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Thank you for cracking the code on food safety with us this September!

As we wrap up NFSM 2023, we wanted to take some time to go over all that we’ve learned over the last month and reflect on what building a strong food safety culture means.

Building a Culture of Food Safety

In our last week of NFSM 2023, we tie all our food safety lessons together by exploring how to build a culture of food safety in your foodservice operation.

Through new regulations, scientific breakthroughs, advances in technology, and shifting consumer preferences, one aspect of successful restaurant operations remains the same: food safety training. But today, food safety training goes beyond theoretical understanding; it is about cultivating a company-wide food safety culture.

Download our week five content below to learn more about building a food safety culture.

The Effects of Time and Temperature on Food

In the first week of NFSM 2023, we set our sights on how time and temperature affect food safety.

From the time a new food delivery is received until the moment a dish is served, food time and temperature should be carefully controlled. Being aware of time and temperature control for safety foods, or TCS foods, and the temperature danger zone is critical for serving safe food.

In case you missed it, download all week one content below.

How Personal Hygiene Affects Food Safety

In week two of NFSM 2023, we explored the role that personal hygiene plays in food safety.

The number one reason for foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants is poor personal hygiene practices among food handlers. Maintaining good personal hygiene and knowing when, where, how, and why we wash our hands can be the difference between serving up safe, satisfying meals and spreading potentially life-threatening diseases.

To learn more, download our week two content below.

Breaking Down Health Inspections and Health Code Violations

During week three of NFSM 2023, we turned our focus to health inspections and health code violations.

Many restaurant managers dread health inspections because of uncertainty and misconceptions about the process. Each region in the U.S. has its own health inspection process and health code violation rules, both of which are derived from the FDA Food Code.

To ensure your operation stays inspection-ready, download our week three content below.

Understanding Your Food Safety Regulations

In week four of NFSM 2023, we discussed food safety regulations, why they matter, and how they affect restaurant operations.

While most restaurant leaders are aware of food safety regulations, many are unsure why food safety regulations are made and how these regulations directly impact their operations. Some of the first food safety regulations in the U.S. date back to the early 1900s, and many of the new food safety regulations being developed today are built on these foundational rulings.

Download our week four content below to learn more about understanding your food safety regulations.

Continuing Your Practice of Food Safety

From all of us at ServSafe, thank you for joining us for National Food Safety Month 2023. We hope we were able to set the record straight on food safety and clear up any food complexities or misconceptions.

Although NFSM 2023 has come to an end, we hope you carry these lessons with you and impart the knowledge you gained toward building a strong food safety culture in your business. Be sure to check back to foodsafetyfocus.com and ServSafe for even more food safety tips, updates, and resources.

As published in the Tampa Bay Times:

John Horne: Florida businesses and consumers need credit card swipe fee reform | Column

A Bradenton restaurateur points out that credit card transactions are among his top costs today.

When I was a busboy some 40 years ago, I never would’ve dreamed that one day I would be the owner of seven restaurants. And yet, that is the dream I am living today, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I run six casual oyster bars and a white-tablecloth restaurant in the Tampa Bay area and employ 420 dedicated, hard-working people.

Running a restaurant is a high-pressure venture that comes with major expenses and overhead, and therefore we operate on very slim, single-digit profit margins. It’s a tightwire to walk, and every fluctuation in expenses can make or break me.

We always adapt to deal with the uncertainties of the economy and other unexpected factors, but what is most frustrating these days are the unnecessary headaches that we are facing from exorbitant, ever-increasing credit card swipe fees.

Credit card transactions are among my top costs today. Twenty years ago, credit card transactions were 20% of my payments. Five years ago they completely flipped to 80%, and last month they reached 109% of our sales This is because my average swipe fees can vary from 2.99 to 3.5% and I pay that fee on every transaction, which includes the sales tax we collect and remit to the Department of Revenue and tips we disperse to our tipped employees, all while incurring the swipe fees for running these processes through credit cards. These swipe fees are always increasing, too, because there is no competition for lower rates in the market. Visa and MasterCard control 80% of the credit card transaction sector. It’s a duopoly that is holding small businesses hostage on every transaction with no room for competition and lower rates. The costs are staggering — last year, U.S. merchants paid $160 billion in credit card and debit transactions, a 16% increase compared to 2021.

