Chapter 9: Dietary and Nutritional Guidelines
Each restaurant needs to determine its standards of operation. In many cases, the federal, state, and local government will dictate how high the standard should be. All restaurants should have an obligation to provide nutritious meals for their patrons. One way to illustrate the quality expected is to include a color picture of each menu item on the recipe card. It is also a good policy to inform employees of the quality procedures for each food item. A few simple steps can help the quality process:
• Always provide quality products and ingredients.
• The items must be processed in a timely manner to enhance the quality of the final product.
• Test the final product for flavor and temperature.
• Continue working with employees to improve the quality of each menu item.
• Consider feedback you receive from patrons in your evaluation.
When reviewing feedback from employees or customers always consider the negatives and positives. Did it take too long to receive the item? Was the item the correct temperature when it was served? Was the item cooked sufficiently but not overcooked? Was there too much or too little seasoning? The answers to these questions can be an equipment problem, a recipe issue, or an employee mistake. Whatever factor caused the problem, it is your responsibility to find an acceptable solution.
TEST PANEL
Sometimes product and service evaluation can be done in-house. At other times, it is better to bring people in from outside your restaurant to make the critical evaluations. You need to pick the panel carefully.
• Do they have food-service experience?
• Are they able to distinguish individual flavors and qualities?
For taste-testing, non-smokers are preferred. A judge could stop smoking two or three hours before your taste test and be able to regain the ability to distinguish differences to give you useful in-put. When you schedule a taste test, the best time of day is an hour before lunch or an hour before dinner.
Get this critical information from the panel: appearance, color, flavor, smell, taste, and texture. You want feedback regarding the four tastes: bitter, salty, sour, and sweet. Taste and smell determine the flavor.
Let us use a banana as an example of the color of your food items. Before a banana is ripe, it is green; when it is ready to eat, it is yellow; and when it is too ripe, it is black. Many foods have a different appearance depending on the stage of the food. Keep this thought in mind when you serve menu items. Does the color of the food entice the patron or discourage them?
The texture of your food items is important: Foods may be stringy, smooth, tender, tough, crisp, mushy, or hard. Appearance includes more than just how the food looks. It can include the presentation of the food. Is the serving skimpy looking? Ask yourself whether the portion fits the container or should you find a different way to serve the item? A qualified taste test panel can provide this information and much more. The example below outlines taste panel guidelines.
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TASTE PANEL GUIDELINES |
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Guidelines and Number of Participants |
Assign at least 10 people (and no more than 25) to be responsible for all taste test panels. The tasting should take place in a well-lighted, quiet room, separate from the food production. Participants must meet requirements as set forth below. |
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Test Timing |
Tests should be conducted in the mid-morning (between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.) or mid-afternoon (between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.). |
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Qualifications of Participants |
• Test panel participants must be trained food professionals. • Test panel participants should represent as many age ranges as possible. • Test panel participants must be nonsmokers. • Test panel participants should not have a cold or any illness that may impair their ability to taste food. |
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Materials Needed |
Each test panel participants should have: • A writing utensil and rating cards for each sample. The cards should have the general product name only and be stacked in the order of testing. • New utensils and a napkin should be provided for each taste sample. • Glass of water. A sip of water should be taken between samples to rinse the mouth. • Sufficient food for the test panel participant enable the tester to consume 3 normal bites. • Liquids should be presented in clear glasses sufficient for 3 sips. |
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Comparison Samples |
There should be no more than 3 different items for paired comparisons. Paired products should be at/near identical temperatures. |
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Acceptability Rating Test |
There should be no more than 5 different items for an acceptability rating test. |
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Food Temperature |
All temperatures should be at or near serving temperature. |
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Tasting Guidelines |
Test panel participants should note: • Appearance. Overall appearance as well as color, form on the plate and on the utensil. • Taste. Food should have contact with each oral taste center. • Texture. Compare texture to recognized standards. |
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Recording Results |
Test panel participants should note feedback on each individual rating card. Additional comments should be written based on the tasting guidelines. It is preferred that the test panel participants not discuss the food offerings during the testing process. |
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Tabulation |
A separate individual will be responsible for tallying and ranking the results of the test panel. Feedback will be given to each panel participant. |
INTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL
Here are 10 steps to set up a self-evaluation process:
1. Assign a staff member to monitor and evaluate procedures.
2. Determine the scope of service in the restaurant.
3. Identify the most important parts of your service.
4. Determine indicators used to monitor your service.
5. Set up a series of plateaus to evaluate service. What will be the “trigger points” that more evaluation and possible changes are needed?
