Keeping food safe should be one of your highest priorities as a food handler. One of the easiest ways to keep food safe is to clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces. But how often should they be cleaned? Although it’s a good idea to clean and sanitize equipment and utensils whenever you switch tasks, you must clean and sanitize between certain tasks.  1. Between raw animal […]

Finding approved food suppliers is crucial to food safety. To be an approved supplier, manufacturers must prove that they are keeping food safe. This could include testing for certain microbes, storing food in a safe, secure place, and checking the temperature of TCS foods. Following these guidelines can help reduce risk factors for foodborne illness and help aid in recalls if the need arises.  What are the CDC’s […]

Body art can be a fun way for people to express their individuality. It comes in many different forms: tattoos, piercings, brands, and more. But getting body art comes with a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens — although professional body artists will take every precaution to avoid it. As a body artist, you also […]

While many diseases are transmitted from person to person, there are some illnesses that can use food as a vehicle. These are called foodborne illnesses. Because the CDC estimates that nearly 48 million Americans are sickened by foodborne illnesses each year, it’s important to take them seriously and know what to do when you or an employee is ill. The FDA has identified certain illnesses, along with their common symptoms, that […]

Food allergies are extremely common in the United States. In fact, FARE estimates that every three minutes someone is sent to the emergency room due to a food allergy reaction. Some allergic reactions can result in anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. To prevent a customer at your establishment from having an allergic reaction to their […]

Ready-to-eat foods are exactly what they sound like: foods that are ready to eat as they are. Apples, muffins, and salads are all ready-to-eat foods because they can be eaten without any more cooking or preparation. Since ready-to-eat foods aren’t cooked, they’re more vulnerable to dangerous foodborne pathogens. If pathogens transfer to ready-to-eat food, they […]

Have you thought about how many germs are on your hands? You’d be surprised at how easily your hands become contaminated and contribute to foodborne illnesses. In fact, 9 out of 10 foodborne illness outbreaks can be traced back to contaminated hands from food workers. The best way to combat that? Proper hand washing! When […]

Cooking food at home can be a great way to save money and control what you eat. However, this means you are now in charge of making sure bacteria and viruses don’t spread on the food you will soon be eating. If you don’t cook food at the correct temperature, you can become seriously ill. […]

In 2013 and 2014, the FDA collected data on behaviors in restaurants that often lead to food safety problems. Investigators found that about 40% of all fast-food restaurants were not cleaning and sanitizing properly. And just over 60% of full-service restaurants also had problems with cleaning and sanitizing. That means about half of all restaurants that […]