As the costs of food, equipment and labor rise, the incremental uptick in swipe fees is a real kick in the teeth. We need more competition in the marketplace. Fortunately, Congress has been paying attention; a broad, bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced the Credit Card Competition Act, which would introduce more choice and competition into the payment system that is dominated by the Visa and Mastercard giants. It builds off the successful debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010 and would require large credit card-issuing banks with over $100 billion in assets to offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed.

I urge U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to continue their strong support of Florida small businesses and support the Credit Card Competition Act.

John Horne is chief executive oyster of Oysters Rock Hospitality in Bradenton.

Stay up-to-date on new food safety regulations and ensure your establishment is compliant in 2023 and beyond.

In an effort to constantly improve the standards of food safety in the United States, the system of food safety regulations has been evolving gradually throughout the past century, creating fresh guidelines and protocols in reaction to emerging issues involving food safety. More than 50 new food regulations have been enacted or introduced just in the past five years. Let’s take a look at some of the new regulations being put into place in 2023 and beyond.

What’s Changed?

The most prominent overall theme in new food industry regulations is increases and expansions in regulatory oversight that work towards building a culture of food safety. Expanded responsibilities have been placed on employees with management taking on more of a supervisory role.

Cracking the Code on Food Regulations

We are currently entering a new era of a smarter food safety blueprint that will provide enhanced traceability, smarter tools for prevention and outbreak response, and stronger food safety culture. As new regulations are created and introduced, it’s crucial for food establishments to remain compliant in order to protect the health of their guests and the success of their operations.

Check out our ServSafe Regulatory Map for a detailed, interactive map of the regulations that impact your state and region. Also, make sure to download our free content from previous National Food Safety Month topics and check back next week when we close out NFSM 2023 by discussing how to build a strong food safety culture for your establishment.

Last week we explored the science behind personal hygiene and food safety and this week we turn our focus to health inspections.

Health inspections play a vital role in upholding retail food safety standards, but there are more than a few misconceptions about what inspections entail and how violations factor into a restaurant’s success. To help crack the code for this critical food safety process, let’s go over some of the most common questions restaurant workers have regarding health inspections:

1. What does the health inspection process look like?

Authorized food safety inspectors may enter food establishments unannounced at any reasonable time, on any given day of operation to conduct routine health inspections, follow up on a health code violation, perform a pre-operational assessment, or check on certification status.

During a health inspection, the inspector will fill out a designated checklist consisting of standard categories related to their state’s Food Code. Most checklists will cover these critical food safety categories:

• Employee hygiene
• Food time and temperature controls
• Food storage
• Food preparation
• Kitchen cleaning and sanitation
• Utensil maintenance and storage
• Chemical storage
• Water, plumbing, and waste
• General facility set up
• Pest control
• Compliance and regulations

To get an accurate understanding of the state of a food establishment, inspectors may ask questions, take measurements, record temperatures, read labels, or check equipment during an inspection.

Once an inspection is complete, the health inspector will compile a detailed report, usually posted online within 24 hours—7 days from the inspection.

2. How often do health inspections occur?

The frequency of health inspections varies based on the complexity of the food service operation, as well as the reason for the inspection, but most routine inspections occur once every 6 months or 1-3 times per year.

3. What do health inspectors look for?

While health inspection checklists vary from state to state, most inspectors will cover these critical food safety categories:

• Employee hygiene
• Food time and temperature controls
• Food storage
• Food preparation
• Kitchen cleaning and sanitation
• Utensil maintenance and storage
• Chemical storage
• Water, plumbing, and waste
• General facility set up
• Pest control
• Compliance and regulations
• Approved chemicals and proper concentrations

4. What is a health code violation?

Health code violations for food establishments are notices given by an authorized food inspector for non-compliance with important food safety regulations. There are three main categories of health code violationsin Florida: basic, intermediate, and high prioriy violations. Inspectors will indiciate when violations must be corrected and when they will return to ensure compliance.

