The Fourth of July is a popular holiday for entertaining.  Whether you’re hosting a cookout, beach picnic, or poolside fiesta, follow proper food safety precautions to keep the foods – and your guests – safer.  With warm summer temperatures, outdoor entertaining, a buffet style feeding frenzy, and the chaos of potluck parties, your risk for foodborne illnesses is likely to increase significantly.  And, in some cases, such as beach bonfires, there may be a lack of hand washing facilities, making the risks even higher. 

So how do you have your cake (and burger, and potato salad) and eat it safely?  To help prevent foodborne illness during your summer celebrations (and throughout the year), follow these tips:

• Wash your hands.  Wash thoroughly with soap and warm water before handling any food and after handling raw meat, poultry, or eggs.  Also, wash your hands after using the restroom, changing diapers, touching your (germy) cell phones, and touching surfaces that others have touched (such as doorknobs).
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables.

• 

  Cook foods to the required temperatures – ground beef (160 degrees F), pork (145 degrees F), and poultry (165 degrees F).   Check temperatures using a calibrated thermometer.  Don’t use the “it’s cooked when juices run clear” trick.  Always check temps.

• Keep hot foods hot (above 140 degrees F). Use chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays to keep food hot on the buffet table.   
• Keep cold foods cold (below 40 degreesF). Nest serving dishes in bowls of ice, replacing ice often.
• Avoid cross-contamination. Don’t let raw meat products (like raw burgers) come into contact with ready-to-eat foods, i.e. lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, or bread.  Don’t use the same plates and utensils for raw and cooked meat products; meaning don’t carry meat to the grill on a plate and then place the cooked burgers on that same plate without first properly washing it. 
• Don’t let foods sit out for more than two hours. This is especially important when you’re outside on a warm, sunny day. When food sits out in the hot sun for longer than two hours, harmful bacteria multiplies, and the risk for foodborne illness increases.
• Understand that many picnic, potluck and party foods are potentially hazardous, and should be handled with care:
  • Any product that contains proteins – eggs, meat, poultry, tuna, etc.
  • Lunch meats, ham salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, etc.
  • Milk and dairy
• Clean and sanitize using proper protocols and supplies, like Purell® Foodservice Surface Sanitizer, which will effectively disinfect surfaces in 30 seconds when utilizing appropriate disinfection instructions. This is especially important after handling raw proteins on kitchen surfaces (such as countertops). Wash and sanitize your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops after preparing each food item.
• Be aware of food allergies.  Ask in advance if there are any food allergies in your group so you can plan the menu accordingly.  Keep in mind that marinades and sauces may contain many hidden allergens, including nuts. Check the ingredients in prepared foods that you buy for the party (including buns, desserts, potato salad, etc.) Desserts, including ice cream, are high risk for nut allergies. Commercial brands of ice cream are typically made on “shared” equipment. Always read the labels, and then read again before serving to a food-allergic person. When in doubt, do without!
• Recognize that the grill is a COLOSSAL cross-contact risk! Separate the food for the allergic person and use separate utensils, equipment and plates for their meal.  Let the food-allergic guest serve him/herself first in a buffet to prevent possible cross-contact from other guests (e.g., someone using the same serving utensils in multiple containers and potentially transferring an allergen from one dish to another, etc.) 
• Ensure safer leftovers. Discard any perishable foods that have been out on the buffet for two hours or more. Divide leftovers into small portions, place in shallow containers, and refrigerate. Don’t wait too long to consume your leftovers. Refrigerate them for three to four days tops. 
• Understand that alcohol won’t “kill” bacteria.  An important item at July 4^th parties is, of course, the booze.  While many people will enjoy a cold beer, glass of wine or frosty margarita at summer parties, realize that alcohol won’t kill any dangerous bacteria that guests may ingest. People frequently ask if alcohol will “kill” any bacteria that might lead to foodborne illness, and the answer to that is no.  It’s essential to cook, serve and store food safely to avoid foodborne illness.  

Enjoy your time with your family and friends, sunny skies, warm weather, delicious foods – and be sure to keep everyone safe and healthy! 

For information about the author, please click in the byline.

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Day after day, I watch the list of foodborne illness casualties accumulate.  As a food safety expert, I receive a ridiculous number of recall alerts and foodborne illness outbreak notices daily.  And I watch in amazement as the food service industry continues to be in denial about our country’s serious, ongoing food safety problem.  Things won’t get better until the industry admits there is a problem, and takes measureable steps to improve their food safety protocols.

In 2017, there were a total of 438 recalls, with the leading cause being the presence of undeclared allergens and mislabeled products. Nearly half the recalls contained known food allergens (i.e., wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, etc.) that were not listed on the product label – a serious (potentially deadly) issue for food-allergic individuals.  Some misbranded products had serious errors on their labels.  For example, the Food Industry Counsel reported one raw pork product was labeled as ready-to-eat (RTE), when it wasn’t cooked at all.

