The purpose of a restaurant health inspection is to reduce the spread of foodborne illness and disease and ensure that the food being prepared and served at restaurants is safe for consumption. A food safety inspector will be checking the cleanliness of your restaurant, the hygiene of the people handling the food, and the cleaning and cooking processes of the food.
If you are the owner of a restaurant and are about to have an inspection, here is what you can do to ensure a higher score:
Keep the Premises and Kitchen Clean
A health inspector will not just be checking the cleanliness of the kitchen but the entire restaurant, including the dining area, bathrooms, storage rooms, and employee break rooms. The floors, walls, and surfaces should be clean, and there should be enough lighting, adequate ventilation, and pest control. There should also be proper sanitizing of all the cutlery, crockery, cooking tools, and machinery.
Improve the Personal Hygiene of the Chefs and Servers
Employee hygiene is of utmost importance. There should be a well-equipped handwashing station with water, soap, and towels. The employees should be always in clean uniforms with their hair properly tied up. It is also important that the people handling the food are not ill and do not have any symptoms like fever, flu, sore throat, or diarrhea.
Ensure Food is Being Cleaned and Cooked Correctly
The most important thing to be aware of is the Temperature Danger Zone. This is when food reaches a temperature between 5°C – 60°C and is at risk of spreading bacteria and germs. All food should be cooked at the right temperatures to ensure that it is safe to eat and then refrigerated within two hours of cooking. The fridge should be set to 5°C or lower, and the freezer should be set to -15°C or lower.
The health inspector will also check that food is being cleaned and prepared correctly to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This means that raw foods are stored separately from cooked foods, different utensils are used to prepare raw and cooked foods, and different foods are cleaned and washed appropriately.
For the best health inspection score, it would be a good idea to have your employees properly trained in food safety and handling. If you are looking for courses that your employees can take, the Australian Institute of Accreditation offers a great online food safety supervisor course in Victoria specifically designed for people working in the hospitality sector.
