While cooking foods to the proper temperature can kill bacteria in many foods, rice requires some extra caution. If it isn’t refrigerated very soon after cooking – within two hours – Bacillus cereus spores can multiply fast and sicken a guest. (Even uncooked rice may contain Bacillus spores that are activated by cooking.) Prevent the rapid growth of bacteria in cooked dried foods like rice, pasta, beans and other legumes by keeping them out of the temperature danger zone (40-140˚F) after they are cooked and discarding leftovers within three days. Keep this in mind when you’re more likely to leave rice or other cooked dried foods out – such as when you’re holding them for integration into other recipes or packaging them as a guest’s leftovers or takeout.
Eggs are on the rise. Last year, USDA forecasts indicated that Americans were on track to eat about 279 eggs annually per person – more than they have consumed in about 50 years. Amid the push to provide consumers with satisfying proteins that are not meat, your restaurant may be among the many operations adding eggs to everything from burgers to pizza. In the process, however, make sure you’re taking precautions to prevent Salmonella. The FDA estimates that Salmonella-contaminated eggs cause 79,000 cases of foodborne illness and 30 deaths per year. To help prevent contamination, the FDA advises kitchen workers to wash hands, equipment, utensils and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after they touch raw eggs and other foods containing them. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Dishes containing eggs should be cooked to a temperature of 160˚F. Finally, if you prepare recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs, look for eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella through in-shell pasteurization.
When Chipotle made headlines recently for reports that its workplace practices and employee incentive programs were setting the stage for food safety risks at certain New York locations, it came as a surprise to many: In recent months, the brand has been held up as a standard-setter for food safety following its food safety overhaul, which included hiring a new food safety director and introducing such detailed steps as having two employees confirm that produce including onions, jalapeños and avocados have been immersed in hot water for five seconds to kill germs on their peels, the New York Times reported. However, a report by Delish said 47 current and former Chipotle employees came forward and reported that the brand’s pay bonus incentive program is coming at the expense of cleanliness audits and food safety – and that the restaurant is a “highly pressurized environment” for workers. How does your restaurant motivate employees to uphold your food safety practices? Creating a set time for food safety reminders each day can help reinforce your commitment to your food safety culture – and finding some light-hearted ways to do it can help too. The National Restaurant Association’s Mick Miklos told Foodservice Director that operators can set the right example by starting shifts with a food safety pop quiz for staff, for example, then rewarding the top scorers with their preferred shifts or gift cards.
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