The second leading cause of recalls in 2017 was due to the possible presence of dangerous pathogens in RTE foods. Listeria monocytogenes was the number one pathogen found in recalled products, including hummus, protein bars, nuts, soup and waffles.

In the U.S., food safety regulators are recalling about twice as many products as they did a decade ago. Frequently, when industry insiders are questioned about the increase in the number of recalls, they cite new technology as a means to discover problems sooner so that action can be take more quickly to remove potentially contaminated or mislabeled foods from the shelves.  

So why aren’t we using these technologies to prevent foodborne illnesses from happening in the first place?  If we have the technology to discover the problems after they occur – when the products are already in the marketplace and sickening or even killing people – certainly we have the technology to prevent these mistakes from occurring? Which leads me to believe poor food safety culture, lack of education, poor training, operational consistency, and margin pressures may be at least partially to blame.

In this country alone, there are 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year from foodborne illnesses – needlessly. Foodborne illnesses are 100 percent preventable. The foodservice industry is in complete denial about the seriousness of this issue, and how widespread the problems have become.

Over the years, I have worked in all areas of the foodservice and food safety industries – academia, regulatory, and the private sector.  I have seen and heard it all.  One major issue is that many food service workers simply disregard basic food safety protocols.  I’ve encountered mystery meat being held in five gallon chemical buckets, I’ve seen a goat being slaughtered in a restaurant kitchen.  I’ve had cockroaches literally raining on my head in a commercial kitchen.  Operators have complained to me about the “stupid” food manager certification exam they didn’t want to take, and a corporate executive told me he didn’t care about the food safety lessons I was teaching:  “my people just need to pass the test”. I’ve watched employees scramble when the health inspector walks in, trying to prevent citations for basic safety violations. I’ve seen restaurant employees change dates on expired product, rather than discard it, to save food costs. Food safety violations happen daily. Many in the business clearly demonstrate that they simply don’t care about this issue.

Many corporations’ leaders are busy worrying about rising costs, increasing competition and other big picture issues, as well as the day-to-day logistics of running their businesses.  Most corporations have had the same food safety plan in place for decades, following the mantra “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  They resist change, fearing that anything new will be too expensive, time-consuming, overwhelming or burdensome. They don’t want to take simple (yet valuable) actions to improve their food safety practices – and keep their guests safer.

While some organizations hire third-party inspectors to conduct inspections quarterly, semi-annually, or annually (which is a good thing!), others opt to bypass these inspections, usually due to cost factors. The irony is that the cost of these inspections is far lower than the costs associated with a food safety breach, which the inspections could have prevented. Frankly, these inspections are critical to finding potential food safety concerns, and preventing problems from becoming liabilities.

I’ve been asked to conduct “announced inspections” on a few occasions. These are pointless in most cases, as stores over-prepare for inspections that they know are coming.  It’s much more productive to have surprise inspections, where the third-party expert can examine what’s happening on a “typical” shift and point out infractions to help the team improve.

Having spent over 20 years in the food service industry, I know there’s a paperwork overload in this business!  For instance, after inspections are finished, the paperwork is left on the manager’s desk and the information dies there. The managers see the inspections as a necessary evil, or as a box being checked.They give it absolutely no thought once the inspection is over.  The paperwork is endless: shift checklists, temperature logs, receiving logs, inventory, waste/shrink logs, etc. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plans must be updated anytime there is a new menu item, new ingredient, new piece of equipment, etc. Many HACCP plans were written years ago, placed in binders, put on shelves, and haven’t been looked at in years.

Technology would help reduce or eliminate foodborne illness incidents and outbreaks, yet the industry is fighting the idea of utilizing these tech tools.  Yes, technology is an investment, but the amount of money it will actually save long-term is mind boggling. Much of the pencil and paper tracking isn’t even taking place – and these companies aren’t thinking about the ramifications of fraudulent company documentation! What happens if someone gets a foodborne illness and copies of your companies shift checks from 14 months ago are requested?  Could you produce them?  Were they even completed? After witnessing the paperwork chaos that occurs in most organizations, I seriously doubt it. 

Another part of my daily vocabulary: diarrhea and vomit. Sick employees can pass along serious illnesses to other employees and guests – and contaminate the food they handle – so they shouldn’t work when exhibiting these symptoms.  And, yet, some managers decide that they’re short-staffed on a hectic shift, and make the unwise decision to let sick employees stay and work.  Sick employees could easily pass along the highly contagious norovirus, which could sicken others, and do major damage to the company’s reputation. 

I love what I do, and I’m very passionate about food safety. I understand the ongoing challenges of managing profitability and being accountable to brand ownership. However, I also understand the food safety vulnerabilities, which the industry seems to be denying. I have serious concerns about our food service industry and their lackluster approach to food safety. Preventative measures such as third-party inspectors, technology, updating your food safety plans, and revamping the corporate food safety culture are an expense but also a worthwhile investment. Don’t wait until you’re the next company in crisis mode to take action.  Start the process now. 

