As a commercial food service operator, you well know the risks that foodborne illness can pose to your customers and business. And, you certainly have the best of intentions when it comes to preventing outbreaks.

But you’re only human. Today’s deluge of food safety information and misinformation can lead to confusion and misconceptions. Misconceptions can lead to ineffective prevention, increased risk of a foodborne outbreak, and reputation-damaging inspection violations.

To optimize your own food safety practices, it’s important to recognize misconceptions associated with cleaning and sanitizing, and to understand the proper, proven steps to preventing foodborne illness. Here are six misconceptions, and the real truth about each.

Misconception No. 1: It is not necessary to clean food contact surfaces before sanitizing or disinfecting because sanitizers or disinfectants can handle cleaning too.

Effective cleaning is necessary before sanitizing or disinfecting. The generally recommended steps are clean, rinse, and sanitize. Ideally, the cleaning solution you use should be effective in removing the specific type of soil on the surface. Alkaline detergents work best on fat- and protein-based soils, while acid cleaners are effective on mineral-based soils. Fortunately, many of today’s cleaning solutions are formulated to remove a range of food soil types.

Why clean before sanitizing? Essentially, because you want to clear the surface of organic matter and any cleaner residues so sanitizers can do the work they’re designed to do: reduce pathogens. Sanitizing a dirty surface cannot effectively reduce the number of microbes.

Misconception No. 2: Hospital-grade disinfectants are always recommended as the most effective defense against pathogens on food contact surfaces.

In food service, the use of hospital-grade disinfectants is typically overkill. However, these powerful chemicals may be recommended to manage certain events, such as during a norovirus outbreak. In the event of an outbreak, be it bacterial or viral, refer to your sanitizer’s label; if the organism isn’t on the label, then a disinfectant with that claim set will be required. If disinfectants are used, refer to the product label for proper procedures—food contact surfaces might require a rinse step.

Misconception No. 3: Sanitizers and disinfectants are pretty much the same and can be used interchangeably.

It’s true that sanitizers and disinfectants have a similar purpose: to reduce the risk of microbial contamination of foods during preparation on kitchen surfaces. Generally speaking, sanitizers reduce the number of infectious microorganisms while disinfectants, with more concentrated chemistry, destroy or inactivate them. Sanitizers are more commonly used in food service in part because, when used properly according to the label, they effectively reduce pathogens yet may not require rinsing, as disinfectants do.

Sanitizers are required by EPA not only to kill 99.999 percent of illness-causing bacteria within 60 seconds on food contact surfaces, but also that they kill Staph. aureus and E. coli. Most also reduce other common foodborne pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Cronobacter sakazakii. The product label will tell you which organisms your sanitizer is effective against.

Disinfectants destroy or irreversibly inactivate infectious bacteria, viruses, and fungi (but not necessarily their spores) on hard surfaces, usually within 10 minutes. Since disinfectants typically use a higher concentration of chemistry than sanitizers, they must be rinsed from food contact surfaces with potable water. The surfaces also must be treated with an EPA-approved food contact sanitizer following the directions on the product label. Refer to the product’s label for disinfecting and/or sanitizing claims.

All ingredients of both sanitizing and disinfecting products must be EPA approved and products must meet efficacy, toxicity, and stability requirements. For a no-rinse claim, ingredients must also meet EPA-determined food-contact limits at use-dilution levels.

To effectively control harmful microorganisms, the concentration of a sanitizer or disinfectant is critical. Using chemical concentration test strips appropriate for the particular chemistry is one way to verify that the concentration is at the optimal or required level.

Misconception No. 4: ATP (adenosine triphosphate) systems can be used to verify the efficacy of a sanitizer or disinfectant.

ATP testing systems verify the effectiveness of cleaning and soil removal, not the efficacy of sanitizers or disinfectants. Organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi and other cells such as those from foods or humans, contain ATP. ATP testing is based on the principle that, without biomass (including bacteria or soils) on surfaces after cleanup, microbial growth is limited. ATP systems do not verify the efficacy of sanitizers or disinfectants because their chemicals may disrupt the ATP reaction.

Misconception No. 5: When no rinsing is required after using a sanitizer, the remaining chemical residues can attract pathogens.

There is no compelling evidence that pathogens are attracted, or develop resistance, to chemical residues if cleaning is done effectively and sanitizers are used according to the instructions on the product label.

Misconception No. 6: Sanitizers must be certified by the National Science Foundation only.

Sanitizers must be EPA registered and have efficacy, toxicology, stability, and chemistry data to support the claims and directions for use on the approved label. Sanitizers are required to meet specific performance standards in order to make public health claims on their label. Specifically, all sanitizer ingredients must be approved by EPA for use on food contact surfaces. If the sanitizer has a no-rinse claim, its ingredients must also meet EPA-determined food-contact limits at use-dilution levels. Check the product label to verify EPA registration.

When effective cleaning and sanitizing protocols are developed and followed as part of a comprehensive food safety program, the safety of food service establishments and the delight of their guests are better assured.

Dr. Petran is the senior corporate scientist, food safety and public health at Ecolab. Reach her at ruth.petran@ecolab.com. Steep is director of RD&E foodservice at Ecolab. Reach him at christopher.steep@ecolab.com.

The post Six Misconceptions about Sanitizing and Disinfecting in Food Service appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

Food service professionals have myriad cleaning products to choose from. Cleaning solutions typically used for commercial food service kitchen facilities include grill cleaners, cooktop cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, window cleaners, oven cleaners, degreasers, sanitizers, scrubbing powders, bienzymatic cleaners, stainless steel cleaners/polishes, and more.

Cleaning containers are available in various sizes, anywhere from a few pints to 55-gallon containers. Some products have fragrances, such as lemon or berry, while others are fragrance-free. Solutions may be available as a foam, liquid, or powder. Some earned Green certification, while others contain what are considered more harsh ingredients.

