The Latest in Food Safety

September 20, 2022

It’s National Food Safety Education Month (NFSEM) and we not only want to protect restaurants from burglars and fires but we care about all aspects of safety, including food safety, at your place of business. Here’s the latest.

 

The U.S. Government’s Recent Food Safety Initiatives

The pandemic brought about the New Era of Smarter Food Safety via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2020. One of its priorities is fostering, supporting and strengthening food safety culture on farms, in food facilities, and in homes by reducing the burden of foodborne illnesses. The goal is to reach all kitchens, even your family’s kitchen. 

To further help the cause, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has set out to prevent food contamination and illness rather than just responding to it. There’s even a tracking system designed to measure FSMA’s impact. What’s more, “all FDA-regulated products imported into the U.S. are required to meet the same laws and regulations as domestic food.”

Since the new preventative systems are admittedly not failproof, response times are also being tracked. The FDA’s new approach leverages technology to digitize and trace food. It also allows for a quick response to outbreaks, reductions in food contamination and is designed to foster the development of stronger food safety cultures. 

 

How Security Technology Can Help

Did you know? It only takes two people to get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink to be deemed a foodborne illness outbreak. Restaurant owners know the rules around cooking and chilling food to the correct temperature but what if the furnace or A/C goes out causing a drastic temperature change during off-hours? 

There’s a security device for environmental monitoring (plus an app) and it allows for custom thermostat settings based on your extreme hot and cold temperature needs. It can also detect standing water from overfilled sinks and spills, burst pipes, or other leaks. It’s just one way in which you can protect yourselves and others from foodborne illnesses.

It’s obvious that the proper attention is being drawn and a lot is being done to prevent these food safety problems. We hope the FDA’s changes have impacted your restaurant, food truck, catering business, cafeteria, or lemonade stand for the better! We’re always here if you need ideas or additional resources on how to protect yourself and your patrons!

Related article: Restaurant Safety Tips