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It seems like edible cannabis is available everywhere these days. Dispensaries are popping up around the country, and people can easily purchase edible marijuana online, including on popular e-retail sites like Etsy and Amazon. It’s available in a variety of forms, including capsules, lollipops, gummy bears, cookies, chocolate bars and brownies. All you have to do is place an order and, in many states, the marijuana can be delivered right to your mailbox, quickly and conveniently.  

Edible marijuana products are being marketed for recreational use, as well as for medicinal purposes, such as treating chronic pain, relieving epilepsy symptoms, improving nausea from chemotherapy, etc. Cannabidiol (CBD) infused edibles seem to be more “socially acceptable” than smoking marijuana because they sidestep some of the stigmas of “smoking weed,” such as the odor. This makes them appealing to a wider audience.  

Since edibles are widely available — even on Amazon — and marketed to improve health conditions, we can assume these products are safe for consumption, right?  Actually, no – they’re not necessarily safe. In fact, there’s no federal regulatory safety standards for edible marijuana products. Most consumers who are purchasing edibles have no idea that this is the case.  It is, quite simply, a “buy at your own risk” market. 

As a food safety expert, this concerns me. People are buying and ingesting consumable products with no regulatory safety standards, which means they could get foodborne illnesses and become extremely ill or even die. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the safety of many foods sold in the United States, they don’t oversee or manage the safety of cannabis edibles.

Because there’s no oversight or regulations, some of the edibles being sold in the U.S. aren’t manufactured from food-grade ingredients. A document from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment recently noted that some cannabis products being sold in the U.S. are coming from unregulated, unsafe and unsanitary manufacturing facilities. Further, some of these edibles contain unapproved ingredients, have been produced in unsafe conditions, and had unsubstantiated health claims on their labels.  

In many cases, the edibles being sold and consumed in the U.S. may: 

• Not have the desired effect that consumers are seeking.
• Be dangerous for consumption, due to inappropriate levels of CBD. 
• Contain ingredients that are not food-grade and are, therefore, unsafe to ingest.
• Be hazardous due to cross-contamination or cross-contact issues.
• Transmit foodborne illnesses due to poor sanitation and hygiene in the facilities where they were produced.

Since these products (and the cannabis industry in general) are not regulated, many in the edibles business have not had even the most basic food safety training. Numerous production facilities overlook the most basic food safety rules: 

• They don’t wash their hands – and may not even have hot water in their facilities.
• They don’t prevent cross-contamination or cross-contact.
• They don’t pay attention to critical items like time and temperature control or proper chemical storage.
• They don’t have clean, sanitized facilities or equipment.
• They have problems with insects, rodents and/or mold in their facilities.

Yet, they are still preparing consumable products and selling them to the public, who believe the edibles are safe.

Would you purchase and consume a product if you knew if had been manufactured in a dirty, rusty, moldy washing machine? Apparently, utilizing a filthy washing machine to produce marijuana edibles isn’t out of the norm. That’s exactly what happened in Advanced Medical Alternatives’ licensed facility in Denver. Their brand, At Home Baked, made a variety of edible cannabis products, including brownie mixes, blondie mixes, Rice Krispie treats, and Stixx candy, all in a rusted, eroding, moldy washing machine.

Fortunately, Denver is one of just a few jurisdictions that conducts inspections on cannabis facilities, and their inspectors caught the problem and issued a recall before any illnesses were reported.   Keep in mind that since there are no federal safety standards around cannabis facilities, it means there are plenty of jurisdictions that aren’t monitoring cannabis facilities or dispensaries for safety or cleanliness.  In many cases, people are unknowingly buying edibles that were manufactured in dirty, unsanitary conditions – and they could get very sick as a result.

Because there’s no federal regulation, lab testing varies among each state that permits the use of medical and recreational marijuana. Unfortunately, that means there aren’t consistent safety standards in the cannabis industry, as there are in the food service industry.  

The U.S. has implemented a national hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plan around the food manufacturing and food service industries. As a result, food businesses will take great strides to only sell food that is safe for consumption, and will not cause injury or illness. As the cannabis industry continues to produce cannabis-infused edibles and other products, people in the business can learn from the existing food safety protocols and procedures.  Particularly, they should look to maintain compliance with food safety regulations and take all necessary steps to ensure a safe product for consumers (e.g., clean facilities, food-grade ingredients, no cross-contamination, proper labeling, etc.)  

Luckily, there are a growing number of CBD producers that are hiring food safety and cannabis experts to help them elevate their safety standards before the FDA starts to regulate. As with all industries, there are many companies that are ready, willing and trying to do the right thing.

