Food Safety Guidelines

Last updated on 3/15/2023

Food safety guidelines are put in place to keep customers safe and prevent
the risk of a foodborne illness outbreak. Any operation that serves food should
establish protocols that meet the legal requirements for safe food handling. In
this guide, we'll outline the most important aspects of food safety to help you
build an effective program for your business and pass your next health
inspection.

Click below to learn about important food safety programs:

1. Personal Hygiene
2. Proper Food Handling
3. Cleaning and Sanitizing
4. Pest Control
5. Purchase from Approved Suppliers
6. Food Safety Training

Food Safety Guidelines for Restaurants

We’ll cover the most important aspects of a successful food safety program so
you can prevent a foodborne illness outbreak and keep your guests safe.

1. Personal Hygiene
Poor hygiene is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, but an
outbreak can be prevented by establishing policies and following up with your
staff regularly. Keep the following factors in mind when you create a hygiene
program:

Handwashing
Washing hands takes mere minutes, and it’s a crucial step in preventing the
spread of germs that cause foodborne illness. A foodservice handler who
forgets to wash their hands one time could potentially contaminate food.
That’s why it’s important to install handwashing sinks in proper locations and
keep them stocked with plenty of hand soap and paper towels. Train your staff
on the correct way to wash their hands and post reminders at each hand
sink.

Hygiene Practices
 Personal cleanliness plays a major role in food safety. Soiled uniforms, aprons,
and even uncovered hair can become a source of contamination. A good
hygiene policy should cover the following practices:

 Hair Restraints - Food handlers should wear clean hats or hair

restraints (including beard restraints)
 Clean Work Uniforms - All uniforms and aprons should be laundered. Soiled
uniforms and aprons should be stored away from food prep areas.
 Jewelry - Jewelry should be removed before handling food because it can
harbor germs or accidentally fall into food. A plain wedding band is
acceptable.
 Eating and Drinking - Employees should never eat or drink near food and
food prep areas. Beverages should be placed in a cup secured with a lid and
straw. Staff members should handle the beverage carefully and keep it away
from food, utensils, and equipment.

Staff Illnesses
Any time an employee becomes ill, it poses a safety risk for your guests and
staff. Take the proper precautions with any sickness, but be on the lookout for
certain pathogens that are notorious for spreading foodborne illness in
foodservice environments. Employees should notify a manager if they have
contracted an illness from the following pathogens:

 Norovirus - very contagious and often spread through hand-to-food contact

 Shigella spp. - often spread by unwashed hands or contaminated water
 Nontyphoidal Salmonella - commonly linked to poultry, eggs, meat, and
dairy
 E. coli - commonly linked to undercooked ground beef
 Hepatitis A - handwashing is the best defense because this pathogen is not
destroyed by cooking
 Salmonella Typhi - commonly linked to ready-to-eat food

Handwashing and cooking foods to the correct internal temperature are two
of the best defenses against these pathogens. Staff members experiencing
 vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice should be excluded from working in your
operation until they receive a written release from a doctor.

Disposable Glove Use

Wearing single-use gloves is an effective precaution but only when done
properly. Hands must be washed before putting on gloves, and gloves should
be changed at the appropriate times. Post reminders for your staff so they
know when to change single-use gloves:

 After handling raw meat

 Before touching ready-to-eat food
 When gloves become dirty or torn
 Before starting a new task
 After 4 hours of continuous use

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2. Proper Food Handling

Proper food handling starts when you receive a food shipment and continues
until the food is served to your guests. Every step along the way requires strict
controls and continuous monitoring. Foods that require special handling are
called TCS foods (time-temperature control for safety). These foods provide a
more hospitable environment for pathogens to grow, especially at certain
temperatures. Throughout all the steps below, TCS food should be kept out of
the temperature danger zone, the range from 41 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Receiving and Handling

Train your kitchen staff to be food-safe at all times throughout receiving,
prepping, and cooking.
 Receiving - Inspect your food shipments carefully and check temperatures. All
TCS foods should be received at the right temperature and stored
immediately. Frozen foods should be frozen solid on arrival. Ice crystals and
water stains on the packaging are signs that the food may have thawed during
transport. Reject any foods that do not meet temperature requirements or
appear to have been time-temperature abused.
 Cross Contamination - Germs can be spread by hands, but also by
contaminated foods, tools, and equipment. When raw foods like uncooked
chicken come into contact with prep surfaces, pathogens can be left behind to
contaminate other foods. Prevent cross-contamination by keeping foods
separated, using color-coded kitchen tools, and cleaning and sanitizing
equipment after use.
 Cooking Food Correctly - Cooking foods to the correct internal temperatures
is an important safeguard against the spread of pathogens. Some pathogens
are spread by unwashed hands, and some may already be present in foods like
eggs and beef. To destroy these germs, foods need to be cooked to a safe
minimum temperature and tested with a clean, reliable thermometer.

