Food Safety Measures to Watch Out for Your Party
Perhaps addressing food safety issues should be the top priority not only on for caterers, but also for party planners. Neglecting this aspect will immediately ruin a catering business, as well as your party. As this might even create a conflict between you and your guests, here are some food safety points you should consider and discuss with your caterer:
The venue
There is a lot to take into careful consideration about a party’s venue, especially when talking about the catering process. First, you have to check whether the area is perfectly suitable for your event. Are all corners repaired and clean? Are there work surfaces available and efficient for use? Is there a running supply of hot and cold water for specific utilizations?
Plan ahead on how the food processes will flow. There are usually separate areas when preparing food, cooking, storing, reheating, and serving. Remember that the food should be easily accessible to both the guests and staff.
Utensils
Make sure you use clean utensils! Some equipment might not have been used for quite a while, so they are exposed to dirt. Wash and sanitize all of the corners to secure them away from all forms of contamination.
Aside from these, there should be over-clothing, disposable towels, anti-bacterial soap, and cleaning materials available for use.
Food supply
It is of great importance for you to hire catering services with trusted suppliers. More than safely handling food, it is definitely a bonus point if the suppliers can deliver items on time. Make sure the catering company always double-checks their suppliers and remind them of any changes with how they handle the food.
Waste management
Collection and disposal of waste should be one of the main priorities during your event planning process. The venue should be equipped with bins and black bags. If the venue does not have these, then you do not forget to provide them. However, there are also venues that prohibits leaving waste so consider a separate transportation to take them away.
Staff
Always check if your caterer is composed of people who are fit to work with. They must have appropriate food hygiene training and experience, regardless if they are temporary or if they are agency staff and volunteers who will aid you in your event preparations.
Advise them about nitty-gritties like washing their hands thoroughly. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends to wash all parts of the hands by rubbing them vigorously with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Although all of the staff should work, advise them to just stay home if they are sick. You certainly do not want any issues with food safety, so make sure the business operator does daily checks with their staff and ensures they are qualified to work.
No pesticides in the kitchen
While pesticides keep the kitchen free from insects and other pests, remember that you should not store them in the kitchen after use and even if not used. The FDA advised that these should be properly stored in labelled containers and should be kept away from the food in all circumstances.
As catering services should minimize the hassle you might experience when planning an event, make sure the company you are hiring is strictly following these safety measures for a smoother event flow. Excellent event catering rentals here in Cavite, like Stellaire Catering & Events Services, are willing to provide services that guarantee food safety and hygiene!