Here's a REALLY Timely Repeat About Norovirus: What Impact Does It Have on Your Restaurant?

In the news right now there are widespread reports of Norovirus outbreaks in the United States. While these outbreaks may be affecting schools and healthcare facilities, we all know the impact a Norovirus outbreak can have on a restaurant. Though we first published this post in mid-December, we thought it was especially important to share it again with you now - it's a really good time to take a closer look at your food safety program to make sure you have measures in place to reduce the risk of norovirus. And so... 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 250 different types of foodborne illnesses. Yet, norovirus is among the most common. In fact, norovirus is responsible for over 50 percent of foodborne illnesses in the United States. And looking at foodborne outbreaks over the last few years, foodservice establishments were the main source of these outbreaks, which are often related to an infected employee practicing poor personal hygiene and subsequently handling food. So what can you do to help ensure your restaurant doesn’t fall victim to a norovirus outbreak?

A strong food safety program that takes norovirus into consideration is critical. In the recent bulletin, “The Importance of Norovirus: Why You Should Have a Good Food Safety Program,” I along with Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus and Dr. Elizabeth Bradshaw, both from North Carolina State University, take a closer look at norovirus and the preventive measures, including hand hygiene and surface sanitization, a restaurant can take to help reduce the spread of this foodborne illness.

Download Bulletin - The Importance of Norovirus: Why You Should Have a Good Food Safety Program

Find additional Norovirus information and downloads to help build a strong food safety program.

Norovirus: What Impact Does It Have on Your Restaurant?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 250 different types of foodborne illnesses. Yet, norovirus is among the most common. In fact, norovirus is responsible for over 50 percent of foodborne illnesses in the United States. And looking at foodborne outbreaks over the last few years, foodservice establishments were the main source of these outbreaks, which are often related to an infected employee practicing poor personal hygiene and subsequently handling food. So what can you do to help ensure your restaurant doesn’t fall victim to a norovirus outbreak?

A strong food safety program that takes norovirus into consideration is critical. In the recent bulletin, “The Importance of Norovirus: Why You Should Have a Good Food Safety Program,” I along with Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus and Dr. Elizabeth Bradshaw, both from North Carolina State University, take a closer look at norovirus and the preventive measures, including hand hygiene and surface sanitization, a restaurant can take to help reduce the spread of this foodborne illness.

Download Bulletin - The Importance of Norovirus: Why You Should Have a Good Food Safety Program

Find additional Norovirus information and downloads to help build a strong food safety program.

Lessons Learned: Using Television Cooking Shows to Teach about Food Safety

Turn on your television at any time during the day, and you are bound to find a cooking show on one of the channels. Whether it's a show dedicated to offering up helpful hints and recipes or a cooking competition, it is clear the concept of food is something that draws viewers in.

Yet, in between all the slicing and dicing and sautéing, are the chefs and professionals on your favorite shows following the best food safety practices?

A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that many of these programs miss the opportunity to model proper safety measures. Yes, this can be seen as a challenge to many, but researchers also took their learnings as an opportunity to identify steps toward improvements these shows should take. These included: food safety training, safe food handling practices and using food safety as a judging criteria. 

While this study may pertain to the home cook, there are some valuable takeaways that you can apply to your restaurant. These include:

1. Ensure a food safety training course is in place. Also, offer follow-up training to answer any questions and to make sure that food safety best practices are being followed.
2. Demonstrate and educate on safe food handling practices. This includes following proper cooking instructions and implementing processes to avoid cross contamination.
3. Follow up with employees and make sure they are following proper hand hygiene practices and washing hands at key moments.

Food safety is critical to the success of your restaurant. Use these tips to enhance your food safety program so your restaurant can set the standard for food safety.

Selecting the Right Surface Sanitizer for Your Restaurant

In 2012, Technomic asked 38,000 quick serve restaurant customers what were the most important factors they consider when visiting a restaurant. While food ranked at the top of the list, 88 percent of those surveyed said cleanliness was most important to them.

We know that many factors go into ensuring your restaurant is clean. However, did you know that using the right surface sanitizing products play an important role in not only the cleanliness of your restaurant, but the health of your employees and guests as well?

Selecting the Right Products
With so many surface sanitizing options out there, how do you select the right one for your restaurant? The following are key questions to ask when determining what product is right for your employees and guests.

Efficacy

• Does it kill pathogens prevalent in foodborne illness outbreaks, such as Norovirus, Salmonella and E.coli?
• How quickly does this product kill these pathogens (e.g. 30 seconds vs. 5 minutes)?
• Will the surface remain wet long enough to meet the required kill times (e.g. 30 seconds)? Or, will you need to re-wet the surface in order to achieve the required kill times (e.g. 5 to 10 minutes)?
• Is the product also an effective surface cleaner?
• Is the product effective on both hard and soft surfaces?

