The Most Important Food Safety Habits for Catering

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Working in a kitchen may seem easy to outsiders of the industry, but a lot of effort goes into preparing multitudes of food in a single kitchen. It can be easy to miss important food safety habits, such as keeping the kitchen clean and storing foods at the correct temperatures. Sanitary food preparation is especially critical to catering companies as they must make and transport the food to the venue.

Keep a Clean Environment

Proper food safety starts with always keeping the kitchen in a clean state. Sanitize prep tables and culinary equipment thoroughly and regularly. Always wash produce and other foods before preparing them.

As for the workers, promote regular hand washing in between changing gloves. If an employee has a cold or feels ill, either send them home or give them other duties that don’t include handling food or drinks.

Avoid Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination is defined as the transferring of bacteria from one substance to another. For example, don’t cut vegetables using the same cutting board and knife as you did to cut raw meat. Bacteria from the meat can be left behind and spread to the vegetables, contaminating them and ultimately making them useless.

To make this process easier, dedicate specific cutting boards and tools only for raw meats. Not only should you avoid cross-contamination while preparing food, but while storing food as well. Keep raw meats that you are thawing on the bottom shelf to avoid any drippage onto other foods that could be below it. Other items like mini dessert cups by wholesale can be left on top shelves because they are in containers.

Danger Zone and Two Hour Rule

The danger zone is when bacteria can rapidly multiply, sometimes within minutes. The general rule is never to leave food out when the temperature could fall between forty degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred forty degrees. Removing food from refrigeration should not be left alone for longer than two hours, and hot food should not be left out for more than an hour.

Label the Foods by Date

To keep a reliable record of pre-prepared foods, labels are put on containers with a “use-by-date.” This takes the guesswork out of your hands and proves to be a helpful tool when the kitchen seems to be busy that day. This is also a safeguard for when you are unsure when to throw food away.

Cook and Store Food at Proper Temperatures

This important food safety habit for catering protects the longevity of your dishes. Hot foods are kept warm at above one hundred and forty degrees, and cool foods are kept below forty degrees. Various meats are required to reach a temperature before being fully cooked.

Food safety is essential for any catering or restaurant business that wants to stay running. Nobody wants to have food that is old or left out overnight. When you follow proper protocol, you’ll have less issues handling food moving forward.