Public health can't be overlooked

but it can cause your operation to come to a virtual standstill, and be very difficult to recover from. . The importance of kitchen cleanliness and compliance with regulation cannot be overstated. Areas of importance can be broken out in the following ways: #1 - Common Food Contaminates There are 3 categories; physical, chemical and biological ... Procedures and training can decrease the physical, preventing literal contaminants from winding up in the product served. observation skills are best preventative measure; staff should always look at what is plated. Your kitchen staff will excel if given the chance; don't miss out on an opportunity to provide positive reinforcement for their proactive approach! And management should be right behind them in this regard, inspecting the dishes served, the cooking and holding equipment, and the people that prepare and serve it. Don't let chemical pros become a con. While serving a safe practical purpose when handled and stored correctly, keep such products in an area away from food storage and preparation. They should all be maintained in a well ventilated area; well-marked, and in the original containers with accompanying safety precaution info whenever possible. Furthermore, staff should be trained and instructed in proper use. Hazardous material data sheets should be readily available for reference. Pesticides should be handled only by professionals, and not stored in your kitchen at all. Be sure that you only store food in containers made for food storage; plastic trash bags, for example, sometimes contain poison and are unsuitable for storage of comsumables. Biological contaminants, or pathogens, are the ones that can most easily cause foodborne illness. Here we are referring to micro-organisms found in food which, when present in sufficient quantities, can make your customers sick. Avoid cross contamination w/other foods, and ensure proper referigeration to prevent potentially dangerous situations.