Prices can vary based on the sizes of the containers and concentrations of the solutions. In addition, while they may contain similar ingredients, some work better in certain situations and on certain types of surfaces or are easier to work with.

This all means that food service professionals have an exhausting number of things to consider when selecting cleaning solutions to properly clean and maintain kitchens.

What often happens is they purchase the same cleaning solutions repeatedly or select different products from different manufacturers—commonly known as trial-and-error purchasing.

Issues and Concerns with Choosing Cleaning Solutions

Neither method—purchasing the same products over and over and trial-and-error purchasing—is effective. For instance, someone who selects the same products year after year may not be aware that newer products exist that may be more effective and/or less expensive. Chemical manufacturers typically do not introduce a new cleaning solution unless it is an improvement upon a comparable product of their own or from a competitor. It’s simply too expensive and time consuming to manufacture a new cleaning solution that does not stand out in some way. Thus, newer cleaning solutions should always be considered.

Administrators with a trial-and-error purchasing program have the most to lose. It can be costly, especially if some cleaning solutions end up in the closet never to be used again. It can also be dangerous. Cleaning solutions, even Green certified solutions, are made of potent ingredients. Over time, the containers in the closet may release vapors or start to leak. When this happens, it’s possible the ingredients of different products will mix together, creating a major health risk.

Additionally, training is needed for selecting different types of cleaning solutions. This should never be overlooked. Many types of cleaning solutions have different dilution levels, so what works with one product may not work with another. For example, some products are applied to surfaces sparingly with a cloth, while others require more substantial concentrations and must be worked into surfaces using a brush. Therefore, for the safety of the crew as well as the health and cleanliness of the kitchen, training is needed for every different type of cleaning solution used.

Is there a better way to purchase cleaning products that saves time and money, improves cleaning effectiveness, and enhances safety? While it is not a cure-all, conducting a product audit may do the trick.

Product Audits

The ideal way to understand a product audit is to see it in action. Imagine this scenario: A food service facility purchases four cleaners from four different manufacturers, all designed to clean griddles, stovetop grills, and cooktops. Let’s call them products A, B, C, and D.

Working with its janitorial distributor, at least one administrator, and members of the cleaning crew, the facility evaluates the products as follows:

Product A: Second least expensive, ranked third in performance;
Product B:  Most expensive, ranked first in performance;
Product C: Second expensive, ranked second in performance; and
Product D: Least expensive, ranked fourth (poorest) in performance.

According to this evaluation, it’s determined:

• While Product D is the least expensive, it is also the least effective, so it will not be purchased again;
• Since Product A does not seem to have any unique attributes, it’s eliminated;
• Product B is the costliest, but is also the most effective; and
• Product C is slightly less costly and almost as effective as Product B, the most costly.

The audit indicates Product C should be the only product selected to perform this cleaning task. It is slightly less costly but still performs well.

Once a product is selected using a product audit, administrators should choose larger quantities and possibly take advantage of volume discounts or rebates from the manufacturer.

The Role of Technology

Administrators need to view purchasing as a journey. To help them on that journey, software programs and online dashboards systems can compare cleaning and other products for cost and effectiveness as well as introduce other new products.

These systems also indicate if a product is, for instance, Green certified and by which certification organization. This is important to know because different Green certification organizations may have different focuses. Some may place more emphasis on indoor air quality while others may put more focus on the sustainability aspects of a products.

However, these software/dashboard systems should be viewed only as an aid. Before making any final purchasing decisions, it’s a good idea to consult with a janitorial distributor for their expertise so they can better explain the advancements of new cleaning solutions and technologies.

Wilson is the vice president of marketing for AFFLINK, a provider of supply chain optimization. Reach him at wmwilson@AFFLINK.com.

The post Using Product Audits to Help Select Cleaning Solutions appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

Depending on the size and type of food service location or commercial kitchen, the number of cleaning solutions used to maintain the facility can be considerable. For instance, degreasers are invariably used to clean floors, walls, metalwork if there is a heavy buildup, and other areas. All-purpose cleaners are used just about anywhere and everywhere. Solutions to clean and polish stainless steel are always needed.

Further, many food service locations have very specific needs. These include selecting cleaning-related products to keep drains running smoothly, spot removers to clean carpets, and if they fully clean their own carpet, cleaning solutions made just for this purpose.

But there are two more cleaning solutions that are used in virtually every food service location. They are not designed to make surfaces look cleaner or shiner. They are designed to help make surfaces healthier, more hygienically clean, by eliminating or minimizing the number of pathogens—germs, bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants—on a surface that could possibly cause illness.

These two ubiquitous products are sanitizers and disinfectants. In many ways, we can view them as we did penicillin and other antibiotics when they were first introduced. Discovered in 1928, penicillin was labeled as one of the first “miracle drugs” ever created. And in some ways, sanitizers and disinfectants are “miracle” cleaning solutions because of their ability to attack pathogens. However, just like penicillin, it was learned over time that if these cleaning products are not used properly and safely, their benefits can be cut short—something we cannot allow to happen in any facility, and certainly not in a food service location.

Defining Terms

Although some countries may define sanitizers and disinfectants differently, the following are the two most commonly accepted views of sanitizers and disinfectants in Canada and the U.S.

Sanitizer. When we sanitize a surface, we are taking steps to reduce the number of pathogens on that surface to what is considered a safe level for public health. In most types of cleaning situations, including in food service locations, a sanitizer may be all that is needed. This is good to know, since sanitizers may be less costly and easier to use than disinfectants. In addition, some are certified Green—meaning the product is independently evaluated to ensure it meets specific standards and that, when used properly, the product has a reduced impact on the health of the user and the environment.

