Bringing Hygiene and Food Safety to the Entire Restaurant

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As noted in the 2011 Tork Report: Healthy People, Healthy Planet, cross-contamination prevention is increasingly important as it is estimated that 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths per year stem from foodborne illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 34 percent of foodborne illnesses can be traced back to the hands of foodservice employees.

“The foodservice industry in its entirety should be vigilant about monitoring hygiene practices in their facilities and encouraging owners to provide valuable training in this area with all employees,” said Tork Green Hygiene Council member and assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University, Donna Duberg. “Foodborne illness continues to be a concern and prevention is the key to keeping germs and the health inspector at bay.”

Foodservice operators should expand the focus on hygiene from the kitchen throughout the entire restaurant, including the dining room and restrooms. To help ace health inspections and win the trust of patrons, who are also judging the cleanliness of a restaurant with a critical eye, Duberg and SCA offer the following tips and product solutions:

· Open napkin dispensers and containers invite customers to take too many napkins causing excess waste and increasing the risk of cross-contamination. To alleviate this issue, provide one-at-a-time dispensers, such as the Tork Xpressnap, so customers only take and touch what they need, cutting down on messes and preventing contamination of clean napkins.
· Cloth towels may not sanitize surfaces effectively and are often over-used to clean multiple surfaces in the back and front of the house, potentially creating a risk for foodborne illnesses. Easy-to-use Tork color-coded foodservice wipers prevent cross contamination by ensuring the right wipers are always used for the right tasks.
· Poorly placed, levered soap and paper towel dispensers in restrooms increase chances of cross-contamination due to handling of levers after handwashing. Touch-free dispensers, like Tork Elevation dispenser systems, increase efficient and effective hygiene, reduce waste through control consumption and help ensure hands stay clean.
· Educational sessions that train employees on food safety issues should incorporate proper hygiene practices such as those for washing and drying their hands. The development of these preventative initiatives should be a collaborative effort between management and staff.
· Hand sanitizing stations – such as a Tork Automatic Touch-Free dispenser – in entryways and waiting areas will help cut down on the germs brought in by patrons.