6. Collect important data as it relates to each plateau to identify problems in a reasonable time.
7. When you reach each plateau, are there new ways to improve?
8. Take all necessary action to provide better service.
9. Is your existing plan effective? If not, how can it be improved?
10. All relevant staff members need to be notified of these findings and the steps being taken to improve service.
Your employees need to be trained to implement quality control standards. An easy way is to test the first food that is prepared each day. Some things to check include:
• Are hot and cold foods served at the correct temperature?
• Does the food look fresh and appealing?
• Is each item presented properly?
• Are there various colors, flavors, and textures in the items being served?
If you answered yes to each question, you are doing a good job. If not, the appropriate corrections should be made. This little test can be done before each meal or periodically if you get good results. Include your staff members in the evaluation process and help them learn to develop a better product. Each time you get positive or negative feedback from customers, share this information with your staff, especially when your restaurant is being praised.
It is also possible that changes should be made based on the feedback you receive. These changes can include types of food, staff scheduling, and the equipment you use. Some simple changes that can make a difference are steaming items instead of boiling, preparing smaller quantities to maintain, or change the temperature where specific items will be served.
Using different equipment will change your recipe requirements and the final product. Changing the preparation method and the equipment used can make a big difference in your menu items. Another possibility is scheduling your food preparation. Something that can fix this problem is to prepare items with similar preparation and cooking time. Your standardized recipes should include this information and it needs to be considered when planning your menu items. This consideration is especially important when food is being served at improper temperature and you need to find a solution.
Consider these questions:
• Does your staff use warmed dinnerware for hot foods and chilled dinnerware for cold foods?
• When food is placed in the steam table, is it the proper temperature?
• Is there a draft near your steam table? If so, consider moving it.
• How long does it take your staff to serve the customers?
Your patrons can help you monitor the quality of the food you serve. Some restaurants ask their patrons to complete questionnaires periodically, it is a wonderful way to encourage feedback on the items you offer and the quality of your service. There are several ways to approach this evaluation, such as individual cards placed on the dining room tables or you can use a printed questionnaire handed to your customers. Below is an example I have seen used by various facilities. Keep in mind that your customers are taking their time to give you valuable insights and you should only pursue it if you plan to review their feedback and act on it.
This is a flow chart that shows how you can gain feedback and how to implement it in the facility.
HEARING WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY
TOOLS TO GAIN FEEDBACK
Here are some details on each feedback tool that you can use. Which seems appropriate for your restaurant?
Focus groups can be helpful when you are developing new products or procedures. Some funding is available for in-depth studies. Make a list of the particular information you would like to find out during the focus group discussion. The best focus groups include a variety of people who are in your target market. It is good to have someone take notes to review later or you can record the group on video or audio tape. The person who moderates the group needs to remain unbiased and should know how to draw information out of people in a helpful manner.
Individual interviews or discussions will give you honest feedback without your subjects being influenced by their peers. The person asking the questions must not influence the answers. There is an art to asking the right questions and this will be discussed in the next section. The questions need to be prepared in advance and the interviewer needs to be familiar with them before an interview starts. This interview is another situation where you can tape and review at a later time.
A professional or mystery shopper gets a list of questions about their visit. It includes:
• Interior appearance
• Exterior appearance
• Cleanliness
• Quality of the service
• Promptness
• Cost
• Quality of the food
These are only some of the things they ask, but it gives the restaurant a good overview of how they are doing. When people are chosen to do mystery shopping, they need good communication skills and they need to be detail-oriented to supply the information you need. All mystery shopping organizations that I am familiar with reimburse the shopper for the meal, although they set a maximum cost. Some also pay a commission, but this is less common when the full cost of the meal is repaid.
Surveys use carefully planned questions and carefully selected participants. In any survey, choose a large enough sample of people to get accurate information.
