How to ensure your Restaurant is Serving Safe Food

Outbreaks of food poisoning have been in the news a lot as of late. As you know, many of these outbreaks were traced to restaurants. No matter where in the world you are, there are safety regulations which must be followed and Victoria, Australia is no exception.

Regardless of the kind of food you serve in your establishment, cleanliness and following safety regulations with regard to food handling are good habits to keep and can prevent food poisoning.

In many cases of food poisoning, Salmonella is the culprit. Raw poultry and eggs are generally the source of this bacterium in foods, but this bacterium can also be carried by contamination from faeces as well as pet reptiles. To prevent food poisoning occurring due to salmonella contamination, two steps can be taken. First, always thoroughly cook food, this will kill the bacteria. Second, regular hand washing before, during and after cooking will stop the transmission of this bacterium.

Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E-coli can cause severe illness and even fatalities in some cases. E-coli is naturally occurring in the human body and in some foods - but other strains can kill. E-coli bacteria make harmful substances which cause its symptoms, which include watery or bloody diarrhea. The methods of preventing E-coli are much the same as those for preventing the spread of salmonella - thorough cooking and hand washing. Washing one's hands should become a habit for anyone who works in a kitchen, as this can prevent food poisoning. Remember, you pick up everything with your hands; including germs!

With all of the stories about food poisoning in the news, it's understandable that some people are a little nervous about dining out. To make sure that your establishment keeps your customers safe from the risk of infection, be sure to follow the HACCP principles. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points and is a set of principles designed to make sure that foods prepared for people to eat are safe. Many of these regulations are simply common sense, such as putting milk back into the refrigerator after use or dating items before freezing.

Being in charge of a restaurant means that you have to keep a handle on a lot of things at once - make sure that HACCP principles are at the top of your list. All of the hard work you've put into your business could be lost if someone gets ill from your food due to a preventable mistake by an employee unaware of the food safety regulations.

A good way to market your business is having a HACCP certified kitchen. Any certifications or stickers you have received from health authorities should be posted where your customers can easily see them. You can let them know in this way that your restaurant has a clean kitchen and they can dine without worry. Your customers will then know that your kitchen has nothing to hide and the food that you serve them is wholesome and can be enjoyed in confidence.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

About the author: Malcolm J. Richmond gives expert advice on food safety issues in commercial kitchens. Visit the "Food Safety" website for more great information on HACCP Certification.

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