3 Commercial Kitchen Tips for Food Safety
Food safety in commercial kitchens is imperative to an establishment’s continued success! As a restaurant owner in Delmarva or elsewhere, your customer’s satisfaction only comes second to safety. But with more and more cases of restaurant-linked food poisoning in the news lately, it’s imperative your establishment is diligent when it comes to proper sanitation and food handling. After all, your restaurant is your livelihood, and a single incident in this day and age of social media can ruin your reputation, your finances, and everything you’ve worked for in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can ensure the food you prepare is delicious and safe—and it all starts with your commercial kitchen.
Quick Tips for Commercial Kitchen Food Safety
1. Monitor Cooler Temperatures.
Your refrigeration equipment is extremely important for obvious reasons. Not only do they store your food products, they also keep your inventory fresh. But in order to keep your inventory fresh and safe for customers to consume, your refrigeration equipment needs to be monitored frequently.
Refrigerators must consistently be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler in order to halt bacterial growth. A well-placed thermostat should be routinely checked to ensure temperatures remain where they should be. If you start to notice temperature fluctuations, it’s time to schedule a maintenance checkup for your refrigeration equipment.
2. Do Not Overstock Refrigerator.
Coolers aren’t meant to be stocked to the point they’re overflowing. If your walk-in is constantly stuffed to the brim, the air isn’t able to properly circulate and is likely creating dangerous hot spots. If the vents are blocked, the unit can completely fail, which can result in loss of inventory and poor service. Either cut down on your inventory, which requires ordering and taking deliveries more often, or increase your space with a new walk-in or reach-in cooler.
3. Monitor Temperature of Holding Tables.
Whether you have food warmers on the kitchen line or your buffet line in the dining room, they need to be consistently checked. Temperatures between 70 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit is known as the “danger zone” because bacteria will rapidly grow at this range. Meat, poultry and seafood are particularly susceptible, especially if they may not have been cooked thoroughly to begin with. The food can taste perfectly fine yet still have unsafe bacteria levels. Older units are not nearly as efficient as new ones are. If your hot foods holding cabinet is breaking down frequently or takes a long time to come to or hold a consistent temperature, it’s time to look into replacing it.
Commercial Cooking Equipment Services in Maryland
If you’re in need of any commercial kitchen equipment services, give Quick Servant a call. We will assess and test your current equipment and help you implement the right equipment plan to make sure your business and your customers stay safe.
Contact us today to learn how we can help or schedule an appointment online.