Food Safety Blog

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Canadians are getting more serious about food safety. Many municipalities now make it possible for the public to view the results of food safety inspections online at any time, putting crucial information into the hands of thousands of potential customers around the country. Instead of worrying about not passing your next food safety inspection, you can instead use food safety training to ensure that your food service establishment never has to worry about inspection results again. Additionally a food safety incident can mean multiple negative reviews on various platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Food safety training is becoming more and more important to foodservice businesses from a marketing perspective, so it’s important that you and your staff know how to use it to gain a competitive edge.

Refrigerated Food Storage Guidelines for Your Food Service Business

food safety storage refrigerated

One of the best ways to ensure that the food served by your establishment is consistently safe is by knowing how to store it properly. This is especially true for refrigerated food, which can be quickly contaminated by harmful germs when stored improperly or at improper temperatures. Not only can improper storage practices lead to customers developing foodborne illness, but it can also lead to a degradation in food quality, increased food waste, and lost revenue.

New Measures to Reduce Salmonella Cases in Canada

food safety salmonella

The beginning of April 2019 saw the arrival of new food safety regulations for frozen breaded chicken products in Canada. These regulations aim to reduce the amount of salmonella outbreaks in Canada, many of which stem from infected or improperly prepared frozen breaded chicken products, often resulting in mass product recalls. It’s estimated that each year there are around 87,500 cases of salmonella infections around Canada, with more than 550 being directly attributed to frozen breaded chicken products since May 2017.

How the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations Affect You

food safety regulations

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), implemented across the country on January 15, 2019, have brought significant changes for Canadian foodservice business. The new regulations have been put into place with the intention of improving food safety for Canadians, improving consumer confidence in knowing that the food they receive and eat will be safe and from sources they can trust. These regulations bring a variety of benefits for businesses and consumers, as well as some changes your foodservice business will need to take into consideration.

Why is Romaine Lettuce So Commonly Recalled?

food safety E. coli produce lettuce

Salad lovers rejoice! The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recently declared that the romaine lettuce E.coli outbreak of late 2018 is finally over. The outbreak lasted nearly two months between October and December, affecting dozens of people and hospitalizing at least 25, becoming worldwide news in the process and the subject of many watercooler conversations because of the extremely large scale of the outbreak and the recalls that followed. Even though the outbreak is finally over, the question of why romaine lettuce is so commonly recalled is still on the minds of many people.

Handling gluten allergies and sensitivities

food safety allergens gluten

A great deal has been written about celiac disease, gluten allergies, and gluten sensitivity, though much confusion and misinformation continues to make the rounds. Allergens are a common issue faced by food service experts, bringing their own unique barriers that must be overcome in order to provide your patrons with the high quality of service they deserve. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates that nearly one-third of Canadians (around 10 million) are regularly seeking out gluten-free products. This includes around 2.5 million who require gluten-free food products for medical reasons. The growing demand for gluten-free alternatives has led to many Canadian restaurants adopting gluten-free alternatives to cater to all customers.

food safety food handler certification training virtual learning online training classroom training

Food safety trainers now have access to Managing Food Safety (MFS), a nationally recognized, high quality training program. MFS introduces a variety of new measures to make food safety training more effective, including things like visual case studies that can help trainers to transcend language barriers, opportunities for experiential learning, and detailed regional information. Managing Food Safety has been enthusiastically received by health authorities and food safety trainers around the country, who have said that the program makes the job of trainers easier, and makes learning more enjoyable for participants.

food safety thawing

Freezing food is a great way to preserve large quantities of perishable foods like meat and bread, as well as leftovers. Not only is does it allow you to extend the lifespan of certain foods, but it also allows for increased convenience. Before pulling your next meal out of the freezer, it’s important that you know how to properly thaw and defrost food to reduce the chances of harmful bacteria multiplying while in the “temperature danger zone”, where germs thrive, doubling in numbers in just 20 minutes. Remember to never thaw food at room temperature, as it can make your food unsafe and lead to foodborne illness. Only the following methods of thawing and defrosting are recommended by food safety experts.

food safety food preparation

It’s all too easy to get careless or overconfident in the kitchen, but even making a simple mistake can have serious long-term consequences, especially for foodservice workers or those cooking for large groups of people. No matter how experienced you feel you are in the kitchen, it’s important to be aware of common food safety guidelines - it could help you avoid contracting or spreading serious foodborne illnesses. Here are some of the most commonly made food safety mistakes in the kitchen:

food safety regulations

Ontario’s new Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17), under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7 came into effect on July 1, 2018, bringing with it some important changes for foodservice businesses across the province. Though the Regulation has been in effect since July, the transition to compliance with the new requirements is still ongoing for many establishments. The modernized Regulation has taken the place of the Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 562), which dated all the way back to 1967, and tackles issues like food handler training, energy conservation, and more.

Food Safety Market Blog

Food Safety Training Gives Your Brand a Competitive Edge

Refrigerated Food Storage Guidelines for Your Food Service Business

New Measures to Reduce Salmonella Cases in Canada

How the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations Affect You

Why is Romaine Lettuce So Commonly Recalled?

Handling gluten allergies and sensitivities

Introducing Managing Food Safety (MFS)

Thawing & Defrosting Food Safely

Dangerous Food Mistakes

Ontario's Food Premises Regulations

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