Disinfectant. When disinfectants are used, hygienic cleaning is taken to a much higher level. While sanitizers are designed to reduce the number of pathogens on a surface to safe levels, disinfectants are designed to kill pathogens on a surface based on the product’s “kill claims” and how it is used as directed per the manufacturer’s instructions. When selected and used properly, disinfectants are able to kill most germs, bacteria, and other pathogens on a surface that could cause or spread disease.

Disinfectant Categories and Types

In the U.S., disinfectants are not certified Green. EPA, which regulates disinfectants, categorizes them as pesticides. What EPA is most concerned about is if the product works effectively and safely per the manufacturer’s instructions, with ingredients designed to kill pathogens.

For food service purposes, there are three categories or classifications of disinfectants.

1. General disinfectant. This type of disinfectant is effective against a variety of different types of bacteria, germs, and other pathogens. In most cases for the food service industry, the goal is to clean and disinfect, not attack a specific pathogen. Because of this, a general disinfectant should usually suffice.
2. Limited disinfectant. A limited disinfectant is effective against only a specific group of microorganisms. If, for instance, there are concerns about norovirus pathogens in a commercial kitchen, food service administrators should select a disinfectant specifically designed to kill norovirus microorganisms.
3. Hospital-grade disinfectant. These disinfectants have proven effective at eliminating many types of nosocomial (healthcare-acquired) bacterial pathogens. As the name implies, they are generally for use in hospitals, clinics, dental offices, or other healthcare-related facilities.

When selecting a disinfectant, the product’s label and marketing material should indicate what type of disinfectant it is and how or where it should be used. It will also indicate the product’s kill claims, which identify the specific types of pathogens—Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, etc.—that the disinfectant is designed to kill.

How to Properly Use Sanitizers and Disinfectants

For a sanitizer or disinfectant to be effective in a commercial kitchen, the surface must be clean. This means it’s a two-step process: clean first, then sanitize or disinfect.

Sanitizers are typically very easy to use. As always, read the label first and follow manufacturer instructions. What is key when selecting a sanitizer is to ensure it is NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) certified. This means the product has been proven effective and rinsing is not required after use, which can speed up cleaning considerably.

On the other hand, using disinfectants can be more complicated. Food service professionals should:

• Make sure the product will not prove corrosive to metalwork;
• Never mix two different types of disinfectants (or sanitizers for that matter) as they have different ingredients that may not work well when mixed, and sometimes mixing can produce noxious fumes, especially if mixed manually;
• Keep in mind pathogens can develop an immunity to disinfectants, so use only when and where necessary and change disinfectants occasionally;
• Never use too much or too little disinfectant—follow manufacturer dilution instructions;
• Be aware if the product is marketed in Canada to see if it has a DIN (drug identification number), which simply verifies the product is effective when used correctly;
• Be aware of quat binding, when the “quats”—the key pathogen killing ingredients in disinfectants—become absorbed into cleaning cloths or mops because when this happens, the disinfectant loses its efficacy; and
• Read the label to determine if rinsing is needed for disinfectants, as some may leave a chemical residue on surfaces that can, ironically, attract microbes.

To help prove disinfectants are still effective, food service operators can test surfaces using ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitoring systems or swab surfaces and place the findings in a petri dish. A laboratory should be called in to verify the results.

In many ways, especially in today’s fast-paced world, sanitizers and disinfectants are indeed miracle cleaning products. We no longer have the time or resources to manually or even machine scrub surfaces with the goal of ensuring they are hygienically clean.

With the proper use of these products, we can rest assured our kitchens and food service locations are preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses—protecting the health of all who enjoy our food products.

Watt is head of training and new product development at Avmor. Reach him at mwatt@avmor.com.

The post What to Know about Disinfecting and Sanitizing in Food Service appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

(Editor’s Note: This is an online-only article attributed to the June/July 2018 issue.)

Food trucks bring joy to both urban cities and remote country sides. Consumers love food trucks for their convenience, delicious tastes, fun themes, and low prices. Moreover, they often serve prepared meals, promote local cuisine, offer the authentic product of the street, one that the restaurants cannot provide.

The post Will Your Food Truck Pass an OSHA Inspection? appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

In 2007, the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition released its “Effective Cleaning and Sanitizing Procedures” whitepaper that stated the following:

Cleaning tools like brooms, mops, squeegees, buckets, sponges, scrapers, foaming equipment, water guns, etc., should be cleaned and sanitized. Cleaning tools can be a significant source of microbial contamination [in a commercial kitchen] if not cleaned. Cleaning tools should be washed and sanitized after every use.

The post Eliminating Mops: Alternative Cleaning Methods to Avoid Cross-Contamination in Food Service appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

(Editor’s Note: This is an online-only article attributed to the February/March 2018 issue.)

In November of 2015, the North Carolina Division of Public Health was notified that approximately 44 people attending a company Thanksgiving lunch became ill with moderate to serious intestinal disease and diarrhea. Within hours of the notification, the department set up a website asking lunch attendees—those sick and those that did not get sick—what food and drink they consumed at the event.

Of the 80 people asked to complete the survey, 73 percent did so. Of those who reported they got sick, the following was revealed:

• Most became ill within 13 hours of the lunch;
• 93 percent said they experienced moderate to severe diarrhea;
• 91 percent reported abdominal pain; of these, most reported vomiting; and
• Nearly half of the people that became sick had eaten turkey and stuffing, which were served together.

It was becoming clear to public health officials that this was a classic case of norovirus. The virus normally comes on quickly with precisely these types of symptoms, often the result of eating specific food. Follow-up tests of those that became ill proved this to be the case. They then turned their focus to the commercial caterer that prepared the lunch.

The caterer had a “permitted” kitchen that has passed inspection by public health officials, but this time the meal was cooked in the home of the caterer. Once the meal was prepared, it was delivered to the party setting by car in stages—with the turkey and stuffing left unattended in warming pans or at ambient temperatures for up to eight hours before serving.

