Food Service and Retail

People working in food service and retail are at the front line when it comes to food safety. Keeping up to date and following food safety standards is crucial. Penn State Extension’s extensive line-up of resources covers safe food preparation and handling, prevention of cross-contamination, foodborne illnesses, and kitchen pests.

Food Service Safety and Regulations

When food is made available for the general public, a fundamental part of providing such a service is ensuring the food is of the highest quality and meets all relevant food safety standards and regulations. Being aware of the regulations and understanding how best to meet them is essential for retail and food service establishment managers and food handling employees. Penn State Extension can provide owners, managers, and employees with the resources needed to ensure the highest quality food is served and sold, and that it meets all food service and retail safety regulations.

Food safety regulations include the FDA Food Code and its subsequent supplements. They provide practical, science-based controls to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses in food service and retail establishments. The ServSafe Food Safety Program is designed for managers or supervisors that require certification. The course is also available in Spanish. To prepare for the ServSafe exam, Penn State Extension offers the TAP Series Online Food Safety Course, designed for food service managers, chefs, caterers, cooks, health officials, and inspectors.

Food safety regulations apply to retail establishments such as farmers’ markets, too. The online Farmers Market Food Safety course teaches producers and vendors the essentials when it comes to food safety and preventing foodborne illness. Non-profit organizations preparing and serving large volumes of food also need to understand the risks involved and how food can be kept safe.

COVID-19 is having a massive impact on the food industry and everyone involved needs to take extra precautions to ensure employees and customers are provided with a safe service. For some customers, this means taking advantage of contactless deliveries.

Food Service and Retail Business Management

When food is not prepared, packaged, stored, and handled in the correct way, the risk of foodborne illnesses increases. Take meal delivery and take-out meals, for example. If the prepared food is not held under the proper time and temperature controls it can cause illness. Disinfecting plays an important part in maintaining a stable food supply, yet people working in the food service industry need to be aware of the difference between disinfecting and sanitizing.

With half of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with restaurant food, improvements in food safety practices and behaviors are paramount. Listeria monocytogenes, for example, can make people sick and even cause death, if it is in food that people eat. Cross-contamination is another major risk factor for foodborne illness.

Farm foods are increasing in popularity. For farmers, selling produce at local farmers markets is a good way to bring in more income. Penn State Extension’s Retail Farm Market School is an online course that teaches the basics of safe handling, preparing and selling produce at Farm Markets.

Food service and retail premises are required to comply with the requirements for risk-based preventive controls mandated by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The final rule in the Act is the Preventive Controls for Human Foods Regulation. It requires all food companies to develop and implement a risk-based Food Safety Plan.

As part of this plan, companies must conduct hazard analysis, determine potential hazards and implement preventive controls. A recall plan is also a requirement. Food recalls can be caused by several things, including pathogens, physical contaminants, and incorrect labeling. Food recall notices can be issued by the FDA or the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Manufacturers and distributors can also contact these agencies if they identify a food safety issue in their operation.