Achieving Long-term Compliance in Your Food Establishment
When the subject of change is brought up, it often causes anxiety, fear and sometimes frustration. Conversations involving change routinely occur between food service operators and inspectors when a food safety violation is observed.
The inspector’s ultimate goal is to partner with operators to achieve long-term compliance in the establishment. If the operator does not have the same goal in mind, risky food handling behaviors will continue long after the inspector has left the building.
Food service operators can begin to gain long-term food safety compliance by implementing the following:
The Five Foodborne Illness Risk Factors
Train food employees to recognize the five foodborne illness risk factors and how they cause food to become unsafe.
- Poor personal hygiene
- Improper cooking temperatures
- Improper holding temperatures
- Contaminated equipment
- Food from unsafe sources
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Evaluate Your Establishment For Risk Factors
Observe daily operating procedures and look for any risk factors that may be present.
- Monitor food employees during everyday food handling procedures.
- Make note of any risk factors observed.
Implement Corrective Actions for Risk Factors Observed
Address how each risk factor observed can be prevented/reduced.
- Develop correction procedures for each risk factor observed.
- Determine who will handle corrective actions when risk factors are observed in the establishment.
- Routinely review your procedures and update regularly.
Work With Your Inspector To Achieve Long-Term Compliance
Work with your inspector when certain practices need to be changed.
- Be willing to change your procedures when a risk factor is observed during an inspection.
- Use your inspector as a resource to help develop procedures that lead to long-term compliance.
Certified Food Protection Manager Class offered in October 2022
We are excited to announce that Union County Environmental Health will once again be offering the Certified Food Protection Manager course in October 2022!
This one day, in-person course will be centrally located in Union County.
Participants will have the option to take the exam on the same day at the end of the course or take the exam the following morning. The course fee will include books, class materials and the exam.
Stay tuned for more information on how to register.
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 Now Offering Free In-House Employee Training Sessions
Union County Environmental Health Food and Facilities program is currently offering free in-house food safety training sessions.
These sessions will be focused on the five food borne illness risk factors and the information needed to lower these risks.
Food service operators should take advantage of this personalized training opportunity to not only improve food handling procedures in their establishment, but also to help improve routine sanitation scores.
The discussion topics include:
Poor Personal Hygiene
- Proper hand washing practices
- Proper use of hand sanitizer
- Proper glove use
- Employee health
- Vomit/Diarrhea Clean up Plan
Improper Cooking temperatures
- Consumer advisory requirements
Improper Holding Temperatures
- Required hot/cold temperatures
- Monitoring procedures/corrective actions
- Cooling procedures
- Reheating procedures
- Refrigerator thermometers
- Food thermometer calibration
Contaminated Equipment
- Three-compartment sink set up
- Sanitizer strength and optimum temp.
- Mechanical/chemical dish machine operations
- Frequency of cleaning/sanitizing
Food from unsafe sources
- Approved suppliers
- Receiving food deliveries
Contact Stacy Hatley for more information on how to sign up.
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