Unsolicited feedback is given voluntarily and is usually the first source of feedback you get. Whenever someone approaches you with positive or negative feedback, take the time to consider their comments. If the comments are written, keep a copy on file or make your own notes from the information they shared. These comments could be divided into separate files for easier reference in the future.
The following forms are a good way to get feedback from customers about your facility. The forms ask a series of questions and have an area for people to offer comments or for you to note what was done in response to the comments you receive.
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EVALUATING RESTAURANT IMPRESSIONS |
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Food is not the only consideration important to customers. Service, staff, variety, sanitation and convenience are also important factors. This evaluation checklist for operations covers basic principles essential to customer service. The focus is not productivity or efficiency, but the impressions our customers get. You may want to have numerous people complete this checklist to get a random sampling of answers including supervisors, employees and customers. Tabulate the results and provide feedback to employees. The results will help create opportunities for meaningful in-services and retraining. |
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QUESTION |
YES or NO |
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1. Are the hours convenient for customers? COMMENTS: |
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2. Do customers frequently wait outside the entrance for you to open? COMMENTS: |
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3. Are the hours clearly posted? COMMENTS: |
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4. Is the first impression positive conveying a neat, clean, and organized environment? COMMENTS: |
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5. Is the food service area clearly marked and easily accessible? COMMENTS: |
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6. Is the lighting in the food service area sufficiently bright? COMMENTS: |
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7. Are daily specials clearly posted and prices listed? COMMENTS: |
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8. Are prices clearly posted for all other items? COMMENTS: |
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9. Are portions consistent for all items? COMMENTS: |
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10. Is the decor pleasing? COMMENTS: |
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11. If there are self-service areas, are they clean, maintained and well stocked? COMMENTS: |
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12. Are spills in any area immediately cleaned up? COMMENTS: |
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13. Are all self-service areas arranged in order of use to decrease cross-traffic? COMMENTS: |
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14. Is the overall traffic flow of the food service efficient? COMMENTS: |
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15. Is the hot food attractively served and portioned? COMMENTS: |
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16. Is the temperature of the hot food pleasing (not too hot or cold)? COMMENTS: |
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17. Are employees serving food pleasant and helpful? COMMENTS: |
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18. Is the food service timed so that customers do not have to wait to long? COMMENTS: |
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19. Are there enough cashiers that customers do not have to wait to long to pay? Or does the server handle check service and payment in a prompt manner? COMMENTS: |
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20. Is the food priced competitively with other local operations? COMMENTS: |
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21. Are service utensils clean, not bent and presented in an attractive manner? COMMENTS: |
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22. Do the dishes match and are in good condition (no chips and fully glazed)? COMMENTS: |
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23. Does the silverware match and is it clean and in good condition? COMMENTS: |
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24. Are the trays (if used) clean and dry? COMMENTS: |
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25. Is an employee available to assist children or disabled customers? COMMENTS: |
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26. Does the dining area appear clean overall? COMMENTS: |
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27. Are tables bussed and cleaned in a timely manner? COMMENTS: |
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28. Are the tables, chairs and other furnishings in good condition? COMMENTS: |
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29. Are the floors clean? COMMENTS: |
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30. Are all signs up-to-date, neat, clean, and relevant? COMMENTS: |
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MEAL SURVEY |
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Our Management and Staff are proud and pleased to serve you. We welcome your comments and suggestions so we may finds ways to improve our service. Please let us know how we rate. |
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Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
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Overall acceptance of food |
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Value for dollar spent |
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Service |
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Cleanliness |
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Please list what you liked most about our food service: |
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1. |
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2. |
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3. |
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4. |
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Please list what you liked least about our food service: |
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1. |
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2. |
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3. |
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4. |
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If you would like the opportunity to discuss suggestions with the Manager, please fill in the information below: |
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Name: |
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RESTAURANT SURVEY |
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Date: |
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Meal: |
Breakfast __ |
Lunch __ |
Dinner __ |
Other __ |
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Time you arrived? (choose one time only) |
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1. Before 8:00 a.m. __ |
8. 12:16 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. __ |
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2. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. __ |
9. 12:31 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. __ |
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3. 9:01 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. __ |