As cannabis edibles continue to grow in popularity, it’s becoming increasingly important to buy from reputable companies that follow proper safety protocols. Cannabis companies should heed the same rules as other food businesses adhere to: clean and sanitary facilities, no cross-contamination, holding products at proper temperatures, using food-grade ingredients from reputable sources, etc. Just as you wouldn’t eat dinner at a filthy, pest-infested restaurant, don’t buy cannabis edibles from companies that don’t follow critical food safety procedures.

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I frequently discuss the importance of having a food safety culture with operators of a variety types of companies, and they all tell me the same thing: “my company has a great food safety culture.” But when I ask what that means, their answers are not as confident.

So, how do you build a good food safety culture and make sure your employees embrace it? Understanding the value of food safety is where it begins. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 6 Americans contract a foodborne illness each year.

When food safety policies and procedures are created, correctly implemented, and instilled as part of a business culture, mistakes that can lead to foodborne illnesses are significantly reduced. 

As a result, in addition to boosting food safety, profit increases, employee morale soars, employee turnover is reduced, absenteeism is minimized, and the company’s reputation remains secure. If food safety is neglected, food contamination can cause outbreaks, which not only critically damage a company’s reputation, but can also result in criminal negligence lawsuits and bankruptcy.

A food safety program that works for one organization may not work for another. It is necessary to find what works best for each organization, and then be committed to continuously reviewing the processes, evaluating them based on feedback and measurable results from team members and, when necessary, making changes.

If possible, company leaders should create a food safety team to collect data that can be used to analyze results. Use key performance indicators to study what is happening within your company – this is how you will determine what, where, and when changes need to be made.

Using feedback and data, a culture of food safety can be built on a set of shared values that management and employees follow to produce food in the safest manner. Establishing and maintaining a food safety culture means that management and employees recognize the risks linked with the products or meals they produce, understand why controlling the risks is important, and successfully manage those risks in an evident way.

In an organization with a good food safety culture, employees are expected to enact practices that represent the shared value system and point out where others may fail. By using a variety of tools, consequences and incentives, corporations can show their staff and customers that they are aware of current food safety concerns, that they can learn from others’ mistakes, and that food safety is important within their organization.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were eating at a restaurant that is part of a large organization. I am certain this company would say they have a good food safety culture.  Yet as we were eating in the dining room, I observed the cook eating food and drinking a beverage with her single use gloves on while preparing food for customers. She didn’t wash her hands or change her gloves the entire time we were there!

Such behavior has the potential to cause a foodborne illness outbreak. Clearly, somewhere in the company there was a breakdown in the value system, and this employee wasn’t following proper food safety protocols.

While there are many exceptional operations that have great food safety cultures, I have walked into establishments on many occasions to conduct health inspections or third-party inspections only to see employees and management tripping over each other to fill buckets of sanitizer, put on aprons, date product, etc., because they knew an inspector was in the building.

Building a food safety culture involves activities that go beyond grabbing a broom and sweeping up dirt.

When I see employees scrambling to “catch up” on the food safety protocols because I’m visiting and inspecting their facility, I know – and they know – that they have been neglecting tasks that they should have been doing on a regular basis.  Witnessing them scramble indicates that these people do not take food safety seriously. In a company with a good food safety culture, the standards are the same every day, regardless of whether there is an executive or a health inspector visiting. Because the health of your customers and the reputation of your company are, ultimately, your biggest concerns.

As you are creating and implementing your food safety plan, some important items to remember are:

• make training fun
• lead by example
• explain why
• follow up
• use job aids

Creating a food safety culture takes more than discussing it at an occasional staff meeting or industry conference. It takes commitment by every level of management and staff, every second of every day.  And when you have that level of commitment, employees will be more inclined to take their jobs seriously and less likely to take chances that put the company at risk.

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Food service professionals should work closely with their designer and construction team, and it’s wise to also collaborate with a food safety expert, who can advise on how the work space layout can boost food safety practices. Many of the same considerations are appropriate for those designing and refinishing home kitchens.

Cross-contamination and cross-contact are important factors to consider. Recognize that one design flaw could have life-threatening ramifications. For instance, in restaurant settings, when servers take food to guests, they should never have to walk through the dirty dish area, which increases the contamination risk. Also give careful thought on the placement of your three-compartment sink, to be sure it’s separate from food prep areas.

Think of food safety when planning the space — such as ensuring that floor mixers aren’t placed near wash sinks where dirty water could splash in and contaminate the food. It’s also critical to plan the “smaller details” that could impact food safety — such as not leaving any gaps between counters and walls that could attract grime, insects or rodents, and being certain that you use grout that can be properly cleaned and sanitized.