Safety

• Are there any precautionary statements on the product label – like must wash hands after use or hazard to humans and domestic animals?
• Is the product approved for use on food-contact surfaces? Or, are you required to rinse food-contact surfaces with potable water after using the product?
• Does the product contain harsh fumes that might irritate employees and guests?
• Is the product compatible with the surfaces and equipment you plan to use it on?
• Is it easy to use?

Sustainability

• Is the product certified by a third party, such as EPA Design for the Environment (DfE)?

 
While these may seem like many questions to consider, key thought leaders in sanitization encourage you to walk through all of them to make sure you are selecting the ideal surface sanitizer for your needs. In the end, you want to make sure your products have a strong combination of efficacy, safety and sustainability.   

What Foodservice Workers Need to Know About the FDA Final Rule on Consumer Antibacterial Soaps

Earlier this month, the FDA issued its Final Rule on antibacterial soap products marketed to consumers or made available for use in public settings. This ruling excludes antibacterial soaps used in foodservice settings, as well as hand sanitizers. In addition, while this rule only applies to a subset of active ingredients and products used outside of healthcare and food handling industries, there might be some confusion as to the regulation’s impact on the foodservice industry. 

The Important Role of Hand Hygiene Plays in Foodservice
Handwashing with soap and water is the first and most important step any restaurant worker can take to ensure the safety of food and reduce the risk of getting sick or making others sick. 

Whether it takes place on the farm where the food is being grown, or in the kitchen (at home or in a restaurant), hand hygiene is vital to preventing our food from becoming contaminated. Also, when people think about hand hygiene in the foodservice industry, they typically think about handwashing with soap and water. 

Antibacterial Soaps and the Foodservice Industry
While the FDA does not specify what type of soap – bland or antibacterial – for foodservice industry workers to use, antibacterial soaps are common.  

Antibacterial soaps are often used because they contain ingredients designed to kill germs on the skin, adding an extra level of protection from microbial contamination. In fact, a 2011 study, published in the Journal of Food Protection, compared bland and antibacterial soaps and found that antibacterial soaps did provide a statistically significant greater reduction in bacteria.

In addition, handwashing technique plays a critical role in reducing the transient, or illness-causing germs, on hands. Yet, oftentimes, handwashing technique is incorrect, and using an antibacterial soap helps kill germs missed by an ineffective washer. 

Download "Food Safety Hand Hygiene Regimen" Poster >

All in all, hand hygiene and using the right hand hygiene products play a critical role in food safety.

What is Hepatitis A?

News of an apparent Hepatitis A outbreak has been making headlines this week. But, what is Hepatitis A? How can it be prevented, and should your restaurant be concerned?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that is usually transmitted either through person-to-person contact or through consumption of contaminated food or water.[1]  Typically, uncooked Hepatitis A-contaminated foods are the source of an outbreak; for example, frozen strawberries are the source for this most recent outbreak.[1]  Yet, according to the CDC, cooked foods can also be a source of infection if the temperature during food preparation is inadequate and does not kill the virus, or if food is contaminated after cooking, as is the case with outbreaks associated with infected food handlers.

Hepatitis A is rare in the United States. In fact, according to the CDC, there were an estimated 2,500 acute Hepatitis A infections in the United States in 2014.[1] It is also one of the few foodborne illnesses that can be prevented by vaccination.[2] Yet, outbreaks can happen, and the good news is this foodborne illness is preventable, if certain measures are taken. These include:

• Washing hands with soap and water – food handlers must always wash their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before preparing food
• Wearing gloves – food handlers should always wear gloves when handling or preparing ready-to-eat foods
• Staying home when ill – restaurant workers should stay home from work if they are ill[3]

While Hepatitis A is rare and preventable, it is still important to learn the facts about this foodborne illness.

Additional information can be found on the following websites:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• FoodSafety.gov

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Viral Hepatitis – Hepatitis A Information. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/
2. Foodsafety.gov. Hepatitis A. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from https://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/hepatitisa/
3. About Hepatitis. How to Prevent Hepatitis Infection. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.about-hepatitis.com/hepatitis_prevention#.V-AAHfkrJhE

September is Food Safety Month - Get the Facts

Every year since 2009, the non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education has addressed food safety myths that people commonly hold and share with others. Over time, more than two dozen myths have been debunked with the FACTS that consumers need to know to help reduce their risk of foodborne illness.

All foods -- regardless of the way they were produced -- need to be handled and stored properly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

Home Food Safety Mythbusters challenges ideas consumers often have about types of food and preparing and handling food at home -- things like:

“A hamburger that is brown in the middle is safe to eat.”