10. 1:01 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. __ |
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4. 10:01 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. __ |
11. 2:01 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. __ |
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5. 11:01 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. __ |
12. 4:01 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. __ |
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6. 11:31 a.m. - Noon __ |
13. 5:01 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. __ |
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7. 12:01 p.m. - 12:15 p.m. __ |
14. 6:01 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. __ |
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FOOD |
Excellent |
Good |
Less than Satisfactory |
Don’t Know N/A |
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1. Food quality Beverages Hot entrees Grill items Salad bar Sandwich bar Desserts 2. Variety of food available 3. Temperature of food (hot/cold) 4. Size of portion served |
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Please list any food items you would like to be added to the menu selection: Are the prices of the items fair and reasonable? __ Yes __ No |
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RESTAURANT SURVEY |
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SERVICES AND FACILITIES |
Excellent |
Good |
Less than Satisfactory |
Don’t Know N/A |
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1. Speed of food service 2. Speed of payment/cashier 3. Facility cleanliness 4. Atmosphere of dining area (appearance/decor/furniture) 5. Courtesy of staff |
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Generally, how responsive do you feel we are to suggestions or recommendations for changes made by employees? Would you say the our staff is: __ Very responsive __ Somewhat responsive __ Not responsive at all __ Not Sure Overall, what is your opinion of the service you just received? Would you say: __ Excellent __ Good __ Less than satisfactory __ Don’t know |
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Comments: Name: (Optional) |
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TIPS TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
There is an art to asking the right questions. Here are some tips to help:
• Ask about one specific thing with each question. Asking about multiple things in one question distorts the answer.
• Use clear, easy, simple words. You are much more likely to get a useful and accurate answer.
• Do not ask a question that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.” When you ask this sort of question the only answer you will get is either “yes” or “no” which is of limited benefit. In-depth answers are much more useful and are volunteered when the question begins with “how” or “when” or “where” rather than “Did you...?” or “Do you…?” or “Will you…?”
• Give the person unbiased choices, illustrated with a scale of one to five. If you gave choices (extremely good, good, fair and bad), you have balanced the scales unfairly in your favor. If you include extremely good and very good, then you need to include extremely bad and very bad.
If you decide to use interviews, you need to choose who will talk to these people. You could speak with your patrons personally or have a trusted staff member who communicates well do the interviews. Some people will simply check good or excellent on your surveys. Others will give solid feedback that can be valuable at your facility. The individuals who gave honest information will be watching to see when these changes will be implemented.
Another interesting way to see whether your customers like the items you prepare is to conduct a plate-waste study. A plate-waste study can be done by your bus staff or dishwashing staff. It will tell you whether customers are finishing their meals and which items are not being eaten. A plate-waste study should include at least 20 plates. The more plates you evaluate, the more detailed information you will gather. If your study shows certain items are not eaten, it might be good to consider deleting them from your menu or it might be good to change the recipe or preparation method that you are using. The study could also provide additional information which includes:
• Are you serving the correct food items?
• Should you change the preparation methods?
• Is the food served at the proper temperatures?
• Is your menu item selection adequate?
• Are you preparing the right quantity of food?
Quality improvement and quality assurance are two different approaches that offer some differences. This chart will show how they vary in different situations.
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Quality Improvement & Quality Assurance |
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Category |
Quality Improvement |
Quality Assurance |
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Commitment |
Stress the importance of quality to staff members at all levels. |
Not stressed as a major component. |
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Focus |
Gather input about process and products to find areas to improve. Must organize your approach. |
Structure your approach along with being appropriate, minimize risk, and ensure clinical performance. |
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Mass Inspection |
Eliminate mass inspections. |
Encourage broad-based inspections. |
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Measure and Improve |
Use a cycle to improve the processes that you use. |
Identify opportunities to improve your service and care. |
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Orientation |
Understand the need to improve. Be proactive about improvement. Always keep customer in mind. |
Monitor and measure to find areas that need improvement. Be reactive when you find problems. |
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Problem solving |
Measure quality in the unit. Cross-functioning teams. |
Use multi-disciplinary committees to ensure quality throughout units. |
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Quality Cost |
Emphasize with improvement. |
Not emphasized with assurance. |
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Requirements |
Defined by customers. |
Defined by provider. |
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Responsibility |
Everyone is responsible. |
Management determines responsibility. |
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Standards |
Standards are the starting point. Develop standards internally. |
The standards are your goals. Use standards developed by others. |
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Statistical Method |
Sophisticated method. |
Rudimentary method. |
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Structure |
Use existing structure. |
Use separate assurance structure. |
Each element focuses on a different segment of your facility. The quality improvement or assurance details show what is most important and how the program could be implemented in the facility. The approach you use should be based on the specific requirements of your facility.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
A thorough evaluation of operating procedures is necessary to develop a strategic long-term plan to provide quality for your customers. The importance should not be underestimated. Here are a few key steps to help you get started with the evaluation:
• Set goals for your department.