Health officials blamed the outbreak squarely on the caterer for not following proper safety procedures: using an “unpermitted” kitchen, leaving food unattended for a prolonged period, and for failure to monitor the temperature of the food products before consumption. All of these contributed to the growth of pathogens that can cause norovirus.

But that’s not the end of the story. Many of the people experienced vomiting while they were sick. Over the next 24 to 48 hours, almost as many family members of those that became ill at the lunch also came down with norovirus. While it was clear the commercial caterer was responsible for the original outbreak, why did so many family members also become sick?

A Closer Look at Norovirus

Before answering this question, let’s review some of the statistics regarding norovirus in the U.S. According to the CDC, some of the key facts include:

• There are about 20 million cases of norovirus each year in the U.S., with most of them happening on land, not on cruise ships (which is where many people assume the majority of norovirus cases occur);
• Norovirus contributes to approximately 70,000 hospitalizations each year and about 800 deaths;
• While people can get norovirus at any time of the year, it is most common in the winter;
• Most outbreaks occur in food service settings like restaurants; and
• Unlike other types of airborne pathogens that may die within hours after landing on a surface, norovirus pathogens can live up to two weeks.

But here is another important fact about norovirus. While it can spread through close personal contact with an infected person or the fecal-oral route similar to other illnesses, it is very often spread when someone vomits. This is why norovirus is commonly referred to as “the vomiting disease.” The vomiting is often forceful, called “aerosolized vomit” that can land on surfaces as much as 25 feet away.

If someone touches the droplets of this aerosolized vomit on a counter, a door handle, or a light switch, and then swallows it, there is a very good chance they will come down with the disease. This explains why so many family members at the Thanksgiving lunch later became ill.

Norovirus Spill Kits

It is very likely that few if any of the people that became ill at the Thanksgiving lunch were aware of how norovirus can spread to others. In addition, they likely were not aware of what cleaning protocols are necessary to help mitigate the spread of the disease.

But those in the food service industry must know these facts and most importantly, they must know what steps to take when a vomiting incident occurs, whether it happens in a restaurant, a food court, or in a commercial kitchen by a staff member.

To explain the steps, let’s say there is a vomiting incident in a restaurant kitchen. The first and most important thing kitchen managers and administrators must know is that they must always assume the cause is norovirus. Since the disease can spread so fast to so many people, there is no other choice but to make this assumption.

The second thing we must know is not to grab a mop to clean up the incident. This is often the first inclination, but mopping the floor will just spread pathogens over the floor, walls, and other surfaces, as well as release pathogens into the air, allowing it to spread to other surfaces.

Third, the most efficient way to clean up a vomit incident is to use a spill cleanup kit. The spill kit should include all of the protective gear necessary to address the situation and, very importantly, protect the health of those handling the cleanup operation.

For instance, it should include a disposable apron and gown, shoe covers, up to three pairs of vinyl gloves, a combination mask/face shield, trash bags and ties (preferably colored yellow, which indicates a warning or caution), disposable towels, and an absorbent spill pad approximately 12 inches by 12 inches.*

The Actual Cleaning Steps

Now that you know what to do, what not to do, and what you need, here are some of the critical steps in the cleanup procedure:

• Make sure everyone has left the immediate area;
• Put on the protective gear;
• Spread the absorbent pad over the spill and allow it to be absorbed into the pad;
• Scrape or scoop up any vomit not absorbed by the pad—some kits will include the necessary tools for this;
• Use disposable towels to wipe clean all surfaces and place all items and towels in one of the disposable bags as they are used;
• Clean all soiled areas using a pH-neutral cleaner; then apply a disinfectant to the same areas (this is a two-step process to ensure the disinfectant works most effectively);
• Carefully remove and dispose of all protective gear in trash liners with the gloves being the last thing placed in the bag;
• Close the bag securely with a twist tie and place in an outside dumpster; and
• Wash hands thoroughly.

While this may look like an involved process, it actually can move along very quickly and safely if those handling the cleanup procedure know what they need to do and how to do it. A quality spill cleanup kit will include cleanup instructions, but they should only be used as a reference or guide should a question come up in the cleanup process.

In a commercial kitchen, it is advised that cleaning staff has proper training on the cleanup procedures. Very often, an astute distributor can provide this training at no cost, which helps protect the health of your staff and all those served food from your kitchen.

Sharek is category manager of facility-employee safety at DayMark Safety Systems. Reach him at esharek@cmcgp.com.

*Spill kits can vary as to what items are included. To protect health, it is best to select a kit that includes all the crucial items necessary to remove and neutralize the effects of vomit or bodily spill incident.

The post Cleaning Protocols to Prevent the Spread of Norovirus appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

(Editor’s Note: This is an online-only article attributed to the December/January 2018 issue.)

There are only three things a pest is looking for at any given time: food, water, and shelter. While this may seem basic, most businesses provide these year-round, meaning there’s an ever-present battle behind the scenes for the health and safety of food sources.

Flies and cockroaches are two of the most common pests to see, and both are known disease spreaders. While most people find these common pests to be gross, most do not recognize pests pose dangers to our health. Able to spread pathogens by simply touching a food source, flies and cockroaches are known carriers of typhoid, cholera, and dysentery. An outbreak of any one of these could be devastating not just to consumers’ health, but to a business’s reputation and bottom line.

As with many aspects of the food business, sanitation is going to be key to success. In pest control, while it’s important to have a strong pest management process in place, there’s also a lot frontline employees can do to keep the situation under control. Staff can be the eyes and ears of your business when it comes to spotting pest invaders first. Establish strong sanitation processes and procedures immediately to avoid major problems in the future. It’s always better (and often cheaper) to keep pest issues from getting to the point of infestation where more intensive treatments are necessary.

