I'm indulging this evening. Specifically I am indulging in vodka, Crystal Head. It is nice, clean tasting just of hint of a burn. It is expensive, but it is not the most drinkable vodka I enjoy drinking. That honor goes to V One. V One is the most drinkable vodka I have ever indulged in, bar none. I wish I could find it out more. I usually end up with Grey Goose if I am out. It is a nice, if nondescript, vodka.
The thing about Crystal Head is that it is so pure, it has almost no character. Its like artisan white bread. V One, made from spelt, is similarly clean in flavor, but with bold character. It is sweet and very spicy on the tip of your tongue. Then, as it glides across the center of your palate, it is sharply alcoholic with a hint of clover honey. It lingers in the back, with a sweetness akin to longing. It is a very human vodka.
I was thinking today about food safety and food defense. Food safety is all about keeping your process for food handling well organized, articulated, and enforced. It is hand washing and cross contamination prevention and HACCP. Food safety is a process for keeping food free of unintentional contamination from harvest to consumer. Or, more specifically, from the time food enters your kitchen until the time it is consumed. Whether it is your home kitchen or a professional kitchen, the principles are the same. There are many training programs out there for food service professionals. Some, if not all, offer some sort of certification. Check with your state to find out which are accepted by your states' department of health.
But what is food defense? Food defense is concerned with keeping your food inventory safe from intentional contamination. Most of the public and private focus on food defense concerns fraudulent and adulterated products, tampered with at the company level for economic gain. There is an excellent article about it available here.
Most independent restaurants have not had to worry unless they were using the products that were being adulterated or fraudulently represented. More recently however, restaurants have had to recognize that instances of intentional contamination of food for sale to the public have become more frequent and more disturbing. YouTube videos showing employees spitting in, urinating on and otherwise intentionally contaminating food proliferate. Everything from ground glass in manufactured food to fecal matter in sandwiches. Who can forget Albert Garcia, the McDonald's employee who cost the company over $5 million when he spit and put ground glass in the food of a cop. #asshat
Restaurants are liable for the actions of their employees in many cases. Companies can face massive liability claims, especially if people get sick or even worse, die. There are things that can be done to help protect your company and customers. If you are an independent restaurant owner and are not on the premises during all business hours, you should review your policies and procedures to ensure that managers and shift leaders understand their responsibilities and duties. Be certain that employees are reading, and signing off on having read, the employee handbook which details the policies and procedures that you have developed to prevent intentional contamination, overall food and personnel safety, and adequate supervision. Consider having potential employees undergo a background check. Hire employees that are certified in safe food handling and be sure to have existing employees trained as well. Develop a comprehensive training program which includes instruction on recognizing signs that food may have been intentionally contaminated and processes for reporting possible criminal activity anonymously.
Finally, consider hiring a foodservice consultant to help develop those programs for you. Remember, the cost of training and prevention is far less than the cost of a lawsuit.
Peace
Pat
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