5. What are the most common health code violations?

Some of the most common health code violations include:

• Food storage
• Food time and temperature
• Cross-contamination
• Personal hygiene
• Kitchen sanitation

6. What happens if you don’t pass a health inspection?

Unless the violation(s) is severe enough to warrant the immediate closure of your establishment, you will have the chance to remedy violations within a designated timeframe and a reinspection will be scheduled. However, failure to remedy violations could result in fines, legal action, or permanent closure.

Additional DBPR Food Safety and Sanitation Inspection Information (“Health Inspection”) can be found here and here.

Cracking the Code to Food Safety

Join us next week when we close out NFSM 2023 with what might be the most essential food safety topic—how to build a culture of food safety in your operation. Plus, catch up on all the topics we covered this month and access food safety checklists, eBooks, posters, and other NFSM 2023 printable content.

Explore the role personal hygiene plays with food safety, and how a clean kitchen significantly helps protect the health of restaurant guests.

Welcome to week two of National Food Safety Month! Last week we got NFSM 2023 started by discussing how to properly control food time and temperature for safety. This week we will look at the role personal hygiene plays in food safety and share proper practices to ensure your staff isn’t putting the health of your guests at risk by neglecting their cleanliness. Join us as we crack the code on proper personal hygiene in kitchens and help you protect your guests from foodborne illnesses by maintaining a clean and tidy staff.

Practicing Proper Personal Cleanliness

While guests appreciate employees who keep themselves looking clean and presentable, it also plays a significant role in the safety of their food. There are various factors that combine to create proper personal cleanliness, all of which deserve equal attention.

Coming into Work Clean

One of the primary places for pathogens to be found is the skin and hair. There is a far greater risk of transferring pathogens onto food and equipment if a food handler does follow a personal hygiene program and comes into work unclean. Showering or bathing before work is the only way this can be effectively and reliably accomplished and should be considered a requirement for all food handlers.

Practicing good personal hygiene includes maintaining clean hands and nails. Make sure your staff’s fingernails are trimmed, filed, and free from nail polish or false nails. It’s also important for food handlers to keep their hands clean throughout their shift by knowing when, where, and how to wash hands and wear gloves.

Work Attire

Not only does dirty work attire leave a poor impression on guests, but it also puts their health at greater risk. Dirty, unwashed clothing has an increased risk of carrying pathogens that can be transferred onto food and cause foodborne illnesses. What makes clean work attire so important is that dirty clothing doesn’t even have to come into direct contact with the food, as the pathogens can easily be transferred from the clothing to the hands, and then onto food.
The most effective way to ensure your staff is always arriving at work with properly cleaned attire is by establishing a dress code that includes standards for the cleanliness of work attire. Examples of guidelines you will find on these dress codes include:

• Wear clean clothing daily.
• Change soiled uniforms, including aprons, as necessary.
• Recommend changing into work clothes at work.
• Store personal belongings such as street clothing, backpacks, electronic devices, and keys in designed areas that do not interact with food.
• Keep dirty clothing such as aprons, chef coats, and uniforms in an area that is away from food and prep areas.
• Wear a clean hat or hair covering when prepping food, working in prep areas, or working in areas used to clean utensils or equipment. Wear a beard covering when necessary.
• Remove rings, bracelets, and other jewelry that could contaminate or fall into food.

The Importance of Personal Hygiene

Transferring pathogens from body to food is the leading cause of foodborne-illness outbreaks at restaurant and foodservice operations. Neglecting personal hygiene significantly increases the chances of transferring harmful pathogens onto food, while prioritizing effective personal cleanliness is one of the best ways to protect the health of your guests.

Cracking the Code on Food Safety

Join us next week when we continue National Food Safety Month by taking a look at health inspections and health code violations to ensure your establishment remains safe and compliant. Also, make sure to check out last week’s coverage on temperature and food safety which includes an eBook, temperature table, and blog.

Join us as we discuss the role temperature plays when cooking food, and why it is so important when it comes to keeping your food safe and guests healthy.

Welcome to National Food Safety Month! Each week this month we will be discussing a different element of food safety, sharing valuable strategies along the way and cracking the code on important food safety principles.

This week we are examining the effects of time and temperature on food, sharing safe temperatures to cook different types of food, and explaining how to build an effective food temperature policy that your staff can stick to. Understanding food safety temperatures is critical for protecting your guests from foodborne illnesses and earning their trust. All operators and food handlers are responsible for understanding the importance of the temperature danger zone, which foods are most likely to become unsafe, and how to properly check and record food times and temperatures.