When planning, designing and building a commercial kitchen:

• Plan the flow. The flow of your prep area should make sense for efficiency, as well as food safety. This will save time, money and reduce risk.
• Purchase equipment that’s easy to clean, with minimal nooks and crannies. This is important for all equipment that you use in your kitchen, including mixers, fryers, ice cream machines and meat slicers.
• Consider even the smallest details — like the amount of tile grout used. The less tile grout, the less risk for chipping. Chipping — and cracks or holes in walls and floors — result in bacteria growth. Always use a non-porous grout material that doesn’t allow bacteria to grow.
• Ensure that your floors have drains so they can be deep cleaned regularly.
• Ensure that your hot water tanks hold a sufficient amount of hot water. If they don’t hold enough hot water to get you through your busiest rush period of washing and sanitizing dishes, you either need to get a booster or a larger hot water tank. Hot water is critical to proper washing and sanitizing dishes, equipment and hands.
• Consider the placement of your sinks. Kitchen sinks must never be in an area where there’s potential for contaminated water to splash on consumables, clean dishes, or anything else it could contaminate. In tight areas, a barrier may need to be installed between the sink and a prep area.
• Install multiple sinks for washing dishes, produce, poultry, hands, etc.

• 

  Designate separate equipment and prep space for allergen-free/gluten-free cooking to safely accommodate your guests with food allergies and intolerances.

• Designate allergy-friendly equipment, such as fryers, that are not used for any common allergens, including breaded products, fish or shellfish, or foods containing nuts.
• Use different shaped or different colored plates to serve allergy-friendly meals.
• Purchase or make your own allergy kits, complete with color-coded chopping boards and pans and utensils, which are kept clean, covered and stored away from flours and other potential allergens. Purple is widely used and recognized to designate allergy-friendly equipment.
• Wash and sanitize allergy equipment and surfaces between each use.
• Make certain areas that are impossible to reach for cleaning are sealed tightly. It is impossible for anyone to clean a quarter-inch gap between a wall and a counter space that the contractor neglected to close. This will eventually become an insect or rodent haven, which is obviously a food safety hazard.
• Design separate storage space for common food allergens such as flours, nuts, etc., to avoid cross-contact with other foods.

The seemingly minor details in a kitchen — such as the kind of grout used — are truly a big deal in terms of keeping guests safer. And bigger issues — such as placement of a three-compartment sink — must be carefully considered at the start of a design project.

While it’s critical, of course, to have a competent design and construction team for your project, don’t overlook the importance of having a food safety expert consult on the project, from concept to implementation. Food safety experts bring a valuable perspective to the table, and can advise on all matters from how kitchen design impacts reduces foodborne illness risks and which ice machines are easiest to clean and keep sanitary. By working collaboratively, your design, construction and food safety expert can maximize your future successes and minimize food safety risks.

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When I was a few years older, my parents owned a small grocery store in a nearby town. I can recall wiping the shelving as I helped restock product. As a teenager, I began my first “real job” as fry girl in a fast food restaurant, which eventually led to me becoming an operating partner.

These jobs – along with some common sense and ongoing education – taught me the ins and outs of the industry. While I was in my own environment, running my own restaurant, I thought the rest of the world operated as I did, meaning – they followed the rules. Upon moving on to the next phase of my career I found out that, sadly, that’s not true….

I eventually became a health inspector, which meant I had access to hundreds of restaurant kitchens. My assumption that everyone operated as I did came to an abrupt end one day as I entered a restaurant kitchen just after they had finished slaughtering a goat – yes a goat. In a restaurant kitchen.

At first, I wasn’t certain what type of creature it was because when I opened the freezer door, all I saw were several small hooved legs strewn about the freezer floor. I immediately shut the door and opened it again, as if I was seeing a mirage. Out of the corner of my eye, I observed a box lined with a trash bag, with another hoof sticking out of the bag. So very carefully I opened the bag and found the remains of several goats. And that was a horrific sight that I couldn’t un-see.

Another time, I was inspecting one of my favorite full service restaurants. With its marble floors, white linens, and great food, I’d been a longtime fan of this establishment. I was actually looking forward to visiting their kitchen because I loved the place and truly enjoyed their food.

But when I visited, I witnessed a disgusting scene. There were too many violations to list. There were numerous temperature violations, and mystery meat in five gallon chemical buckets (!!!) in the walk-in cooler. The cooks were picking crab meat off the leftovers from the guests’ plates to make crab imperial and cream of crab soup – two of my favorite dishes – to serve to other diners! The chilled forks were being cooled directly on three inches of contaminated ice build-up in a dilapidated old freezer.

As I stood, engaged in a heated discussion with the owner about these infractions, a cockroach wandered across the stainless-steel countertop between us. The owner simply smashed it with his hand and knocked it onto the floor. Oddly enough, the owner of this establishment didn’t think that his facility had serious safety violation issues. Not only did I write up these many violations, I haven’t eaten there since. The violations were appalling, and the foodborne illness risks at the facility were monumental.

