Food Safety Tips During The Holiday Season

Thanksgiving may have come and gone but the holiday season is just about to go into full swing. Restaurants and other food establishments, no doubt, are stacking up right now on good food, good service, and good cheer. For most, throw in there good food safety practices, food safety training, and food handler certification because they are what the local health authorities, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the restaurant inspector ordered.

Food Handlers, Food Safety, and the Restaurant Inspector

In his blog piece “Rapid City Journal (SD) does a decent job covering restaurant inspections,” writer Ben Chapman points out the importance of hiring the right staff with the right stuff to pass mandatory restaurant inspections. The right food safety training and the right food safety culture should be present, he says, to pass muster when the restaurant inspector comes calling.

State Food Safety Laws Taking Effect This Year

The New Year is serving up a plateful of food safety-related laws in several states, a direct result of the rash of foodborne-illness outbreaks in recent years.

The years-old FDA food safety guidelines are not mandatory, but are used by many state and local jurisdictions to develop their food safety standards, which form the foundation of food safety training for food handler certification.