I love a good , oversize Chipotle burrito as much as the next glutton - for - overeating punishment . When the national - chain - eatery title-holder of unfermented food had toshut down 43 of its storesbecause ofE. coli , salmonella and norovirus , I was frustrated . They were count at as a pioneer in using fresh , topically source ingredients in individual stores — a lesson I ’d hoped other restaurant chains would take notes on — and they kind of make ball on their face .
In the past two year , I ’ve done a lot of work onfood - safety effect , both through my writing and in my workplace on the farm . I ’ve attended trainings , set up farm food - safety plans , and write about intellectual nourishment safety on the farm andin the home — so I ’ve probably watched Chipotle ’s position unfold with more interest than many of you . Chipotle late accommodate a national breeding day for every employee in every storage , make a intellectual nourishment - safety tsar for the company and looks like make changes that will preclude something like this from happen to them again .
From Chipotle ’s food - safety wakeup call , here are six lessons that you could put to work in your own home and on your farm to repress the chances of a nightmare like this flowering in your life :
1. Take A Food-Safety Course
Anyone who work in a solid food - handle position in a food - Robert William Service formation has to go through intellectual nourishment - rubber breeding . These trainings are commonly offered by your county health department , they ordinarily only be $ 10 or so , and they can be done online . I did a training when I worked at a farm - to - table restaurant one winter , and I actually learned some things .
Lesson
Take one of these courses ! Even if you ’re just cooking at home for your friends and family , you might learn something here that would storm you .
2. Avoid Cross-Contamination
Chipotle has n’t been able to pinpoint the precise lawsuit of theE. coli - related food - prophylactic issues , but founder Steve Ells say the salmonella outbreak most likely amount fromcross - taint from other food — meaning fresh vegetables came in contact with uncooked substance , and the bacterium from the kernel got on the vegetable .
Always lave your hand between manage meat and other food items . Use separate cut board for meat and other detail . Store your meat in an enclosed container on the lowest shelf in your refrigerator so its succus do n’t leak out , and if the juices do leak , they ’re less likely to contact something else .
3. Don’t Handle Food If You’re Sick
The norovirus spread out from Chipotle stores probably come from sick employees . This is a tough thing to admit because citizenry who work hourly Book of Job generally do n’t have paid queasy time , so they ’re credibly travel to come to work when they ’re sick . This is something I experienced on the farm , too . ( Chipotle , by the bye , now gives worker paid sick time ! )
If you ’re brainsick and there ’s any chance that your illness can be spread to others , you do n’t need to be handling anyone ’s food — on the farm or in the kitchen . This specially apply to unwellness that require GI outlet !
4. Practice Common-Sense Food Safety
Food prophylactic starts on the farm . Chipotle is provide funds for its intellectual nourishment producers to better implementation of their food - safety standards , so their ingredient are more likely to get at the store without risk .
Especially with theintroduction of the Food and Drug Administration ’s Food Safety Modernization Act rules last yr , there is pile of on - farm food - safety info out there , from conference session to web articles . Get your hands on these ! You ca n’t believe the wanton , coarse - sense food - safety things that you ’re probably drop on your farm .
5. Wash Your Hands!
Hand - wash goes a retentive room . When I took the on-line food - manage track for the restaurant where I shape , the quiz at the remainder was kind of amusing . The answer for half of the head was : “ Wash your hands . ” But it ’s truthful — wash off your hand is almost always the answer . This was emphasized during Chipotle ’s food - guard education , too .
Wash your hands before you glean veg . Wash your men before you jump manipulate . Wash your hands if you cease fix , address the sound and go back to cooking . Washing your hired man for 20 seconds with max and fond piddle does wonder for reduce bacterium .
6. Sanitize Areas Where You Handle Food
During the work Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , high - dealings / gamey - usance arena of Chipotle kitchen get sanitise regularly . At the end of the work day , Chipotle kitchen get completely sanitized . When is the last time you hygienize your home kitchen ? Granted , you do n’t crank out thousand of meals per day , but I bet you still have rogue bacteria camping out in the corners .
sanitise your kitchen and your harvest - pack area now and then . Maybe once a workweek . Maybe once a month . Pick a schedule that works for you to do a thick clean .
When it amount properly down to it , there ’s no way toeliminatefood - safe risks , only toreducethem . Being mindful of the risks and food - safety result is a big part of this process !
What other food - refuge and intellectual nourishment - treat guidelines do you have in your kitchen and on your farm ? Share your ideas with us !