• Keep these goals in accord with the purpose of the facility.
• Develop a plan to attain these goals.
• Develop operating procedures to help you attain these goals.
• Create a plan to implement these procedures.
• Evaluate your effectiveness and make any necessary changes.
Some key points to consider when you develop your plan are:
• Do you have adequate resources to implement your program?
• Will your plan cause other problems in the facility?
• Can you find ways to improve the quality of your food production and delivery systems?
• What quality is a major factor in all department operations including: purchasing, receiving, storage, and processing?
• Do you recruit the best personnel to maintain quality?
Sometimes more information is needed to make an effective plan. One example is the difference between knowing the restaurant budget and simply being told to minimize expenses. The additional information can make a difference in how people do their job. It helps them to know where and when to minimize expenses to stay within the budget. Either way, to maintain expenses certain criteria must be met, such as:
• Are your meal plans nutritious?
• Are personal and professional goals being met?
• Does the restaurant follow sanitary practices?
Thorough investigations and evaluations are necessary to find the answers to these questions.
CONDUCT A SELF REVIEW
It can be effective to prepare for inspections or evaluations by reviewing your procedures and policies to be sure they met the criteria and that you are doing the best possible job for your clients. So, what are some ways to check and evaluate your operation to make adequate improvements?
One simple way to start is by making a checklist of each thing that should be done in the restaurant on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The list will help you to identify areas that need some additional focus. You may wonder how you would develop such a checklist. The checklist would be a great topic for a departmental meeting. All staff members can offer suggestions on areas that need improvement. You could assign several people to make concise lists of their responsibilities and then have a second or third person review the list to make sure it is complete. Once the lists are complete the manager should check them and add any additional points that were missed.
Many reference books include checklists and you will find 18 at the end of this chapter. If the checklists here are not exactly what you need, feel free to make changes as necessary for your specific facility. The procedure manual for your facility should offer additional information for creating your checklists.
After your checklist is finished, what should you do with it? The list should be used weekly or monthly to verify that acceptable standards are being met in the facility. If there are substantial problems, you may wish to use the lists more often. In a short time you should be able to implement substantial changes by improving your procedures. You may need more than one checklist. Remember to make multiple copies that can be used when training new employees or to retrain employees. It could be included with the annual employee evaluation that we will discuss in a later chapter.
Major changes will take time, but you do not want to drag your feet in starting the necessary changes in a restaurant. After problems are identified, you can have two or three members find ways to revise your procedures. It is a good idea for the manager to try these new procedures before they are implemented throughout the restaurant.
Staff members will need time to become familiar with the new procedures. When you feel comfortable that your employees are implementing the changes properly, it would be good to re-evaluate. Re-evaluation will help you verify that the changes are successful. If you feel the changes are not working, you should evaluate more quickly to find any new problems.
After all procedure changes are made, document them in your training manual. Any time you change these documents, they need to be updated, signed, and issued to all employees to eliminate potential confusion among staff members. If any job descriptions need to be revised, it should be done at the same time and added to the procedure manual.
EXTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL
Government agencies and private associations evaluate services in various facilities. Any dietary manager who has implemented the reviews and suggestions mentioned earlier should not have a problem meeting the requirements in these evaluations.
FOOD SAFETY INSPECTIONS
There are many ways to prepare for an inspection and I will include some tips, suggestions, and checklists for you to study and use as you see fit. We talked earlier about doing self-inspections in your facility. Food safety is another area where those inspections would be beneficial.
For a mock inspection, visit www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/mockinspection.htm. This website walks you through the steps of an inspection, although the specific details may vary in your area. However, it will give you an idea of the things that take place.
