What to Expect While We're Inspecting

What to Expect While We're Inspecting

As a 25-year veteran of public health, I have experienced several iterations of the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code. Based on the FDA Model Food Code, state regulations change due to newly-discovered scientific evidence and are influenced by the input of industry, regulators and academia.

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Recent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in the News

Recent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in the News

Romaine lettuce. Tahini. Raw meat. Pre-cut melon. These were just some of the foods that made the news in 2018 as part of a record high number of foodborne illness outbreaks. While foodborne illness outbreaks typically peak in the summer, 2018 was perceived to be higher than in recent years. What caused this perception?

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What Can Cruise Lines Teach the Restaurant Industry?

What Can Cruise Lines Teach the Restaurant Industry?

There’s a common misconception about cruise lines that has plagued the industry for years. “The cruise-ship virus” – or Norovirus, as it’s known on land – is most commonly associated with illness outbreaks on cruises. But what does all this have to do with restaurants? Don’t worry – we’re getting there…

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The Best Defense Against Norovirus is a Good Response Plan

The Best Defense Against Norovirus is a Good Response Plan

Recent changes to the U.S. food codes call for the inclusion of a written plan to address body fluid spills. Yet, not all response plans are the same, making it important for you to have a proper plan for bodily fluid accident clean-up. The following response plan outlines a recommended defense against unplanned accidents and spills involving body fluids like vomit, blood and diarrhea.

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Avoiding Cross-Contamination: It’s All About the Details.

Avoiding Cross-Contamination: It’s All About the Details.

It’s common knowledge in the foodservice industry that cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, along with proper hand hygiene practices, is one of the best ways to prevent cross-contamination of germs in restaurants. But just because things look clean doesn’t mean they are – kitchen equipment, storage areas, countertops and even cutting boards can hide germs and food soils even after they’ve been cleaned and sanitized. And that’s bad news for your food safety program.

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What Poses the Highest Risk for Foodborne Illness?

What Poses the Highest Risk for Foodborne Illness?

As a restaurant owner/operator, food safety is paramount to your business. You have processes and procedures in place to help ensure your restaurant does not fall victim to a foodborne illness outbreak. Yet, do you know what factors pose the highest risk for foodborne illness, and, are therefore, of top concern to restaurant inspectors?

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Could Antibiotic Resistance Impact Your Restaurant?

Could Antibiotic Resistance Impact Your Restaurant?

Did you know the CDC estimates that more than 400,000 people in the United States will become ill with infections caused by antibiotic-resistant foodborne bacteria every year?  In fact, studies have shown that resistant bacteria can contaminate food from animals, and in turn, cause infections in humans.

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Bringing You Food Safety Trends and Information in the New Year!

Bringing You Food Safety Trends and Information in the New Year!

We're committed to the continued delivery of timely and relevant information on food safety best practices and insights on foodborne illnesses, and look forward to providing more of the latest topics and trends impacting the foodservice industry throughout 2018.

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