While inspecting a different full service restaurant, I was standing in the kitchen when I observed a chef take off a pair of single use gloves only to expose another pair underneath – a definite food safety violation! When I questioned him, he explained that the sink was “too far away to keep running over there to wash my hands”. I was stunned. As it turned out, he was wearing five pairs of single use gloves simultaneously. On another visit to this establishment, I witnessed another chef washing his hands while wearing single use gloves, rather than removing them, washing his hands and putting on a clean pair. The potential cross-contamination and cross-contact issues that both of these situations created were numerous. I am certain this “method” wasn’t taught in culinary school. Their instructors would be mortified.

On several occasions, I was called in to conduct inspections because people had seen cockroaches in restaurants. Cockroaches like warm, moist, dark environments. The first place I look is inside a piece of

refrigeration equipment. I’ll remove a panel and look at the fins that cover the coils….BAM! As soon as light hits the filthy little insects, they scatter and I know there’s an infestation. Not my favorite part of the day. I once was involved in a consulting project for a company that had been closed by the health department due to a cockroach infestation. We had to do some heavy fumigating. The infestation was so bad that as the cockroaches started to die, they were coming out of the drop ceiling and landing on our heads. Thank heavens for hoodies! I’d put that experience in the top five worst days I’ve had on the job (along with the day I saw the slaughtered goat!).

Insurance companies will sometimes hire us to conduct food safety inspections on their restaurant clients. During one of these inspections, I found several pallets of refrigerated product sitting right outside of a walk-in cooler – not 3 feet away from the cooler door. The product was well over the recommended temperature (41⁰F) for cold food.

It was the end of summer, incredibly hot and all of the warehouse doors were open, which let in more heat and humidity. When I questioned the supervisor on duty about the food that was being spoiled in the hot warehouse, he explained to me that it was lunchtime and all of the workers had left, but they would put the food away as soon as they returned from their break. It would have taken seconds to pull this pallet of food in the cooler with a forklift! I couldn’t understand why they’d drop the food so close to the cooler, without taking the (very minimal) extra effort to put it inside.

During another inspection, I found a tuna sandwich in a retail display case that was 80⁰F. When I explained to person on duty that this was not acceptable – the tuna would quickly spoil at that temperature – and what the potential ramifications could be, the response I received was, “Well it’s only one sandwich!” I told her that one sandwich could potentially make someone sick or kill them if they ate it. So, it’s OK if you only kill one person today?

I could continue with numerous other examples, but the point I want to make is this: if you are in any way responsible for someone else’s food, you are responsible for their life and that should be taken seriously. One life (and one rotten tuna sandwich) or thousands of lives (as they eat food from pallets that have been sitting out for hours in a steaming hot warehouse) is irrelevant…ask anyone who’s lost a loved one due to a foodborne illness. And, it doesn’t matter if you’re working in a convenience store or a fine dining restaurant – you have human lives in your hands. Be responsible and follow proper food safety protocol.

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Now, I’m not going to profess tremendous knowledge about football, but I do know food. I love food — and the food at Super Bowl parties is to die for — well, let’s hope not.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest food consumption day of the year in the U.S., ranking behind only Thanksgiving. After all, what’s the big game without nachos, chili, dip and chicken wings?

Menus nationwide vary widely: guacamole, crab dip, blue cheese dip, hummus, raw veggies, meat trays, chicken wings, nachos, chili, meatballs, and shrimp. But all of these game favorites have a common denominator. They’re all time temperature control foods (TCS), meaning they must be kept at the proper temperature to remain safe to consume. In other words, you can’t keep these items out on a buffet table all day without using warming units to keep hot foods hot or bowls of ice to keep cold foods, like shrimp cocktail, cold.

Here are a few tips to keep you and your guests safe and healthy on game day.

Keep it clean
Wash your hands with soap and warm water of at least 100 degrees for a minimum of 20 seconds before preparing, eating or handling food — especially after passing the bacteria-ridden remote control, after using the bathroom and touching pets.

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.

Rinse all produce under running water. Fruits and vegetables with firm skins should be rubbed by hand or scrubbed with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing.

Hot stuff
Use a food thermometer to test your tidbits, like chicken wings and ground beef dishes, and any other meat or microwaved dishes on your menu.

Make sure chicken wings and any other poultry dishes reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F and ground beef dishes reach 160 degrees F.

Separate for safety
Divide cooked food into shallow containers and store in a refrigerator or freezer until the party begins. This encourages rapid, even cooling.

Hold hot foods at 140 degrees F or warmer. Use chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays to keep food hot on the buffet table.

Maintain cold foods, like salsa and guacamole, at 40 degrees F or colder. Use small service trays or nest serving dishes in bowls of ice, replacing ice often.

Track the time
Follow recommended microwave cooking and standing times. Realize that cold spots — areas that are not completely cooked—can harbor bacteria.

Always follow directions for the “standing time,” the extra minutes that food should stand in the microwave with the door closed to complete the cooking process. Then check the internal temperature with a food thermometer.

