure that your new business is compliant. That way, you won't run into any trouble when the health inspector starts looking around.
2. Keep Things Clean
As much as possible, you want to ensure that you're keeping your business clean and tidy. That means that you should be adhering to specific sanitation measures.
All surfaces should be wiped and sterilized regularly, and all floors should be mopped on a daily basis.
This is especially important for a new business. If your business isn't clean, it's bound to pop up in your reviews. This will inevitably turn potential customers off.
3. Use Proper Food Storage Techniques
It's also important to store your food properly. Some food can only be stored at certain temperatures for so long. Make sure your food is properly refrigerated, and that the refrigerators and freezers are working properly.
These techniques are also important if your new business focuses on food manufacturing. You need to ensure that all food is properly stored throughout the manufacturing process. Make sure your food is packaged before it's shipped, and that correct temperatures are maintained while shipping.
4. Train Your Staff
It's almost impossible to maintain good food hygiene procedures if your staff doesn't know what they are or understand the policies they need to adhere to.
You should have mandatory training sessions with your staff as they are hired. You should also have regular refresher sessions to keep their information up to date.
You can also require your employees to get food safety certification. This will help to ensure that everyone knows what they're doing when it comes to food safety.
Food safety training also extends to personal hygiene. Any staff who handles food should have their hair properly secured, and they should be washing their hands regularly. This helps prevent illnesses from spreading.
5. Pest Control
Another important aspect of food safety is pest control. You don't want mice or roaches crawling around your business.
You'll also need to ensure you choose a method of pest control that's safe for humans. Some pesticides can cause health problems, which won't make your business any safer.
Food Safety Tips: Now You Know
There's a lot that goes into food safety - but hopefully, these food safety tips will help you start out right.
Do you need food safety training? We can help you out. Contact us about food safety training ASAP.