As part of proactive pest management, establishing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is the first step to ensuring your business is as protected from pests as possible. An IPM program seeks to prevent pest activity before it occurs and reduce dependency on chemical treatments. The process is not a one-time event, but an ongoing cycle of three critical activities: 1) assessing the situation in your facility, 2) implementing specific, science-driven solutions based on findings, and 3) monitoring pest activity to make sure the techniques are working.

After a thorough inspection, a pest management professional will locate the hot spots and high-risk areas in and around the business, then work with you to create a custom IPM program that works for the particular pest challenges that you’re facing. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for pest management. In addition to IPM, there are numerous activities you and your staff can start doing today to improve sanitation practices and make the facility less attractive to pests.

Get Employees On Board

Discovering pest issues is going to be incredibly difficult if your staff isn’t involved. They’re on the ground level and closest to areas where pests are most commonly found, like the kitchen, patio, or bar for example.

That’s why the first step to implementing a stringent sanitation plan is staff training. If employees know what to look for and how they can contribute, they’re more likely to be vigilant in calling out potential problems. Bring them in at the beginning of the process and let them know the details of the custom IPM program, especially the hot spots around the business. Consider assigning different areas for employees to monitor corresponding with their job type. In a restaurant, for instance, cooks could be in charge of keeping an eye on kitchen drains and sink areas while waiters are in charge of monitoring the main dining room and outdoor patio areas.

Here are a few telltale signs for some of the most common pests.

• Flies. If you see larvae (maggots), especially around drains and garbage bins, it’s time to act fast. Flies reproduce quickly, so a small problem can escalate rapidly.
• Cockroaches. Unpleasant odors along with coffee ground-sized droppings are evidence of these resilient pests. They could be found behind or under kitchen equipment.
• Rodents. These pests leave droppings constantly, so watch out for tiny pellets. Dark rub marks around baseboards, especially around corners, are a good indicator of a potential problem as well. They love finding stored food product to bite into.
• Termites. Cracked or bubbling paint, mud tubes on exterior walls, and discarded wings from swarmers are possible evidence of a much larger issue. They are attracted to moist areas and wood structures, often behind walls and out of sight.

Make sure employees know what to do when they spot a pest as well. Establish a pest-sighting protocol to encourage employees to document a sighting immediately. This should include the type of pest, the number present at the time, and where exactly the pest was spotted. Monitoring tools should be put in place by a pest management professional, but employees can help identify pest issues earlier than anyone else.

Consider implementing regular cleaning sessions on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. A deep, leave-no-stone-unturned type of cleaning should be done at least a few times a year. Many people do not consider the grime and food particles building up behind and beneath heavy equipment, but pests absolutely adore these areas and will make them their home in no time if left alone. And don’t forget to clean the breakroom.

If you’re having a tough time getting employees to buy into your program, consider asking the pest management professional to stop by. Most will offer free training sessions, which will allow employees the chance to ask any questions they may have and further engage with the IPM program.

Preventing Pests Indoors

Although pests can be a potential health threat, they’re also a nuisance to guests and can give visitors a bad impression about the facility’s cleanliness. Removing attractants is a start, but keeping pests from coming inside can also make a big difference. Exclusion is another large part of a strong IPM program, and it simply means turning a business into a fortress by eliminating potential entry points.

It doesn’t take a lot of food particles or moisture to draw pests inside. Therefore, it takes diligence and constant improvement to minimize attractants and block pests from getting inside.

Here are some proactive tips.

• Take out the trash. Many pests will feed off garbage and organic waste, so removing trash at least daily is a must. Do not leave waste in bins overnight. Also, be sure all garbage bins have a lid of some type to cut off pests and reduce the odors that draw them in. If possible, keep dumpsters and recycling collections at least 40 feet away from the exterior of the building.
• Seal pests out. Walk around the exterior of the building and use caulk or another waterproof sealant to seal up any cracks and crevices. Pests can fit through remarkably small gaps, so the more openings that are sealed up the better. Rats fit through a hole the size of a quarter, mice through a hole the size of a dime, while ants and roaches can fit through just about any sized gap.
• Keep storage areas neat and tidy. Often overlooked, storage areas are prone to pest problems. Extra boxes and debris from packaging make for great hiding spots, while the abundance of food is extremely attractive to pests. A small problem can get out of hand quickly in a storage area because in the right conditions pests can reproduce remarkably quickly and begin spreading to other areas in the building. Remove clutter, clean containers before putting new product inside, keep containers off the floor, and use tightly-sealed packages to reduce the risk of pests.
• Use screens on windows and keep doors closed. Often pests will come in right through the front door. Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible and inspect screens covering windows for holes regularly if they’re going to be left open. If you do want to leave a door or window open regularly, put a greater emphasis on keeping the inside of your facility clean.
• Clean up spills immediately. Food particles and sugary drink spills will attract pests in no time, so they need to be wiped up as soon as they occur. Waiting will only make things worse.

Pay Attention to the Great Outdoors

Stringent sanitization practices shouldn’t be limited to indoor areas. In fact, keeping the property surrounding the business neat and tidy can drastically decrease the pest pressure faced indoors.

Pests love clutter, especially in the form of vegetation, tree branches, or trash. Wood piles can be an attractant for termites, roaches, and spiders, and should be kept far away from the building to avoid serving as a “jumping off point” or easy access avenue inside. Don’t forget to clean out gutters and rooftop ledges either as clogging can lead to a buildup of soil and moisture perfect for hosting pests.

Landscaping is an important part of helping keep the premises clean and pest-free. Trim back vegetation and thin out thick bushes, which can host mosquitoes and other flying pests if left too thick for air to pass through. Make sure branches don’t make contact with the structure to provide a bridge for pest access. If planting something new, try to keep it at least a foot away from the building, or risk creating a natural jumping off point. Consider a barrier of rock around the perimeter as pests will find this less hospitable. Rodents will often hide under bushes and shrubs until they can find an opening in a building’s exterior, so don’t give them the chance to lurk around.