The City of Denver’s website offers all sorts of valuable information at www.denvergov.org/eh/search.asp?mode=sample. On this page you will find specific information about the following topics:
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FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS |
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Type 1 Violations |
Type 2 Violations |
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1. Food Service |
9. Food Labeling and Protection |
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2. Personnel |
10. Improper Equipment Design and Construction |
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3. Temperature Control |
11. Testing Devices |
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4. Sanitization Rinse |
12. Improper Cleaning of Equipment and Utensils |
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5. Water/Sewage/Plumbing Systems |
13. Utensils – Single Service Articles |
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6. Hand Washing and Toilet Facilities |
14. Physical Facilities |
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7. Pest Control |
15. Other Operations |
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8. Toxic Items |
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This site offers more information on each of these headings and various subheadings. But you can also learn why each element of this list is significant to public health. I would highly recommend that you take a look at this information to gain additional insights into many of the things discussed in this chapter.
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture which ensures the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. You can visit them at www.fsis.usda.gov. There is also a wealth of safety information at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/index.asp. You can subscribe to their Food Safety Newsletter for up-to-date information. This newsletter reports on new food safety educational programs and materials and emerging science concerning food safety risks. The newsletter is distributed up to four times a year. This publication is free for print subscribers. Electronic copies may be downloaded from the website. E-mail fsis.outreach@usda.gov. Or subscribe online at: www.fsis.usda.gov/news_&_events/food_safety_educator_subscription/index.asp.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INSPECTION
Inspections can be traumatic for food service managers if you do not maintain the proper environment and procedures each day. This section will include some tips to help you prepare for these inspections and to alleviate some of the stress associated with inspections. They are a necessary part of the business, so it is better to be prepared for them. You can download an inspection form at www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/inspectionform.pdf This form will help you set up and maintain a daily sanitation schedule, a wonderful way to establish sanitary practices for your facility. There are additional forms and checklists at the end of this chapter.
An online step by step inspection can help you see what will be checked and to be better prepared. Your inspection may be different, but this is an example of some of the things you should expect: www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/mockinspection.htm
PREPARING FOR AN INSPECTION
Here are some things you need to do to prepare for an inspection:
• Use a form similar to the local health department’s for your self inspections.
• View the facility from the inspectors viewpoint, not your own.
• Begin your self-inspection from the outside and work your way through the entire facility.
• Immediately after your inspection, hold a brief meeting with your staff members to review the problems you found.
• Several priorities in your inspection should include: food temperatures in storage, preparation, serving, reheating, food type awareness, and proper hand washing techniques.
• You cannot emphasize the importance of hand washing too much. Hang posters and reminders for staff members in the kitchen and restrooms.
• Any managers should be trained to keep up-to-date about the latest food safety information and techniques.
• Stay current about the local health code and requirements.
The Visit
• Be prepared and eliminate the possibility of panic.
• When inspectors arrive, ask to see their credentials.
• If you are unsure about their credentials, call the health department to verify their identity.
• Never refuse to allow inspectors to do an inspection. They can get an inspection warrant if needed, but the resulting inspection will be more thorough if these measures are needed. Refusing to allow an inspection will cause unneeded animosity with the inspector who is there to help you make the facility better and safer.
• Follow the inspector and make notes about any problems. Make the effort to fix any problems while the inspector is there. Show you are willing to make the needed changes.
• Never offer food or other items to the inspector. They could be viewed as a bribe to influence the inspector.
• Sign the report after the inspection is complete. Your signature does not indicate your agreement with the details but merely that you received a copy of the report.
• Ask inspectors to explain any findings to you and your staff members. They can also offer suggestions on how to make necessary improvements. Remember that even the cleanest food service facilities can have health department citations.
The Violations
• Fix any small problems before inspectors leave your facility to show your willingness to make improvements.
• Ask for an additional explanation if you have questions or need clarification.
• You have the right to appeal any findings, but keep your thoughts to yourself until after the inspector leaves.