Toss any perishable foods that have been out at room temperature for two hours or more.

Avoid cross-contamination
Recognize that cross-contamination is a common factor in the cause of foodborne illness. If you place raw chicken on a board, and then chop vegetables on that same board, you risk cross-contamination, spreading bacteria from the raw poultry onto the vegetables. Proper cooking of the contaminated food in most cases will reduce or eliminate the chances of a foodborne illness from it, but vegetables served raw after chopping will retain bacteria from the surface of an unwashed cutting board straight to your guests mouthes.

Offer guests serving utensils and small plates to discourage them from eating directly from the bowls with dips and salsa.

If your guests have food allergies or sensitivities
Create a separate workspace or area in your kitchen to prepare allergen-free food. Make certain you clean and sanitize all work surfaces and equipment.

Avoid cross-contact, which occurs when an allergen is inadvertently transferred from a food containing an allergen to a food that does not contain the allergen — such as chopping peanuts on a board and then chopping vegetables on that same board. The vegetables have come into contact with the peanuts, which could trigger an allergic reaction in a guest with peanut allergies if they eat those veggies. Cooking does not reduce or eliminate the risk of cross-contact.

Don’t use the same oil for french fries that you use for breaded products, fish or foods containing nuts.

Beware of hidden ingredients. Did you know that dips and dressings can contain nut oils or other hidden allergens? Barbecue sauce commonly contains nuts, wheat and soy. And, Worcestershire sauce can contain anchovies. Always read the labels, and then read again before serving to an allergic person. When in doubt, do without! Desserts, especially ice cream are high risk for nut allergies. Commercial brands of ice cream are typically made on “shared” equipment.

Serve allergen-free foods on different-shaped or different-colored plates so they can be easily identified by guests.

Many hand lotions contain common allergens such as tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy; therefore they should not be kept in the kitchen or worn while preparing food.

Ensure safer leftovers
Discard any perishable foods on the buffet for two hours or more.

Divide leftovers into smaller portions or pieces, place in shallow containers, and refrigerate.

Don’t wait too long to consume your leftovers. Refrigerate them for three to four days tops. Freeze the leftovers if you won’t be eating them sooner.

Nice try, no sale
Another important item at a Super Bowl party is, of course, the beer.  While many people will enjoy a cold beer or two during the game, realize that alcohol won’t kill any dangerous bacteria that your guests may ingest. People frequently ask me about this. The answer is simply “no.”

Have fun at your Super Bowl party with your family and friends, enjoying the game — and the snacks. I’ll be attending a Super Bowl party for the camaraderie, the food and the commercials — and to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy.

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Norovirus is a huge threat within the hospitality industry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of norovirus outbreaks occur in foodservice settings, and 70 percent of infected workers cause 70 percent of those outbreaks. Several recent studies indicate that people work in foodservice industry jobs even when they’re sick.

Infected food workers often cause – and spread – norovirus outbreaks, typically because they’ve touched ready-to-eat foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, with their germ-infested bare hands before serving them. Or they touch other items that have been contaminated, such as cell phones, utensils, doorknobs, etc., and spread the disease to others through this contact. Often, stool or vomit particles have caused the contamination. An individual only needs to ingest few of those particles, as few as 18 is enough, to get sick.

Additionally, norovirus outbreaks can occur from foods, such as oysters, fruits, and vegetables, which were contaminated at their source. It’s important to note that any raw or cooked food can get contaminated with norovirus.

In the past year, there were multiple norovirus outbreaks at restaurants, on cruise ships, at schools, and even at the Republican National Convention. Last December, dozens of students at Boston College contracted norovirus, according to the city’s health commission. Officials believe the Boston outbreak was linked to a Chipotle restaurant near campus. Charlotte-Mecklenburg school was closed in February due to a norovirus outbreak. In July, norovirus struck the Republican National Convention when an infected individual made the trip from California to Ohio and spread the disease throughout the close quarters of the convention. Even the Disney Cruise Line‘s Wonder ship suffered a norovirus outbreak this year after a nearly perfect CDC inspection score. It can happen anywhere, so foodservice professionals must remain vigilant about constantly and consistently implementing food safety protocols.

Food safety is a critical issue for the entire foodservice industry, including restaurants, schools, colleges, contract services, convenience stores, hotels, manufacturing and production facilities, medical facilities, retirement homes, retail locations, etc. Bottom line – if you grow, sell, serve, or make food in any capacity, you must be vigilant about food safety. Training employees and following proper protocols are essential to keep consumers safe.

Ongoing employee training and food safety education are important. Be sure that all employees understand food safety basics such as don’t cross-contaminate, clean and sanitize, wash hands properly and regularly, etc.  The Food Code is updated every four years with supplemental updates in between. This means employees must stay up to date on potential changes to food service policies and procedures.

