SCPHD Focus on Food Safety

No one likes dealing with food poisoning, the cramping, nausea, or worse. But every year, one in six Americans get sick from foodborne illness. Here in the Magic Valley, that’s 35,000 people paying the price for improperly handled food. While most cases pass in a few days, some lead to serious complications.

Your local health department investigates outbreaks after they happen. But prevention is always a better strategy. Protecting your health, local business reputations, and community resources. That’s why South Central Public Health District is hosting the second annual Magic Valley Food Safety Consortium. This free event brings together experts to Share critical insights

For food service pros, aspiring entrepreneurs, and home cooks alike. Plus, we’re offering full session tracks in both English and Spanish. Space is limited. Register today at phd5.idaho.gov. This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

As a manager or owner of a food establishment, you’ve seen us initiate contact with your operation through unannounced annual inspections, or, on rare occasions when we receive a complaint.

But did you know communication goes both ways?

So, when should you reach out to your inspector at the health department?

Here are three categories that should trigger a call to us.

First, the emergencies. If you have a sewage backup, lose power, or your hot water goes out, that’s an imminent health hazard. Call us immediately. We aren’t looking to necessarily shut you down, though that may be temporarily needed.

We want to help you navigate a safe game plan before anyone gets sick.

Second, employee health. If a team member is diagnosed with a reportable illness such as norovirus, salmonella, or E. coli, you need to let us know. We’ll help you figure out when it’s legally safe for them to return to the line.

Finally, when starting or making significant changes to your business, if you’re remodeling, rewriting your food safety procedures, or expanding your menu, call us before you spend the money.

We’re here to help you get it right the first time. Together, we can keep our community safe and your business thriving.

This has been your focus on food safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

When you’re washing dishes at home, a quick scrub with soapy water, rinse, and a towel dry does the trick. But running a commercial kitchen is a completely different ballgame and presents a major food safety risk due to the sheer volume of customers you serve.

You cannot just plunge dirty dishes into a full sink.

Scrape and rinse off food debris before they ever hit the wash water. This keeps the wash water effective at removing grease and film that bacteria and viruses love to hide beneath.

And especially for those busy kitchens washing small items throughout the shift, keep your sanitizer sink set up, filled, and at the proper chemical concentration all day long so staff can sanitize on the fly.

Finally, you must have time and space to air dry your dishes. Towels collect, breed, and spread germs. And stacking dishes while they’re still wet creates a great environment for bacterial growth.

Scrape, wash, rinse, sanitize, and let it air dry. Don’t take shortcuts on your dish line.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

When we think about food safety, we can easily take cooling foods down properly for granted.

Some foodborne illnesses’ bacteria thrive at cooling temperatures, especially between 135 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, doubling every 20 minutes, while others produce heat-resistant spores or toxins that won’t be destroyed even after reheating.

Make sure your staff gets cooked items from 135 degrees down to 70 Fahrenheit within two hours. And then down to 41 Fahrenheit or less within the next four hours.

Also, keep in mind cooling applies to food prepared at room temperatures. An open can of tuna or cut up fresh melons or tomatoes must be cooled from room temperature down to 41 degrees or below within four total hours.

To cool quickly and safely, use shallow metal pans, ice baths, and or ice paddles to drop those temperatures fast. Keep track of your cooling process by using a cooling log so you can monitor and adjust your process if needed to keep your customers safe and raving about your great tasting products.

This has been your focus on food safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

Twenty percent of the dish machines I check have one thing in common: they aren’t actually sanitizing. Whether the chemical bucket is empty or a pump line is clogged, clear water does not always mean clean dishes.

The only way to know your sanitizer is working is to test it. Test strips are inexpensive, and checking every station in the store takes only a few minutes at most. It’s one of the cheapest and fastest ways to protect your business.

Train your team to check the sanitizer in dish machines and wiping buckets multiple times a day. They must match the strip to the color chart and ensure the concentration meets the manufacturer’s requirements. If that strip comes up weak, stop the machine and fix the source immediately. Accurate testing is the final step in true sanitation.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

Sometimes the hardest decision a manager makes is the one to stop service. An “imminent health hazard”—like a power outage, loss of water, or a sewage backup—means you can no longer operate safely. If you can’t wash hands, flush toilets, or keep food cold, you must close your doors immediately.

Don’t wait for an inspector to find the problem or a customer to report you. Maintain trust by taking the initiative. Have an emergency contact list ready for your utilities and the health department. Most importantly, ensure your staff and your Person in Charge for each shift know exactly where to find it.

Closing temporarily is a tough call, but it’s the ultimate sign of a manager who puts safety first.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

A high-performing kitchen doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the result of consistent habits. Manager’s checklists are your roadmap to ensuring food safety and protecting your business. From opening temperature checks to closing sanitation audits, these lists ensure that nothing is missed when the rush hits.

Don’t treat a checklist as just another chore; treat it as a tool for confidence. When an inspector walks through your front door, there’s no need to panic because you’ve already done the work. By personally reviewing these lists daily, you verify that your standards are being met, ensuring a smooth and stress-free inspection every time.

If you need a starting point, contact us at [email protected], and we’ll send you a checklist you can adapt for your own business. Consistency builds culture, and culture protects your business.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

Listeria and other bacteria can continue to grow even in properly refrigerated food.

Date marking prepared foods, opened products, and ready-to-eat food brought out of the freezer is the primary defense from Listeria growing to dangerous levels.

Train your staff to date mark any food they prepare, open, or thaw that won’t be completely used that day.

Then, assign a person in charge to check the dates each day and throw out anything older than seven days.

Adding labels and checking them may add a minute to your food prep process, but it keeps your food fresh and your customers safe from the potentially dangerous effects of Listeria.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

Proper handwashing is the single most effective way to stop foodborne illness. As the manager, you set the standard for safety by your example and your encouragement.

This week, take just five minutes to quietly observe your team. Are they taking the full 20 seconds to wash or just doing a quick rinse? Pay close attention to transitions. Are they washing immediately when they enter the kitchen, change gloves, or handle those fresh, clean dishes?

If habits are slipping, don’t just give a reminder. Have that employee show you how they wash their hands at the start of their next shift. And ask them to tell you three times when they need to wash their hands.

Consistency builds culture. Protect your customers and your business. This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com

Holding food at the proper temperature is your primary defense against harmful bacteria, and it’s something a health inspector always looks for.

There’s nothing worse than an inspector discovering your refrigerator at 50 degrees and having to dispose of hundreds of dollars in product.

You can prevent this with a simple routine: Assign staff to check and log refrigerator temperatures at least twice a day. Ensure they record the exact time, temperature, and their initials.

Then, as the manager, review those logs daily.

This five-minute habit doesn’t just pass inspections; it protects your bottom line and your customers’ health.

This has been your Focus on Food Safety.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scphdfoodsafety.substack.com