Visit www.denvergov.org/eh/search.asp?mode=sample to get information about each violation and additional information which may explain the public health significance for each violation. Categories include:
• Food Source
• Personnel
• Temperature Control
• Sanitization Rinse
• Water/Sewage/Plumbing Systems
• Hand Washing and Toilet Facilities
• Pest Control
• Toxic Items
• Food Labeling and Protection
• Equipment Design and Construction
• Testing Devices
• Cleaning of Equipment and Utensils
• Utensils – Single Service Articles
• Physical Facilities
• Other Operations
For additional information about HACCP and safe food handling practices, you should see HACCP & Sanitation in Restaurants and Food Service Operations: A Practical Guide Based on the USDA Food Code (Item # HSR-02) from Atlantic Publishing, www.atlantic-pub.com.
IMPROVE DIETARY SERVICES
Effective managers conduct in-house reviews periodically. The frequency depends on how often reviews are required. They can also be done whenever you see problems.
After the problems are identified, your first priority is to resolve them. We all know people who are comfortable in their job and like to do things a certain way, but that may not be best for the restaurant when the routine needs to be changed. Many times we hear people say all they do is put out fires all day. Your job as a manager is to prepare for problems, review the situations, and find ways to improve them. With proper planning most “fires” can be eliminated.
In the beginning, there may be a number of problems that need be addressed. You can delegate some projects to others in the restaurant. When this is not possible, the manager needs to determine the worst problems and list them by priority. The worst problem should be handled first. In some cases, one solution can fix more than one problem. A common pitfall is to throw out the existing procedures instead of finding ways to improve on current practices. It is much easier for restaurant employees to adjust the way they do things instead of starting over from scratch. Help your employees make changes easier by involving them in the planning stages. How a manager handles these problems reveals his management abilities.
After the changes have been determined, they must be evaluated. Any staff members who will be involved in proposed changes should be notified as early as possible. The manager needs to explain the changes, why they are needed, and may even need to defend the changes. Remember the staff that performs these jobs each day can offer valuable insights and suggestions about proposals.
CONSIDER FOOD ALLERGIES
Food intolerances are becoming more common and the most common is lactose intolerance, which is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in milk. Many foods contain lactose, not just milk and cream. People who are lactose intolerant need to read the labels for all foods before they eat including bread, cereal, instant potatoes, most baked goods, soup, margarine, lunch meats, salad dressing, biscuits, cookies, pancakes, and even candy.
Food allergies have a great impact on food service. As a food service worker, you should know the signs of food allergies or intolerances. For instance, if you see people taking antacids or other medicine for indigestion without getting relief, it could be food allergies and intolerances.
The following chart illustrates some food allergies or intolerances symptoms:
|
Food Allergies or Intolerances Symptoms |
|
|
Symptom |
Definition |
|
Abdominal Cramps: |
Pain in the belly. |
|
Belching: |
Air which passes through your digestive tract and out of your mouth. |
|
Bloating: |
Tight abdomen caused by gas. |
|
Diarrhea: |
Loose, watery, frequent stools; chronic if it lasts more than a month. |
|
Weight Loss: |
Eating less because of illness brought on by certain foods. |
|
Slow Growth: |
Poor or unusually slow weight or height increase in children. |
|
Floating Stools: |
If the body doesn’t digest and absorb fats, some of the fat leaves the body through the stools. |
|
Foul Smelling Stools: |
Stools’ odor is worse than usual and is caused by diet. |
|
Rumbling Stomach: |
This can happen 30 minutes to two hours after eating. The severity depends on how much of the offending foods were eaten and how much is left in the intestinal tract. |
Food allergies can be serious and life-threatening. Eight food groups cause allergic reactions including peanuts and other nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, milk, soy, and eggs. A couple of unusual ingredients are aspartame, food colorings, and additives and these are only the tip of the allergy and intolerance iceberg.
It is advisable to ensure that the ingredient information is available to your customers. You can list these ingredients specifically on your menu or have your server communicate these details to customers. It is also helpful if your employees understand the serious nature of food allergies and this should help them assist customers who have food allergy problems.
Allergies are more prevalent than most people realize. Even a small amount of an offending food can cause a person to become nauseous, vomit, develop hives, have trouble breathing, and suffer anaphylaxis. It is critical that special order requests be taken seriously and that allergens are mentioned in person or on your menu.
You can obtain more information about food allergies from the International Food Information Council at 202-296-6540 or www.ific.org.
