When patrons walk in your door for a meal, they are placing their trust in you. Your patrons are relying on you to serve them food which is safe and prepared in a clean kitchen. You might have heard of some of the restaurants in Australia which are paying massive settlements to customers who were sickened; and in one case, killed by the food they were served at these establishments.
So, how can you know that your kitchen is safe? Even one mistake leading to an outbreak of illness can permanently tarnish your establishment's reputation and affect finances due to damage claims. Many times these are simple mistakes that could easily have been avoided.
Salmonella is most often the culprit in cases of food borne illness. Salmonella causes vomiting, dehydration, stomach cramps and diarrhoea in victims. Salmonella can usually be traced to food cooked at low temperatures and poor food sanitation practices.
In 2004 the Sofia Pizza Restaurant infected at least 33 people with salmonella and in 2003 Footscray restaurant Thanh Phu faced a class action suit from 135 people. Situations such as these could cost thousands and shouldn't be shrugged off as something that will "never happen to me". Prevention should be a priority for all restaurant owners.
There are strict regulations in place in Victoria, Australia regarding the requirements food served to the public must meet. There are different authorities with whom you must register, depending on what sort of food your business serves. Standards for the import and export of foodstuffs also exist.
The FSP or Food Safety Program spells out the requirements which food service businesses must meet in order to ensure that their kitchens are hygienic and the food they serve safe for public consumption. Measuring devices must be calibrated annually and tested semi-annually. Logs must be kept which detail the time that frozen foods have been thawed so that use-by dates can be established at a glance. Logs must also contain the temperature of delivery vehicles and delivery packages and note when foods must be discard if not used.
The FSP stipulates that fines be levied if the regulations are not adhered to. The regulations apply not just to restaurants, but also to food stores and even stands which serve food.
There are many food safety regulations in place. It is vitally important that your business adhere to them; your reputation and your finances are both at stake. There are training programs available to ensure that all of your staff are aware of the regulations. This will help your business to avoid making a mistake with food safety and potentially save your business a lot of money.
So, how can you know that your kitchen is safe? Even one mistake leading to an outbreak of illness can permanently tarnish your establishment's reputation and affect finances due to damage claims. Many times these are simple mistakes that could easily have been avoided.
Salmonella is most often the culprit in cases of food borne illness. Salmonella causes vomiting, dehydration, stomach cramps and diarrhoea in victims. Salmonella can usually be traced to food cooked at low temperatures and poor food sanitation practices.
In 2004 the Sofia Pizza Restaurant infected at least 33 people with salmonella and in 2003 Footscray restaurant Thanh Phu faced a class action suit from 135 people. Situations such as these could cost thousands and shouldn't be shrugged off as something that will "never happen to me". Prevention should be a priority for all restaurant owners.
There are strict regulations in place in Victoria, Australia regarding the requirements food served to the public must meet. There are different authorities with whom you must register, depending on what sort of food your business serves. Standards for the import and export of foodstuffs also exist.
The FSP or Food Safety Program spells out the requirements which food service businesses must meet in order to ensure that their kitchens are hygienic and the food they serve safe for public consumption. Measuring devices must be calibrated annually and tested semi-annually. Logs must be kept which detail the time that frozen foods have been thawed so that use-by dates can be established at a glance. Logs must also contain the temperature of delivery vehicles and delivery packages and note when foods must be discard if not used.
The FSP stipulates that fines be levied if the regulations are not adhered to. The regulations apply not just to restaurants, but also to food stores and even stands which serve food.
There are many food safety regulations in place. It is vitally important that your business adhere to them; your reputation and your finances are both at stake. There are training programs available to ensure that all of your staff are aware of the regulations. This will help your business to avoid making a mistake with food safety and potentially save your business a lot of money.
About the Author:
About the author: Malcolm J. Richmond shares futher details regarding food safety on his website where you can read practical advice to improve your kitchen's level of food hygiene.
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