Anywhere there’s standing water, pests will accumulate—especially mosquitoes. Rodents and flies will use standing water for nourishment as well. If allowed to sit for too long, standing water will be a pit stop for pests on their way inside of a building. Any spots where flooding occurs regularly will be a pest hot spot, so make sure to have proper runoff to take the water away.

While these proactive pest management tips will help to reduce the chances of pests, it’s still possible they might find a way inside. But working with a pest management professional to establish a tailored plan focused on preventive tactics, careful monitoring, and quick action after an issue is discovered will help keep pests out and protect a business.

If still encountering a pest problem despite these proactive pest management tips, a pest management professional will be able to recommend the fastest and most effective course of action.

Although there are a lot of different approaches to prevent pests, the most important thing is to clean and sanitize as regularly as possible. If pests don’t have a food and water source and a safe place to harbor, they can’t survive. Simple as that.

Ramsey is technical services manager for Orkin. He is a board-certified entomologist and provides technical support and guidance across all Rollins brands in the areas of training and education, operations, and marketing. Reach him at gramsey1@rollins.com.

The post Sanitation is the Key to Dodging Pests appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

In the U.S., educational/training interventions have been widely used to decrease foodborne disease in food service operations with most interventions focusing on improving worker knowledge of safe food handling. The limitation of this approach is that knowledge alone does not influence the adoption of safe food handling practices. And with the CDC estimating that 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year, it’s important to understand the significance of a proper sanitation program and how to best develop and execute one in any food service operation.

Understanding the risk factors and levels of cleanliness needed to prevent contamination of food and kitchen equipment is the first step when implementing a thorough food safety program. Identify the types of soils and surfaces in your establishment to determine the proper cleaning and sanitation products to use, how often cleaning must be done to achieve the desired results, and the training needed for your staff from management on down.

Create a Proper Cleaning Plan

Working with your cleaning supplier is a great way to put a highly effective sanitation plan together. A cleaning supplier can help identify any contamination risks within your facility by conducting a cleanliness audit, inspecting everything from the floors and drains, to kitchen equipment and food contact surfaces, among other areas. They can also help ensure your cleaning program is working by measuring trace ATP and surface proteins through regular testing.

Once the risks have been identified, facility managers can create a Master Cleaning Plan, outlining what should be cleaned, how it should be cleaned, when to clean, and who should do the cleaning. This plan should also include details on which cleaning products to use to remove various soil types found on the different surfaces in any food service operation, as well as training procedures and schedules for staff at every level.

Common Cleaning Guidelines

Any sanitation program should include cleaning procedures for the common, and sometimes overlooked, areas found around any commercial kitchen.

Countertops. In a commercial kitchen, countertops are at the heart of the action. Protect against food cross-contamination with regular disinfection and maintenance that can help prevent foodborne illnesses.

Cutting boards. Cutting boards need to be cleaned frequently, including before use, before changing from one food type to another and after food handling is complete. Since these surfaces tend to be scored and scratched, they can harbor food that can lead to bacterial growth.

Dishes, pots, and pans. A main ingredient to a spotless kitchen is the right dish cleaning product. Get your dishes virtually spotless and remove stubborn grease by using a dependable product you can trust.

Floor drains. Bacteria can often be found feeding on food residues in floor drains. These food sources can also attract other unwanted pests. Regular drain cleaning can help keep this in check.

New equipment. Consider the ease of cleaning when purchasing new kitchen equipment, such as ice machines. The more difficult it is to clean, the less likely it will be cleaned consistently or correctly.

The Right Products and Tools

Using the right cleaning products and tools is also imperative when it comes to achieving food safety goals. Multipurpose products can clean a broad range of soils and surfaces, making cleaning easier by reducing the number of products needed and minimizing rework. Multipurpose products also help save time by reducing the complexity of the job, making staff training easier, and simplifying inventory management.

With employee labor accounting for up to 80 percent of cleaning costs, operators can reduce the amount of time and cost to clean a restaurant by using effective cleaning products and putting efficient cleaning processes into place.

Additionally, facility managers should have procedures in place to properly clean and sanitize cleaning tools regularly since scouring pads, brushes, and mops can be sources of cross-contamination.

Importance of Cleaning and Disinfecting

To fully understand why a proper cleaning program is important, employees need to recognize the difference between cleaning and disinfecting and why each step is essential to ensure guests (and employees) stay safe and healthy in your facility.

To start, employees need to be able to identify the difference between cleaning—the removal of soil or dirt from a surface—and disinfecting—the killing or reduction of microorganisms that cause disease, odors, and spoilage—and understand that both steps of the process are necessary.

Most disinfectants do not effectively remove soil, if at all, but cleaning well allows disinfecting agents to work more effectively because the soil is removed and cannot protect the germs. Multipurpose products that clean and disinfect in a single step are the best value for operators by limiting inventory needs, reducing rework, and simplifying training.

The Value of Training

Employee education and training are the keys to success for any sanitation program. Incorrect cleaning methods can spread dirt and bacteria around instead of cleaning them, and not using cleaning products the way they’re intended can reduce or eliminate their efficacy, putting guests and staff in harm’s way. Training should be ongoing and provided to each new employee and each time there is a new piece of equipment or new cleaning supply introduced.

Properly training employees, at every level, can help eliminate these risks and give employees a clear understanding of why thorough cleaning is vital, and how to make sure their efforts meet the most rigorous of cleanliness standards. Proper training can also increase employee safety by ensuring that products are being used correctly and reducing rewash (exposure to chemicals) and miscalculation with mixing.