The Effects of Time and Temperature on Food

When food is held at unsafe temperatures for extended periods of time, bacteria can multiply. Any type of food can become contaminated, but bacteria grow more rapidly on certain types of food. The temperature range between 41- and 135-degrees Fahrenheit is referred to as the temperature danger zone – the range in which bacteria growth occurs most rapidly in food. More specifically, bacteria multiply the fastest between 70- and 125-degrees Fahrenheit.

The longer food sits in the danger zone, the higher the risk that bacteria will grow. The process of consistently monitoring the time your food spends in the temperature danger zone is known as time and temperature control for safety.

Foods that Need Time and Temperature Control for Safety

The foods that are at the highest risk of rapid bacteria growth are called time and temperature control for safety foods, or TCS foods. The most common TCS foods are:

• Milk and dairy products
• Shell eggs
• Poultry, beef, pork and lamb
• Fish, shellfish, and crustaceans
• Baked potatoes
• Heat-treated plant food such as cooked rice, beans and vegetables
• Tofu and other soy protein
• Synthetic ingredients such as textured soy protein in meat alternatives
• Sliced melons, cut tomatoes, cut leafy greens
• Sprouts and sprout seeds
• Untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures

Learn more about TCS foods, including specific time and temperature controls and how to safely cook, cool, reheat, hot-hold, and store TCS foods, in our eBook: Cracking the Code on Food Time and Temperature.

How to Measure the Temperature of Food

rom the moment food arrives at your establishment, right up until the time it is served, temperature should be consistently monitored using correctly calibrated thermometers. Food temperature logs should be kept and filled out by kitchen staff regularly. Here are some guidelines to follow when using thermometers to monitor food temperatures:

• Always wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry your thermometer before every use.
• Ensure your thermometer is calibrated to read temperatures correctly.
• There are different kinds of thermometers for different tasks – use the correct thermometer for the job you are doing.
• Check temperature by sticking the thermometer into the thickest section of the food.
• Wait until the thermometer reading remains steady before recording a temperature.
• Take a second reading in a different section of the food.
• Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry thermometer immediately after use. Store in a clean case.

How To Build a Food Cooking Policy

A strong food cooking policy helps protect the health and safety of your guests, while ensuring your staff keeps and consistent and reliable temperature monitoring procedure. All food handlers and managers should be educated on the food establishment’s cooking policy and be held accountable to follow it diligently. Your policy document can also be prominently displayed in the kitchen. A strong food cooking policy consists of:

• Purpose – Briefly explain what this policy is setting out to accomplish.
• Scope – Explain which members of your staff this policy applies to.
• Procedure – Thoroughly lay out procedures for staff to safely prepare and cook food, with specific temperatures listed for TCS food.
• Monitoring – List the procedures for properly using a thermometer to regularly check and record food temperatures.
• Corrective Action – Explain the correct actions to take when food does not reach minimum internal temperature or stays in the temperature danger zone for too long.
• Record Keeping – List all the requirements for staff to keep records of food temperatures.

Check back next week for another essential NFSM 2023 topic that will help keep your food safe and your guests healthy—personal hygiene. Make sure you check out foodsafetyfocus.com throughout the month, as we will be posting various checklists, eBooks, posters, and other NFSM 2023 printable content you won’t want to miss.

Running a business with 50+ locations comes with its own set of unique challenges. Between creating a consistently positive customer experience, managing orders across locations, and keeping margins intact, it can be incredibly difficult to manage your business portfolio while ensuring each key area is being addressed properly. Fintech has multiple enterprise solutions that automate invoice payments and management, streamline order processing across locations, and protect margins.

1. Automate All Your Invoice Payments and Line-Item Data Integration

Fintech has always been associated with beverage alcohol invoice payments. With over 43 million invoices processed annually, the Fintech brand is synonymous with alcohol invoices being paid on time, every time, and in compliance with the invoice terms.

Now, Fintech is more than just alcohol payments. Our AP Automation solution helps you save time, reduce costs, and improve efficiency, accuracy, and compliance across your entire non-alc inventory. You could be dealing with hundreds of vendors sending you invoices for each location, and we understand the importance of managing those vendor relationships with timely and accurate payments.