While a certified food safety training program is essential, it’s only one piece of a strong food safety environment. A food safety culture must be created from the top down. Corporate executives should be seen washing their hands when they visit their facilities, not just in the restrooms but in the kitchens as well.  Everyone – including the leadership team – should be following proper food safety protocols, and modeling the importance of this behavior. The bottom line is don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk.

As I conduct food safety inspections nationwide, I’m amazed at the number of cell phones I find lying about kitchens and food prep areas. Statistically speaking, 1 in 6 cell phones have traces of poop on them – which is more bacteria than the flush handle of a toilet! So as an employee is prepping salads while simultaneously texting their BFF, the salad ingredients are becoming contaminated with whatever is on their cell phone. YUCK!

While there are policies that state that everyone must wash their hands after using the restroom – and that cell phones are not to be used in food prep areas – people break these rules all the time.  The average person doesn’t realize how easy it is to spread norovirus and may get complacent about the rules. When employees take their cell phones into the bathroom and either hold them while using the facilities or put them down on the dirty bathroom floor while they “go,” the phone can easily get contaminated with traces of feces or vomit, which can be spread to foods and other surfaces.

The example I frequently use in food safety classes to demonstrate how norovirus spreads through the workplace: everyone at work is healthy and then someone comes down with “the stomach flu” aka vomiting and diarrhea. Before you know it, everyone in the workplace is vomiting and has diarrhea because that person either didn’t wash their hands after using the restroom or didn’t wash them properly.

All of the team members touch the same door handles, telephones, calculators, cash drawers, etc., spreading the germs throughout the facility. This virus spreads widely and rapidly, so one person’s poor hygiene can make everyone else sick.  I can tell you firsthand that contracting norovirus is one of the most miserable experiences ever! No one wants to spend time in the bathroom with explosive diarrhea and projectile vomiting, I can assure you.

The best way to prevent norovirus is through proper hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and warm water, then use single use towels to dry them — especially after using the restroom, and always before eating, preparing, or handling food. Noroviruses can be found in your stool even before you start feeling sick, and the virus can stay in your stool for two weeks, or more, after you feel better.

There’s no substitute for good old-fashioned handwashing. Case in point: the CDC and FDA have opposed the antiviral claims on hand sanitizer products due to concern around the physical presence of soil during some norovirus outbreaks.  For this reason, hand sanitizer should only be used as an additional precaution, just like wearing single use gloves. Employees should be instructed to properly wash their hands with soap and water at regular intervals, before touching food, after using the restroom, between glove changes, etc.

Typically, we think of norovirus as being an illness that involves vomiting and diarrhea, and in most cases this is true. However, in some situations, the ramifications are much more severe. A norovirus infection can become quite serious in children, the elderly and immune-compromised individuals. Sometimes severe dehydration, malnutrition, and even death can result from a norovirus infection.

If someone in the foodservice industry is diagnosed with norovirus in the U.S., it must be reported to the local regulatory authority and the required protocols must be taken. The 2013 FDA Food Code states that food employees that are “symptomatic with vomiting or diarrhea or symptomatic with vomiting or diarrhea and diagnosed with an infection from norovirus” shall be excluded from working in a food establishment – period. The exception to this is when the symptoms are from a noninfectious condition. And, food employees that are diagnosed with an infection from norovirus and asymptomatic must be “excluded from food establishments that serve a highly susceptible population.”

Establishments that do not serve a highly susceptible population may restrict the food employee’s activities so that there is no risk of transmitting the disease through food, and the employee does not work with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, or unwrapped single-service or single-use articles.

If a team member has been excluded or restricted from work, according to the 2013 FDA Food Code, they may not return to their regular food service duties until they receive approval from the regulatory authority and provide written medical documentation from a health practitioner to the person in charge, stating that the food service employee is free of a norovirus infection.

Chipotle’s food safety crisis is fading from memories, but their troubles are far from over.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into Chipotle’s 2015 norovirus outbreak, and the restaurant chain is facing more negative repercussions from that incident.

Everyone in the food service industry should be taking all precautions to avoid foodborne illnesses.  Whether you grow, manufacture, sell, prepare or otherwise handle food that’s consumed by the public, you have an obligation to make certain that food is safe. Period.

Foodborne illness outbreaks can sicken (or kill) your customers, and can cause irrevocable damage to your company’s reputation.  As if those repercussions weren’t bad enough, the stakes for your business are even higher: foodborne illnesses are resulting in criminal investigations, tremendous fines, and even prison time for corporate executives.  Food safety is a very serious issue, and you should treat it as such.

About the author: Francine L. Shaw is president of Food Safety Training Solutions Inc., which offers a roster of services, including food safety training, food safety inspections, norovirus policies for employees, norovirus clean-up procedures, responsible alcohol service training, and more. Francine has been featured as a food safety expert in numerous media outlets, including the Dr. Oz Show, the Huffington Post and Food Management Magazine.

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