The restaurant report outlined a number of violations that were discovered during the restaurant review. In this essay twelve of these violations will be discussed.
First, there is the issue of insufficient hot water. Hot water is used mainly for hand washing and dish washing and may also be used for other cleaning activities.
Its inadequacy or lack can be classified as a Microbiological hazard. Dirty hands are a perfect means of spreading germs. Increasing the amount of hot water can serve as both a short and long term corrective measure.
Handling ready to eat foods with bare-hands is a Microbiological hazard. Germs can be easily spread through the hands from one surface to another or to food. This can be corrected by use of sanitized gadgets that are specifically designed for that purpose.
Storing foods at inappropriate temperatures is another Microbiological hazard. Micro-organism multiplication is highly likely when food is not stored at the recommended temperature. Also food poisoning may occur when food stored at improper temperatures is consumed. If this happens it will be termed as a chemical hazard.
Cockroaches in flour spread germs in the flour. This is a Microbiological hazard. When the roaches are in flour, they are likely to be cooked together with the flour. This is a chemical hazard as the food may turn out toxic. The cockroach itself will be a foreign object in food which is another hazard.
As a short term correction the flour should be discarded and a parasite and pest control program should be initiated right away. For the long term such food items as flours, sugars and the like should be kept in tightly lidded containers.
Improper hand-washing procedures will lead to multiplication and spread of disease causing pathogens. It is a Microbiological hazard. For both long and short terms, the hand washing procedures should be revised.
Packaged chicken nuggets stored on a chair are likely to collect pathogens. This is a Microbiological hazard and can be corrected by ensuring that all packaged food either raw or cooked, is stored appropriately.
Dish machine sanitizing improperly is a Microbiological hazard. If the dishes are not sanitized properly, they are likely to transfer germs to the food served in them. If the machine is not working properly, hot water with sanitizer can be used in the short term as the machine awaits repair or replacement.
When the paper-towel dispenser at hand sink not working people may resort to using cloth towels which spread germs very easily. This is a Microbiological hazard. The dispenser should be repaired or replaced and better.
Ice-scoop handle touching ice means that germs from the hands of the many people who touch it will be transferred to the ice, making this a Microbiological hazard. Invest in a long handled ice scoop.
Employee food left on prep table puts the food at risk of getting foreign objects. The prep table is used for preparing food mainly raw food. All food ready for consumption should be kept on the dining table.
The rest room harbors many types of germs and it is very easy to transfer these germs too food in poor hygiene conditions.
Use of hand sanitizer only is not enough especially when handling food and after visiting the rest room. This is a Microbiological hazard and can be corrected by washing hands with soap and rinsing under hot running water.
Placing unlabelled food in walk-in may cause confusion during service. This is a chemical hazard as some people may end up consuming foods that they are sensitive to. All food should be labeled.
All microbiological hazards encourage spread of germs which cause diseases mainly related to the digestive system. These include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pains and nausea.
More serious infections such as jaundice and hepatitis A can be transmitted by improper hand washing after visiting the rest room. Chemical hazards may cause life threatening reactions to food, due to allergies and sensitivity and/or intoxication.