Food Security—Does it Apply to Your Restaurant?
By Lacie Thrall
Since September of 2001 we have taken a long look at the many ways that terrorism, tampering, or malicious actions can affect our lives and economy. Of all the routes it can take, food is a simple one. Food processors are taking several steps to protect food at their level, but restaurants must also consider the possibility. We don’t want to scare patrons from eating at our establishments, but the food service industry does have the potential to be a target. It includes a very diverse set of establishments--every cuisine you can think of—restaurants, cafeterias, grocery & convenience stores, church kitchens, day care, bars, vending machine operators, camps, and a multitude of other types.
Food safety and food security are closely related, although they are defined differently. Food safety addresses the accidental contamination of food. Food security deals with the deliberate contamination of food with the intent of causing harm or disruption. Tampering with food in a restaurant is thankfully rare, but it has happened. A few years ago, and activist group in Oregon applied Salmonella bacteria to salad bars via spray water bottles making several people sick. This incident affected a small group, but certainly got national attention as an act of bioterrorism.
A new, very helpful introductory food security guide put out by the National Restaurant Assoc. Educational Foundation (www.nraef.org or #800-765-2122) compares similarities as listed below. For chains, it suggests developing food security work groups comprised of quality assurance managers, risk and safety managers, purchasing, security officers, and the food workers. Independent operators might solicit expertise from resources outside the operation, like law enforcement experts, etc.
Food SAFETY
- Unintentional contamination of food
- Mild to serious illness, or even death
- Negative business & financial impact
- Biological, chemical or physical agents
- Address through training
Food SECURITY
- Intentional contamination of food
- Mild to serious illness, or even death
- Negative business & financial impact
- Biological, chemical, physical, nuclear, or radioactive agents
- Address through prevention
As part of our “homeland security” initiative, FDA, USDA, and other food industry partners have been working on several improvements to national food security, including a guidance document for all retail food stores and food service establishments. It’s a comprehensive document divided into five sections that relate to individual components of the security of a food operation: 1) management, 2) human element –staff, 3) human element –the public, 4) facility, and 5) operations. The FDA document can be found at www.cfsan.fda.gov. It encourages operations to review their current food security procedures and crisis management plan, to develop better internal/external controls.
Basic food security awareness for staff includes these points:
- Stay alert and follow directions. Keep your eyes and ears open for any unusual situation. Adhere to the security procedures established by your manager.
- Prevent unauthorized access. Lock all appropriate doors. Verify the identities of delivery persons, contractors and service personnel before allowing entrance. Don’t share passwords, codes, or keys with anyone.
- Inspect ingredients and supplies. Examine all packaging for irregularities prior to opening. Warning signs include: broken seals, odors, stains, unusual liquids or powders. Check contents for irregularities once opened.
- Inform management. If you notice anything suspicious, tell your manager immediately.
Bottom Line: Develop a team of management and staff at your establishment to evaluate your food security areas of risk. You can find lots of help with the subject of food security by doing a search on the Internet.
|