With AP Automation, simply upload invoices from your computer or mobile device for scanning and digital conversion. Once those invoices are verified and approved, you can schedule your payment and receive line-item invoice data directly into your back-office system through our EDI integration capability.

Fintech’s AP Automation integrates with many different back-office systems, including PDI, C-Store Pro, R365, Quickbooks, Sculpture, Crunchtime, BevSpot, and more. With this feature, you can sit back and watch your invoice data automatically render in your back-office system without the risk of human error or duplicate entry. If you prefer another way, you can also choose to receive a daily file you can then upload into your back-office or accounting system.

Through AP Automation, you can eliminate manual tasks such as duplicate data entry and invoice matching. You can also enjoy faster reconciliation with increased accuracy, better invoice tracking, and real-time status updates. There is no need to waste time dealing with the tediousness of manually inputting line-item details and managing invoice payments for all of your vendors.

2. Protect Your Margins With Purchase Data Insights

Alcohol margins can change quickly with the rapid pace of product cost fluctuations. This leaves you with little time to adjust consumer shelf pricing in a timely manner. It can also delay receiving distributor credits on time and limit your ability to address pricing discrepancies with your distributor.

Fintech’s Margin Protection was built to address these issues by giving you purchase data insights that allow you to make informed decisions faster. Margin Protection compares your POS scan data to your purchase data down to the specific product SKU by location and distributor. This helps identify anomalies between these data sets and alerts you so you can take action to protect your alcohol margins.

On average, Fintech finds a 4% discrepancy in expected alcohol margins. That type of disparity can lead to margin erosion that affects your P&L statements. Take control of your alcohol margins with Margin Protection.

3. Optimize Product Ordering and Monitoring for Your Entire Footprint

Product orders can get complicated between all your distributors. Fintech’s OrderSource® is an order processing system that helps you seamlessly communicate all your beverage alcohol purchase orders (POs) to distributors electronically. The distributor will then convert the PO into an invoice and ensure a valid PO number is used. Gone are the days of dealing with endless phone calls, emails, or faxes. With OrderSource, all your POs are consolidated into one transmission type to streamline the process.

You can use the PO Discrepancy Report in the portal to view, resolve, or update purchase orders as needed.

OrderSource also connects with AP Automation and PaymentSource®, Fintech’s dedicated beverage alcohol invoice payment solution, to ensure the correct PO number is issued with your on-time payment.

Create Operational Efficiencies With Fintech’s Enterprise Solutions

Equipping Fintech’s automated enterprise solutions is the best way to optimize your invoice management. Fintech works hand-in-hand with your existing systems, so there is no downtime in getting set up and you can start to see immediate ROI. Operational automation is vital to ensuring success with multiple locations, and Fintech delivers tailored solutions built for your business, whether you run multiple restaurants, bars, grocery stores, drug stores, or convenience stores. If you would like to learn more about these enterprise solutions and how they can help your business, check out our page here or contact a Fintech expert.

Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Buyers Guide

FRLA is proud to again partner with Overland, KS-based Strategic Value Media, a leading nationwide provider of print and digital media solutions to the national, state, and local trade and membership associations, to produce the 2023 edition of the FRLA Buyers Guide, the premier resource of relevant products and services for hospitality industry professionals. This will be the 8th year that the Guide will be produced.

As a Member of FRLA, a representative from Strategic Value Media may contact you by email or phone to inquire if you want to enhance your listing in the Buyers Guide. Please know this is a legitimate call and that SVM is partnering with FRLA to provide our members this resource for advertising your products and services.

Like the 2022 version, the 2023 edition of the guide will feature updated and expanded company and product listings, in addition to other valuable information relating to the restaurant and lodging industry. The Buyers Guide provides users with an efficient way to browse for goods and services and offers restaurant, hotel, and casino suppliers exceptional visibility by showcasing their products and services to a targeted, industry-specific buyer group.

The Buyers’ Guide is accessible through the FRLA website here and will be updated soon with new advertisements and information.  We encourage you to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to highlight your products and services in the Buyers’ Guide. To learn more about advertising your products or services in the Buyers’ Guide, please email [email protected].