Managing a restaurant kitchen is so much more than overseeing the staff and placing food orders. All of the equipment, systems, and services in a commercial kitchen require routine maintenance. Not only does this include daily cleaning your cooking appliances and work surfaces, it may also mean scheduling a professional deep clean of ventilation hoods […]

Germs have been around since the dawn of time — but only in the past few hundred years has humankind begun to be aware of them. In the 1800s, doctors wouldn’t wash their hands between performing autopsies and life-saving surgeries. They didn’t understand the microscopic world that is invisible to the naked eye. Today, we […]

Tex-Mex food is everywhere — although if you’re like me, you may not recognize it by name. When I was growing up, I simply thought of Tex-Mex as “Americanized” Mexican food. What is “Tex Mex”? The name “Tex Mex,” or Tex-Mex, is a combination of two words: Texan and Mexican. As the name suggests, Tex-Mex […]

What is HACCP? HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A HACCP plan is developed by a food establishment manager and implemented by food workers to control for potential hazards in food. By using a HACCP plan, you can help your customers avoid dangerous food hazards and fully enjoy their meals. To learn […]

Every region of the world is known for its specific brand of cuisine or cooking specialty and the United States is no exception, being known for its flavorful barbecue. Within the United States every region has its own distinct brand of barbecue, and nowhere is this more true than in Texas. While many states may […]

Microwaves are essential to all kitchens, from thawing meat for elegant meal prep to reheating those divine breadsticks you always get to go when leaving Olive Garden. If your family is like mine, when returning home from evening activities, there’s a race from the door to the refrigerator to determine who gets to heat their […]

Food waste is a common problem in many households and food establishments. In fact, about 133 billion pounds of food go to waste each year in the United States! So what can you do to help reduce the food you waste? Follow these guidelines to help you reduce waste—and save time and money—in both your […]

Recently, our food safety scientists received a question about what types of food need to be kept cold. You may already know that it’s important to refrigerate certain foods to help prevent pathogen growth. But how do you know what does and doesn’t need to go in the fridge? Here are a few guidelines that […]

Recently, our food safety scientists received the following question: What is the best guidance to assess microbial testing on varying food products to ensure food safety and quality? Each year, 600 million people around the world are sickened by contaminated food. To combat foodborne illness, the FDA sets standards for the food supply in the […]

Have you heard of this intimidating bacteria? Most people have heard of the disease it can cause—botulism. Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic bacteria, meaning that it thrives best in an oxygen-deprived environment. In addition to this, the bacteria can produce spores, which can survive until the conditions are ideal for bacterial growth. The bacteria produce […]