To achieve the highest levels of content retention, training programs should be developed with content that is highly visual, auditory, and tactile like videos that show and tell employees how to complete a task, including the opportunity to learn by doing. P&G Professional and Clemson University recently completed a study to determine the effect of a multi-phase, motivation-based educational intervention to improve the cleanliness of surfaces in a commercial kitchen. Validating that the trainees understood the content during the initial training sessions was one of the most important outcomes of the study, and this goal was achieved through use of multiple choice questions that were graded and documented in real time. Knowing they would be graded, trainees paid more attention to the content.

There are a variety of training tools that can be successful in reaching food service employees, including using Active Managerial Controls to help improve managers’ ability to train and sustain a cleaning program and individual training for food safety/compliant cleaning. On-demand tools that offer written procedures or training videos are also ideal. For example, P&G Professional’s online University site regularly monitors and records knowledge intake.

Self-Monitoring and Feedback

Implementation of routine and documented checks can help improve overall cleanliness and can be used for retraining, which is also an important step in ensuring information retention. The checks system should not be overwhelming to implement and should take no longer than 10 minutes of a manager’s time. Measures can primarily be sensory (visual, touch, and smell) with established checkpoints such as tables and chairs (not sticky and visually clean). Additionally, when issues are noted, the manger should retrain employees on proper procedures using demonstrations, as well as visual and auditory training materials and techniques. Your cleaning supplier can help develop a self-monitoring program that makes sense for your business.

An End-to-End Approach

Food safety requires an end-to-end cleaning and sanitation regimen that is continually monitored, and where constant feedback is provided to achieve the overall goals of the program. By evaluating your facility and equipment needs, with an eye toward safety and ease of cleaning, and selecting the most effective sanitizing and disinfecting products, you can have a dramatic impact on food safety, as well as productivity.

Dr. Anderson is a food safety and sanitation consultant for P&G Professional, the away-from-home division of Procter & Gamble. Dr. Pettigrew is a principal scientist at P&G, where he provides technical leadership in the Global Microbiology Organization and Systems Biology Programs. They can both be reached at buchanan.rd@pg.com.

The post Employee Education Equals a Successful Cleaning Program appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

Customers expect a restaurant to provide a delightful dining experience, from the food to the service to the restrooms. The level of cleanliness in a restaurant’s restroom speaks volumes about the entire business, especially if it’s a disaster zone. According to a recent survey by retail consulting firm King-Casey, 78 percent of restaurant-goers rank a clean restroom as a strong indicator of a clean kitchen, and vice versa. Additionally, over 94 percent of the surveyed group felt that restroom cleanliness is more important today than ever before.

Modern-day customers are more aware of what they eat and where they eat, often checking online reviews before trying out a new restaurant. They’re also equipped with smartphones and social media, which means a quick snapshot of a messy restroom could easily go viral, harming a restaurant’s reputation in the process. It’s crucial for restaurant owners to take sanitation seriously in order to avoid potential catastrophes. One of the best ways to ensure a restaurant restroom exceeds customer expectations is to take a walk in the customer’s shoes.

Expectation vs. Reality

Customers expect public restrooms to provide high-quality essentials, like toilet paper and paper towels, at all times. They also want clean floors and tidy stalls, streak-free mirrors, and unclogged sinks and toilets. Updated fixtures like touchless faucets and soap dispensers are an added bonus, showing that the business cares about its customers.

Unfortunately, the reality is that these expectations aren’t always met in restaurants. It only takes one messy customer or forgetful employee to turn a picture-perfect restroom into a disaster zone. According to a survey by Zogby International, more than 80 percent of consumers would avoid eating at a restaurant with a dirty restroom again. If trash bins overflow with waste or a clogged toilet causes unpleasant odors, customers will take notice and it could negatively impact their experience. But a messy facility doesn’t just turn away current customers; negative online reviews and social media sites that encourage sharing, like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, can also discourage potential customers from ever entering an establishment.

Many of today’s customers expect a sustainable, locally sourced menu, as well as environmentally-friendly features throughout a restaurant. Failing to incorporate green strategies, like low-flush toilets and biodegradable toilet paper, eliminates the opportunity for a restaurant to build its brand and customer loyalty, as well as reduce its operational costs.

Clean Restroom Components

Restrooms are an extension of the restaurant, so it’s important for managers to listen to customers and incorporate their needs and wants into a restroom. A study by Deb Group found that 75 percent of people prefer paper towels to hot air dryers. Paper towels can dry hands quicker and more thoroughly than air dryers, and they also keep customers safe from dangerous restroom germs. In fact, a recent study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that jet dryers spread germs 1,300 times more than paper towels.

King-Casey’s study showed customers appreciate soft and absorbent toilet paper, opposed to thin or waxy paper. Managers should look for paper products that are high-quality and feature dissolvable and biodegradable technology to keep drains free of expensive clogs. Purchasing high-quality toilet paper is a better long-term investment because customers will need to use less paper. This will result in environmental and cost savings, while keeping stall floors free of torn and shredded low-quality paper.

Guests also value automated soap dispensers, faucets, and paper towel dispensers since they limit germ transmission and unnecessary waste. Restaurants may also want to consider installing touchless trash receptacles and entrance doors that have foot pedals or open automatically via sensors.

Maintenance Tips

Establishing regular maintenance routines helps keep restroom disasters from happening or going unnoticed by staff. Restaurant managers can utilize the following tips to maintain a sparkling restroom image.

• Use a cleaning log. Employees should keep track of when and how often restrooms get cleaned via a cleaning log. This ensures people are held accountable and regularly maintain restrooms. Restrooms should be checked multiple times a day, and especially during busy hours.
• Clean from top-to-bottom. Along with a cleaning log, managers should provide a list of duties that employees must perform while cleaning restrooms. A step-by-step guide reminds workers to focus on smaller, yet critical, areas that are often overlooked, like light switches and soap dispensers.
• Use a cleaning cart. Restaurants should have a cleaning cart dedicated to restroom use, with supplies such as disinfectants, plungers, scrubbers, towels, and mops. Having an all-in-one cart helps employees stay organized and gives them everything they’ll need to properly clean. It also reduces the opportunity for cross-contamination in critical areas like the kitchen and dining room.
• Stock up on products. A restroom can’t function properly unless necessary products and essentials are available at all times. Employees should ensure that restrooms have enough toilet paper, paper towels, and soap products, and that storage closets are stocked with extra inventory that is easily accessible.