ADDITIONAL Food Allergies & Asthma
AN EXCERPT FROM International Food Information Council Backgrounder, November 2006 www.ific.org/food/allergy/index.cfm
Although allergy to pollen or other environmental sources typically causes a lot of discomfort during spring, summer, and fall, food allergy is one condition that knows no season. According to recent studies, approximately 11 million Americans — two percent of adults and six to eight percent of children under the age of three—have a true food allergy.
People tend to diagnose themselves, believing they have allergic reactions to certain foods or food ingredients. Unfortunately, self-diagnosis of food allergy often leads to unnecessary food restrictions, nutrient deficiencies, and misdiagnosis of potential life-threatening medical conditions other than food allergy. Therefore, experts urge people to see a board-certified allergist for proper diagnosis.
What Is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is an adverse reaction to a food or food component that involves the body’s immune system. A true allergic reaction to a food involves three primary components: 1) contact with a food allergen (reaction-provoking substance, virtually always a protein); 2) immunoglobulin E (IgE-an antibody in the immune system that reacts with allergens); and 3) mast cells (tissue cells) and basophils (blood cells), which when connected to IgE antibodies release histamine or other substances causing allergic symptoms.
The body’s immune system recognizes an allergen in a food as foreign and produces antibodies to halt the “invasion.” As the battle rages, symptoms appear throughout the body. The most common reaction sites are the mouth (swelling of the lips), digestive tract (stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea), skin (hives, rashes, or eczema), and the airways (wheezing or breathing problems).
Allergic reactions to food are rare and can be caused by any food. The most common food allergens, known as the “Big 8,” are fish, shellfish, milk, egg, soy, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts such as walnuts, cashews, etc. Symptoms of a food allergy are highly individual and usually begin within minutes to a few hours after eating the offending food. People with true, confirmed food allergies must avoid the offending food altogether.
There are numerous misconceptions regarding allergy to food additives, preservatives, and ingredients. Although some additives and preservatives have been shown to trigger asthma or hives in certain people, these reactions are not the same as those reactions observed with food allergies. These reactions do not involve the immune system and therefore are examples of food intolerance or idiosyncrasy rather than food allergy. Most people consume a wide variety of food additives and ingredients daily, with only a very small number having been associated with adverse reactions.
There are also some adverse reactions to foods that involve the body’s metabolism but not the immune system. These reactions are known as food intolerance. Examples of food intolerance are food poisoning or the inability to properly digest certain food components, such as lactose or milk sugar. This latter condition is commonly known as lactose intolerance.
Life-threatening Reactions
Many allergic reactions to food are relatively mild. However, a small percentage of food-allergic individuals experience severe, life-threatening reactions, called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a rare but potentially fatal condition in which several different parts of the body experience foodallergic reactions simultaneously, causing hives, swelling of the throat, and difficulty breathing. It is the most severe allergic reaction.
Symptoms usually appear rapidly, sometimes within minutes of exposure to the allergen. Because they can be life-threatening, immediate medical attention is necessary when an anaphylactic reaction occurs. Standard emergency treatment often includes an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) to open up the airways and blood vessels.
Asthma and Food
What is Asthma?
Asthma, a chronic medical condition, affects more than 17 million Americans (three to four percent of the population). Asthma results when triggers (or irritants) cause swelling of the tissues to the air passages of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Typical symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
Can Foods Trigger Asthma?
Only a few. For years it has been suspected that foods or food ingredients may cause or exacerbate symptoms in those with asthma. After many years of scientific and clinical investigation, there are very few confirmed food triggers of asthma. Sulfites and sulfiting agents in foods (found in dried fruits, prepared potatoes, wine, bottled lemon or lime juice, and shrimp), and diagnosed food allergens (such as milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish) have been found to trigger asthma. Many food ingredients such as food dyes and colors, food preservatives like BHA and BHT, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and nitrite, have not been conclusively linked to asthma.
What Can Individuals with Asthma Do to Prevent a Food-Triggered Asthma Attack?
The best way to avoid food-induced asthma is to eliminate or avoid the offending food or food ingredient from the diet or from the environment. Reading ingredient information on food labels and knowing where food triggers of asthma are found are the best defenses against a food-induced asthma attack. The main objectives of an asthmatic’s care and treatment are to stay healthy, to remain symptom free, to enjoy food, to exercise, to use medications properly, and to follow the care plan developed between the physician and patient.