“A vegetarian is not at risk for foodborne illness.”

“Microwaves kill foodborne pathogens.”

This September for National Food Safety Education Month, the Partnership is highlighting “Top Ten Home Food Safety Myths and Facts.” 

How many of these “Top 10” have you believed over the years? Do you rinse your chicken (not a safety step), but you don’t rinse your melon? The Partnership invites you to take a look at food handling habits, and see if there are any that could be improved. 

The consistent practice of four core home food safety steps -- Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill – including the practice of good hand hygiene before, during and after preparing your favorite meals, can reduce your risk of foodborne illness. And, importantly, it might help you set better and more consistent handling practices that reduce risk to other people in your household, like young children, an elderly relative or an immune-compromised family member. These people are at greater risk for getting sick – and for being hospitalized for a foodborne illness.
 
About Partnership for Food Safety Education:
The Partnership for Food Safety Education delivers trusted, science-based behavioral health messaging and a network of resources that support consumers and health educators. Get free consumer education downloads and register for events at www.fightbac.org.

How a Hand Hygiene Program Can Help Your Employees Stay Healthy and at Work

Are your employees coming to work sick? The answer is most likely, yes. 

A recent poll conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that at least half of people who work in very public places, like hospitals and restaurants, report going to work when they have a cold or the flu.[1]

In a recent NPR article, Kirk Smith, who oversees foodborne outbreak investigations for the Minnesota Department of Health, stated that restaurant workers coming in sick is one of the biggest food safety problems there is. So, what can be done to overcome this problem? 

First and foremost, restaurant workers should stay home if they are sick, yet we know that isn’t always possible. But, by offering a comprehensive hand hygiene program, an employer may be able to increase employee wellness and reduce absenteeism.

Following a strong hand hygiene regimen, which includes washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and then using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for extra protection, is one of the most important measures we can all take to reduce the spread of germs that can cause illness. In addition, a recent study published in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that an office equipped with PURELL® Hand Sanitizer and Hand Sanitizing Wipes throughout the workplace recorded 13.4% fewer sick days or unscheduled paid-time-off (PTO) in 2014-2015, as well as 24.3% fewer trips to the doctor for hand hygiene preventable illnesses.[2] This demonstrates the important role hand hygiene plays in helping your workers stay healthy and on the job. 

For more information on this study go to: http://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/2016/06000/Impact_of_a_Comprehensive_Workplace_Hand_Hygiene.25.aspx 

[1] NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Workplace and Health. July 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/documents/2016/jul/HarvardWorkplaceandHealthPollReport.pdf
[2] Arbogast, JW., L. Moore-Schiltz, W. Jarvis, A. Harpster-Hagen, J. Hughes, A. Parker. 2016. “Impact of a Comprehensive Workplace Hand Hygiene Program on Employer Healthcare Insurance Claims plus Costs, Absenteeism, and Employee Perceptions and Practices.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

How to Keep E.coli from Impacting Food & Restaurant Safety

Although strains of Escherichia coli, or what is commonly known as E.coli, can promote healthy functions within our bodies, some strains can cause serious and contagious illness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E.coli is a common foodborne illness that spreads quickly.[1] And, without proper procedures in place, which include processes for food preparation and strong hand hygiene protocols, your restaurant might be at risk for a possible E. coli outbreak. So how can you reduce this risk?

In a recent interview, GOJO Microbiologist Dave Shumaker shares information about the highly contagious strains of E.coli, where they come from, and the measures you can take to mitigate your restaurant’s risk.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli. Retrieved June 9, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/  

Don’t Let Customers Leave with Salmonella

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. In fact, this bacterium is responsible for an estimated one million foodborne illnesses and 380 deaths each year in the United States alone.[1]

People become infected with Salmonella by either eating contaminated food that has not been properly cooked or that has been contaminated after preparation.[2] Salmonella is often found in raw food products that come from animals such as eggs, meat, and unpasteurized milk and dairy products.[3]

Because of the significant impact Salmonella has on employee and guest safety, this bacteria cannot be ignored by restaurant owners and operators. So, where does Salmonella come from? And what practices can you put in place to avoid Salmonella contamination in your restaurant? 

GOJO Microbiologist Dave Shumaker discusses the origin of a Salmonella outbreak and the preventive measures you can take to reduce the risk of contamination in your restaurant. 

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Salmonella. Retrieved May 23, 2016, from www.cdc.gov/salmonella
[2] Vermont Department of Health. Salmonella. Retrieved May 23, 2016, from http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/salmonella/Salmonella.aspx
[3] Vermont Department of Health. Salmonella. Retrieved May 23, 2016, from http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/salmonella/Salmonella.aspx