Putting a finger on the #1 cause of foodbourne illness.
Fingers and hands of infected employees have been found to be the top culprit for foodbourne illness. It not only puts your customers at risk, but your business as well.
You no doubt have specific policies about touching ready-to-eat foods and using proper utensils when possible.
Currently, 48 states have clear rules regarding food-handling safety, which is based on the FDA’s Food Code:
“The FDA recommends that food employees serving highly susceptible populations not contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands and recommends that they use suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves or dispensing equipment.”
You should have documentation that confirms people in charge at your restaurant have provided employee training in good hygienic practices in addition to explaining the risks of contacting ready-to-eat foods with their hands.
Now visualize the nozzle on an aerosol topping. When dispensed barehanded, the nozzle comes in contact with fingers and sometimes, the topping inside does, too. A bag of On Top® keeps bare hands away from the topping. So On Top® delivers a more professional dollop that’s also safer. Bonus!
A recent article, published in Restaurants & Institutions, takes a look at the growing concern for patrons’ safety when it comes to back-of-house food handling.
You’re most likely to find a can of aerosol topping in or around a busy kitchen. Which is also where you find stoves and fryers…even open-flame grills.
Any can with contents under pressure, carries a warning: CANS MAY EXPLODE IF EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT OR FIRE. Who needs that extra level of risk and liability?
Aerosol exposes your kitchen to pressurized cans. And when they come too close to heat, they can explode—not exactly what you want next to your fryers and ovens.
More risk of abuse: “huffing” nitrous oxide.
Huffing is the misuse of the propellant, nitrous oxide, inside a can of aerosol topping. By inhaling nitrous oxide into the lungs, an abuser can become disoriented and high.
In some instances, huffing nitrous oxide can cause almost instant death from asphyxia.
As hard as your kitchen works to get everything right, the risks of a high employee don’t make sense. Not to mention that huffing is illegal.
Plus, eliminating cans in the kitchen ensures that your staff won’t be abusing the nitrous oxide (used to pressurize the can) as an inhalant that can cause intoxication similar to alcohol.
explaining the risks of contacting ready-to-eat foods with their hands.