Holding and Storage

Foods should be kept at safe temperatures throughout holding and storage.

 Food Holding - Food holding is the practice of cooking foods ahead of time
and holding them at a certain temperature. A soup that is made in the
morning and stored in a soup warmer is being "hot-held". If the temperature
of the soup falls in the danger zone, pathogens can grow to harmful levels.
Any foods that are hot-held or cold-held must be kept at safe temperatures
and monitored periodically to make sure they do not enter the temperature
danger zone.
 Proper Cooling - Foods can also enter the temperature danger zone when
they are not cooled correctly. If hot dishes are prepared ahead of time and
placed into cold storage to be reheated later, they must be cooled using a
two-step process. Food must be cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70
degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours. Then cooled from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to
41 degrees Fahrenheit within 4 hours. This prevents the foods from lingering
too long in the temperature danger zone.
 Food Storage - The method you use to store foods affects food safety. Always
think first in, first out (FIFO) when putting foods away in storage. Push newer
foods to the back of the shelf, and keep the older foods in the front so they
get used first. TCS foods should be placed on cold storage shelves in a certain
order to prevent liquids from dripping on the foods below and causing a
contamination issue. The correct storage order from top-to-bottom is ready-
to-eat foods, seafood, whole cuts of beef and pork, ground meat and fish, and
whole or ground poultry.

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3. Cleaning and Sanitizing

It's a common misconception that cleaning and sanitizing are the same
thing. They are two different methods, but both are crucial steps to
maintaining a food-safe kitchen. Cleaning removes dirt and debris from a
surface while sanitizing reduces pathogens on a surface.

How to Clean and Sanitize Food Contact Surfaces

Surfaces that don't come into contact with food only need to be cleaned and
rinsed. But food-contact surfaces like prep tables, tools, and equipment must
be cleaned and sanitized. Follow these steps to clean and sanitize correctly:

1. Wipe the surface to remove any crumbs or food particles

2. Wash the surface with an approved food-safe cleaning solution
3. Rinse the surface with clean water
 4. Sanitize the surface with an approved sanitizing solution mix to the right
concentration
5. Let the surface air dry

To keep food-contact surfaces free of pathogens, cleaning and sanitizing must

be performed at the appropriate times. Train your staff to sanitize surfaces
when they complete a task or start prepping a different food. They should also
stop and sanitize if they are interrupted in their task and after using the same
surface for 4 continuous hours.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Equipment

Kitchen equipment is more challenging to clean and sanitize than a smooth
surface like a prep table because there are moving parts. For the best
sanitizing method, refer to the manual for each specific type of equipment.
Follow our guidelines below for general equipment sanitizing:

1. Make sure the equipment is powered off and unplugged

2. Disassemble any removable parts
3. Wash all parts by hand or run through the dishwasher
4. Clean any food debris from equipment surfaces
5. Wash the equipment with an approved cleaner, rinse, then sanitize
6. Let parts and equipment air dry before reassembling

Dishwashing Guidelines
What other items in your restaurant come into contact with food? You'll need
to establish a dishwashing program for all the cookware, utensils, and
tableware you use daily. Flatware, dinnerware, and glassware can be run
through a dishwasher, but larger items like cooking pots and pans must be
cleaned and sanitized manually in a three-compartment sink.

 High Temp Dishwashers - These dishwashers use hot water to clean and
sanitize dishes. To be effective at destroying germs, the water in the
dishwasher must reach a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit in the final
rinse.
 Chemical Dishwashers - Unlike a high-temp machine, a chemical dishwasher
relies on chemical sanitizers to eliminate pathogens.
 Three-Compartment Sinks - It's possible to clean and sanitize manually in a
three-compartment sink, but only if the steps are performed correctly. Refer to
our three-compartment sink guide to learn the best way to use this method.

