The Threats to Food Safety in Restaurants
In a restaurant, when dishes are being sent out of the kitchen one after the other, it is possible that the kitchen staff let down their guard when it comes to proper food safety procedures. Here are some of the most common and greatest threats to food safety that may occur in a restaurant kitchen.
Incorrect Cooking Temperatures
Food being cooked at the wrong temperature or not being cooked long enough is the biggest cause of foodborne diseases. Cooking is the only way to kill off bacteria in raw foods. Chefs can sometimes forget to use thermometers because they believe they have enough experience or are in a rush to get the food out to customers.
Using Dirty Equipment and UtensilsÂ
While this may seem like an easily avoidable mistake, the equipment and utensils used to prepare and serve food are often contaminated. Being clean is not the same as being free from contamination. Kitchen staff may not take proper care to ensure that everything is free from contamination when they are in a rush.
Poor Staff Hygiene and Health
Sometimes kitchen staff is working in close contact with customers’ food even if they have the flu or a cough. This is a big cause for the spread of foodborne illnesses. Sometimes, staff may not wear hairnets or wash their hands between different foods.
These threats to food safety are avoidable with proper training and enforcement of rules. Rush hour at the restaurant is no reason for forgetting the basics of food safety. The way to eliminate these food safety threats is to ensure that all kitchen staff has proper food safety and handling training.
If you are looking to enroll your employees in a food safety supervisor course in Melbourne, get in touch with today Australian Institute of Accreditation today.