Achieving Restroom Success

While great meals and customer service help restaurants achieve success, a clean restroom also plays a key role. Restrooms, when properly maintained, communicate that restaurants care about food safety, customer and employee satisfaction, and their reputation. Don’t flush away the opportunity to grow your restaurant into a respected business by only focusing on select front-of-house areas, like your dining area. Design, maintain, and stock your restrooms accordingly and you can strengthen customer loyalty and the bottom line.

Vitali is vice president AFH marketing and sales for Sofidel America.

The post Avoiding Restaurant Restroom Disasters appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.

(Editor’s Note: This is an online-only article attributed to the June/July 2017 issue.)

Running a hospitality business can be highly stressful—while you are consistently striving to delight your customers in every way, the biggest threat facing every restaurant, hotel, nightclub, and cruise line is a pest infestation. Whether your guests are having dinner or staying overnight at your hotel, it is important to ensure a clean, hygienic environment where your customers are comfortable and happy eating and drinking.

Business owners need to focus on bettering their service and expanding their customer base, which leaves little time to focus on pest control. You cannot afford to spend hours identifying infestations and laying traps to get rid of pests. Pest control services are fully-equipped with the latest devices and best industry practices to keep your facility pest-free and prevent future infestations.

Staying Competitive and Compliant

Pest infestations can put both public health and your reputation at risk. They not only contaminate food but also cause significant damage to structures and spread diseases. Their unsightly presence and annoying odor can drive your customers to your competitors and also invite negative reviews that can severely damage your reputation and bring down revenue. Pest control services ensure that your facility adheres to the highest levels of hygiene and sanitation and is fully prepared for all third-party audits.

Common Pests Found in Hospitality

Cockroaches. Cockroaches breed throughout the year, can survive for long periods without food and water, and are found everywhere—from ships and shops to hotels and hostels. They can multiply even under adverse conditions and usually thrive in kitchens and wash areas. Cockroaches consume everything that they can chew and vomit all the undigested food, which is highly infectious. They are also potential carriers of Salmonella and their allergens can trigger asthma in allergic individuals.

Rodents. Rodents have a high reproductive ability and they easily adapt to any environment. They are infected with disease-causing bacteria that can easily spread foodborne and waterborne illnesses. Rodents can also damage furniture, fixtures, electrical equipment, contaminate food with their droppings, and transmit various diseases, including Lyme disease, Salmonellosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Leptospirosis.

Fleas. Fleas come uninvited with guests and pets, carrying a range of bacterial and viral diseases along with tapeworm parasites and protozoan. These wingless, blood-sucking insects pose potential health risks to guests and customers if not controlled.

Stored product insects (SPIs). Popularly known as pantry pests, SPIs typically include moths, mites, beetles, and weevils. SPIs usually infest dried food products such as cereals, spices, seeds, powdered milk, nuts, tea, and dried fruits. They can easily chew the packaging material and crawl through the seams to contaminate large quantities of food through their feces and cocoons.

Common Areas of Concern for Commercial Kitchens

Where food, moisture, and humidity coexist, pests can practically thrive, survive, and proliferate without end. Below are areas of the kitchen that you should inspect thoroughly.

Storage spaces. Roaches, ants, and rodents are often found in cluttered areas like store rooms where all the food supplies are stacked.

Humid areas. Dishwashers, refrigerators, HVAC units, sink, drain pipes, machine lids, and floor mats are a few of the many wet places that make a perfect breeding ground for pests.

Heat sources. All the equipment and machinery that generates heat is sure to be a source of attraction for diseases-causing pests. Inspect all your appliances, pipes, stoves, and freezers especially their motor housing where heat is generated.

Cracks and crevices. Any openings in the building act an entry point for pests. Inspect all the gaps and holes in electrical outlets, wall fixtures, and floor tiles for ants, cockroaches, and insects.

Areas where organic garbage is dumped or accumulated. Commercial kitchens and food processing facilities produce a lot of organic waste on a daily basis. This organic waste is a major source of attraction so the most obvious areas to look for pests include garbage bins and equipment undersides where all the organic matter accumulates over time.

Pest Control Options

Food facilities often feature a complex environment that needs an integrated pest management approach. Any pest control treatment needs to be customized depending on the type of infestation, the nature of operations, existing weather conditions, and a variety of other factors. Depending on the unique needs of your facility and the type of pest that needs to be controlled, you have the following treatment options available.

Sanitation. Sanitation measures are highly effective at keeping pests out and away from your establishment. Sanitation treatment typically includes cleaning of food debris, scrubbing of drain pipes, clearing food preparation areas, and disinfecting splashboards.

Sealing of all entry points. Sealing all cracks, crevices, gaps, and holes will efficiently prevent the entry of pests in the kitchen.

Traps. Snap traps, catch traps, and bait stations are an ideal solution for outdoor use and garbage disposal sites in and around the property. They can also be used in loading areas and building entrances.

Exclusion. Effective exclusion measures deter pests and prevent them from venturing into your property.

Whether your facility is infested with ants, roaches, rodents or any other type of pest, don’t wait until it takes a toll on your revenue and brand repute. Hiring a professional pest control service can keep your customers satisfied, surroundings sanitized, and business successful.

Web is a digital marketer on behalf of Take Care Termite & Pest Control, where he educates audiences on pest prevention and control strategies. Reach him at raymondweb@takecaretermite.com.

The post Keeping Hospitality Clean of Pests appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.