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4. Pest Control

No one wants to think about pests invading their restaurant. Unfortunately,

ongoing prevention is required to keep your business pest-free. Unwanted
critters can damage your facility, but the biggest threat from pests is their
potential to spread diseases and foodborne illness. To create a successful pest
control program for your restaurant, there are three components to keep in
mind: deny access, deny food and shelter, and work with a licensed pest
control professional. Learn how to enforce these pest control tips below:

Deny Access
Denying access to pests means preventing them from gaining entry to your
building in the first place. Check all food deliveries carefully for potential
hitchhikers and reject shipments with any signs of pest activity. Inspect your
building to find any openings where pests can enter. Seal off cracks, install
door sweeps, and keep windows and vents screened off. Use air
curtains above doorways with outdoor access to deter airborne pests from
entering.

Deny Food and Shelter

Remove the temptation that attracts pests to your building. Take out garbage
periodically throughout the day, keep trash containers clean, and make sure
dumpsters are closed securely. Any spills, crumbs, and food debris should be
cleaned up immediately. It's crucial to clean beneath equipment and never
leave food attractants out overnight when pests are more active. This includes
the dining room and front-of-house! Always clean out crumb-catchers and
sweep beneath booths and tables.

Work with a Licensed Pest Control Professional

If you've tried denying pests entry, food, and shelter but somehow they have
found a way in, it's time to call a professional. Don't wait! As soon as you see
any signs of a pest infestation, no matter how small, find a licensed pest
control technician immediately. Do not attempt to set traps or put out poison
yourself. A pest control professional will know exactly what to look for and
how to handle each pest in the safest, most effective way.

5. Purchase from Approved Suppliers

You can do everything right and follow all the food safety guidelines available,
but if the source of your food isn't reputable, you have a big problem on your
hands. This is especially true for ready-to-eat foods like produce that don't get
the benefit of high-heat cooking to destroy pathogens. Lettuce can become
contaminated by agricultural run-off and absorb tainted water into the leaves.
This type of contamination can't be removed by washing because the germs
are inside the produce. This is why outbreaks from contaminated romaine
lettuce have frequently made the headlines. The only way to prevent this type
of occurrence is to buy produce (and all other foods) from an approved
supplier.

So what exactly is an approved supplier, and how do you find one? Here are
some tips:
 Never buy from roadside vendors, farmer's markets, or local farmers unless
they are approved commercial suppliers.
 Choose a commercial supplier that meets the requirements of local, state, and
federal laws.
 A reputable supplier should be able to provide inspection reports that cover
all practices from receiving to staff training.
 Be especially picky when choosing suppliers of TCS foods.
 Even with a supplier you trust, you should still inspect every shipment carefully
and reject anything suspicious.

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6. Training and Monitoring

 Once you've outlined a food safety program, you'll need to establish standard
operating procedures to support your goals. Strict monitoring is required and
your staff will need continuous training to uphold the SOPs you've created.

Standard Operating Procedures

First of all, what is an SOP? A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a fancy
term for a written rule or guideline. Putting a procedure in writing is a way to
hold your staff accountable for following the policies of your food safety
program. SOPs also provide instructions that your team can follow even when
a manager isn't present, which helps make your kitchen more efficient. When
writing SOPs, keep the following things in mind:

 Who will perform the task

 What supplies are needed to perform the task
 Where will the task be performed
 When should the task be performed
 How will the task be performed

Training
Once you have established all SOPs in writing, you can begin to train your
staff. Your efforts will be more successful if you think of training as an ongoing
necessity, not a one-time obligation. New team members need to go through
a training program when they are hired, and veteran employees always benefit
from a refresher course. As you create a training module, utilize different
methods like training videos, written instructions, demos, and role-playing
exercises. Place visual aids like posters throughout your kitchen as helpful
reminders.

Monitoring
The only way to be sure that your SOPs are being followed is to establish
monitoring practices and quality control. Temperature checking is one of the
most important examples of a monitoring procedure. Keep a written record
that shows the date and time of the temp check, the temperature of the food,
and the initials of the employee performing the check. The team member
should also indicate if any corrective actions were needed.

Monitoring can also be as simple as watching your team members or

appointing someone else to observe that SOPs are being followed. If you see a
team member fail to wash their hands at the appropriate time, it's an
opportunity to re-train that employee. Sometimes corrective actions may need
to be taken if food safety is at risk. Make sure that you consistently monitor
your food safety program to ensure its success.

There is a lot to cover with food safety, and one of the best ways to keep your
team members educated is to require food handlers certification for all
back-of-house employees. At least one certified team member should be on
staff at all times. Follow our guidelines for general food safety, but refer to the
requirements of your local regulatory authority to ensure compliance