Food is your source of nourishment. A good meal has the power to provide necessary energy and nutrients throughout your day. When your food is made well, you savor every bite. When your food is handled, prepared or cooked incorrectly, the results can be dangerous.
Foodborne illnesses affect over 48 million Americans every year, with 128,000 people in hospital beds. For as much damage as these illnesses can do, they are preventable. Because people often can’t detect when food is harmful on their first bite, it’s up to the food preparation and service team to keep consumers safe.
At American Dining Creations, we serve high-quality options with proper food safety measures. We believe that part of every perfect recipe is appropriate food hygiene. Through our work with many institutions, we prioritize sanitation practices.
Why Is Food Safety Important?
Foodborne diseases can be costly and dangerous for the consumer and the provider. We work to prevent these consequences with proper food safety measures and training. These policies are important because they protect everyone involved, from your stakeholders to those enjoying the meal.
The food service team is responsible for creating delicious meals, presenting options for people with dietary restrictions and avoiding contamination. Preventing foodborne illnesses can result in fewer hospitalizations and better dining reviews.
When food carries microorganisms like harmful bacteria, it can wreak havoc on a person’s bodily systems. The most common of these bacteria are E. coli, salmonella and listeria. When certain people experience food poisoning, they suffer nausea, headaches, fever or worse. Though most cases are short-lived, some people can develop chronic issues from one bad meal.
A prepared team works to mitigate the risk of these experiences with thorough food sanitation practices. You can take the guesswork out of food safety with a team you trust to handle and prepare ingredients safely. At American Dining Creations, we are constantly improving our practices to maintain food hygiene and prevent illness.
5 Keys to Food Safety
To avoid the consequences of food poisoning, we focus on solutions. Our food preparation teams across the country follow common food safety standards every time they enter the kitchen. These procedures may seem like common sense, but following each step is the only way to ensure a high-quality meal for all consumers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) created a list of five key measures to prevent foodborne illnesses. Here’s how we use each step in our kitchens:
- Keep clean: Human hands can carry germs just as easily as our ingredients can. To avoid introducing bacteria to our environment, we wash our hands before and during food preparation. Another part of keeping clean is making sure surfaces, utensils and measuring cups are sanitized before use.
- Separate raw food: Cross-contamination between raw and cooked ingredients can spread harmful bacteria. A simple yet effective preventative measure in any kitchen is using different knives and cutting boards for raw meat. Separate storage and preparation areas in your kitchen keeps harmful microorganisms away from your ready-to-serve meals.
- Cook thoroughly: Properly cooked food eliminates dangerous bacteria. Our team makes sure to cook raw meat all the way through by judging its color and temperature.
- Keep food at safe temperatures: Food storage is a crucial element of safety in the kitchen. Foodservice professionals must understand proper standards for thawing, refrigerating and serving temperatures to keep consumers safe. When food is stored correctly, harmful microorganisms have a smaller chance of survival.
- Use clean water and raw materials: Every step and ingredient in a recipe should be handled with safe and fresh materials. Water is an important aspect of any food preparation or cooking procedure, so we make sure our supply is clean and disinfected. We also follow all expiration dates and processing instructions for best results.
Keeping Things Clean in the Kitchen
Kitchen sanitation is all about movement. When staff members keep the same pair of gloves on all day or use the same wet towel to wipe every surface, they help harmful bacteria move around. Otherwise known as cross-contamination, this movement spreads dangerous pathogens and creates foodborne illnesses.
Maintaining food safety in the kitchen depends on your ability to stop or prevent this spread. Though it may seem easier said than done, we enforce standardized procedures to keep these invisible microorganisms out of your food. We accomplish this task through rigorous food preparation safety and personal hygiene practices.
One of the most critical elements of food sanitation is cleaning up before and after working in the kitchen. Certain surfaces and materials will be necessary for many dishes, including cutting boards, knives, measuring cups and towels. Keeping these common tools and areas clean will decrease the chance of spreading one ingredient’s bacteria to another.
Personal hygiene also takes many forms in a professional kitchen. Disposing gloves after each use, washing your hands and arms completely and covering wounds are all necessary steps. As a hospitality company committed to safe and clean service, we follow all the above policies in our kitchens.
Food Safety & Sanitation in Action
A kitchen that cares about food sanitation is one that cares for its consumers. Putting safety practices into words is one thing — following up with consistent action is another. Our team at American Dining Creations is intent on serving delicious meals that eliminate the risk of food poisoning.
We follow a hygiene checklist similar to WHO’s self-evaluation for food safety knowledge. This process includes effective cleaning and sanitizing before and during preparation. With every new meal, we also use the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) four-step process: clean, separate, cook and chill.
We aim to prevent foodborne illnesses in your company, college or event space using these food handling practices. Our staff is dedicated to proper sanitation because we believe preventing food poisoning is a public health issue. Creating the best dining experience with appropriate food safety measures is just part of our hospitality promise.
Ensure the Safety of Your Food With American Dining Creations
At American Dining Creations, our operation runs on practical training and a dedicated staff. To ensure the best experience for your guests, employees or students, we create high standards for food safety in our kitchens. We maintain proper cleanliness so you can feel confident serving our food.
As your partner in corporate dining services, we are a company with a pledge to provide culinary and hospitality excellence. If you’re interested in working with our expert team, you can schedule a complimentary tasting. To get started, contact us online or call 1-800-466-9261. We look forward to hearing from you!