Food safety in order with these 10 tips

What does food safety include?

Food safety is one of the most important aspects in the catering industry. It ensures that guests can safely enjoy the dishes that are served. And that there is as little risk as possible of food poisoning. 

This is why it is important that restaurants adhere to food safety standards as best as possible. In this article we give you 10 tips to get food safety in order in your restaurant.

The HACCP system:

We don't have to explain to you again that guaranteeing food safety is important. But what can you do to get your food safety in order? According to the  Hygiene Regulation, every company that produces, processes or distributes food must draw up a food safety plan based on the HACCP rules. Food safety and HACCP are closely linked.  Click Here for Food Safety Course

HACCP stands for 'Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points'. Following the HACCP system ensures that you will not be faced with any surprises when an inspection by the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority takes place.

The 10 tips for food safety:

In addition to following the HACCP plan, you can follow these 10 food safety tips to avoid all possible dangers:

Keep the kitchen clean: A clean kitchen is an essential part of safe food. It is important to clean and disinfect regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria. If you want to check whether the cleaning has been carried out properly.

Keep food at the right temperature: It is also important to keep food at the right temperature to prevent the growth of bacteria. Store perishable products, such as meat and dairy, in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4°C or lower. Keep prepared food warm (above 60 °C) to prevent bacteria from growing.Click Here for food safety course

Cook food thoroughly: Cooking food thoroughly prevents food poisoning. Check the core temperature of meat to ensure it is properly cooked. This is possible with our various food thermometers.

Keep food separated: Keeping food well separated prevents cross-contamination. Make sure you use different cutting boards and knives for raw and prepared foods.

Check the expiration date of products: Remove products that have expired and do not use spoiled products or products with damaged packaging.

Ensure good personal hygiene of your staff: It sounds obvious, but this is not always the case: personal hygiene of your staff is important. Make sure they wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria. It is also important that hair is tied back and that as little jewelry as possible is worn.

Ensure good water quality: Water used must be clean and safe and have it tested regularly.

Train staff in food safety: Ensure your staff knows how to prepare food safely and offer regular training on hygiene, food temperature and cross-contamination.

Use safe and hygienic equipment: Check equipment regularly for defects and ensure that everything remains clean. Replace equipment as necessary and ensure new equipment meets food safety standards.

Document food safety: Document the temperature of the refrigerator, freezer and food. This way you can detect and address problems in a timely manner.