The Do’s and Don’ts of Food Safety: A Simple Guide for Restaurants
Food safety is one of the most important responsibilities in any restaurant or food service operation. From proper handwashing to safe food temperatures, the everyday decisions employees make can help prevent food contamination and foodborne illness.
Whether you are a restaurant owner, Food Manager, chef, kitchen employee, caterer, or food service manager, understanding the basic do’s and don’ts of food safety is essential.
At Westchester Food Safety, we provide food safety training and ServSafe Food Manager certification to help food service professionals understand and apply safe food handling practices.
The Do’s of Food Safety
DO Wash Your Hands Properly
Proper handwashing is one of the most important food safety practices.
Employees should wash their hands before handling food and whenever their hands may have become contaminated.
Remember to wash your hands:
Before preparing food
Before handling ready-to-eat food
After using the restroom
After touching your face, hair, or body
After handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood
After taking out the garbage
After cleaning
After handling dirty dishes
After touching potentially contaminated surfaces
Clean hands help protect food from contamination.
DO Use Gloves Correctly
Gloves can help protect ready-to-eat food, but gloves do not replace handwashing.
Always wash your hands before putting on gloves.
Change gloves when they become dirty, damaged, or contaminated and when changing tasks.
For example, don't handle raw chicken with gloves and then use those same gloves to prepare a ready-to-eat salad.
When the task changes, your gloves may need to change too.
DO Prevent Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination occurs when harmful microorganisms or other contaminants are transferred from one food, surface, utensil, or piece of equipment to another.
Keep raw foods separated from ready-to-eat foods.
Use proper storage practices and appropriate equipment to help keep foods separated.
For example:
Raw chicken should never be stored above ready-to-eat foods.
DO Control Food Temperatures
Temperature control is a major part of food safety.
Use a properly calibrated food thermometer to check food temperatures rather than relying on appearance.
Employees should understand the temperature requirements that apply to the foods they are preparing, cooking, holding, cooling, and reheating.
When in doubt, check the temperature.
DO Date Mark Food When Required
Prepared foods that require date marking should be properly labeled according to applicable food safety requirements.
A good labeling system makes it easier for employees to know:
What the food is
When it was prepared
When it should be used or discarded
Who prepared it, when applicable
Clear labels help prevent employees from having to guess whether food is still safe to use.
DO Follow FIFO
FIFO means First In, First Out.
The older product should be used before newer product when appropriate.
Organize storage areas so employees can easily identify which products should be used first.
FIFO can help reduce waste and prevent old products from being forgotten in the back of a refrigerator, freezer, or dry-storage area.
DO Clean and Sanitize Properly
Cleaning and sanitizing are not the same thing.
Cleaning removes dirt, food particles, grease, and other debris.
Sanitizing reduces microorganisms on a properly cleaned surface to an appropriate level.
Food-contact surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized according to your food safety procedures and the product manufacturer's instructions.
DO Keep Chemicals Away From Food
Cleaning chemicals should be properly labeled and stored away from food, food packaging, utensils, and food-contact equipment.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for chemical use.
Employees should never assume that more chemical means better cleaning.
Use the correct chemical, concentration, and procedure.
The Don’ts of Food Safety
DON'T Work With Food When You Are Sick
Employees should understand the establishment's illness policy and report symptoms or illnesses as required.
Certain illnesses and symptoms can create a food safety risk, particularly when employees handle food.
Managers should follow applicable food code requirements and their establishment's procedures regarding employee illness.
DON'T Wash Your Hands in the Food Preparation Sink
Handwashing should take place at a designated handwashing sink.
Food preparation sinks and warewashing sinks have different purposes.
Don't use a food preparation sink or three-compartment sink as a substitute for a designated handwashing station.
DON'T Store Raw Food Above Ready-to-Eat Food
Improper storage can allow juices from raw meat, poultry, or seafood to drip onto foods that will not receive further cooking.
Use proper storage order and keep raw products separated from ready-to-eat foods.
Store food in a way that prevents contamination.
DON'T Touch Ready-to-Eat Food With Bare Hands When Gloves or Utensils Are Required
Ready-to-eat foods should be handled according to applicable food code requirements and your establishment's procedures.
Use appropriate gloves, deli tissue, tongs, utensils, or other approved methods when handling ready-to-eat foods.
DON'T Use Dirty Equipment
Dirty knives, cutting boards, utensils, containers, and other equipment can transfer contamination to food.
Equipment should be properly cleaned and sanitized according to your food safety procedures.
If it's dirty, don't use it. Clean it first.
DON'T Mix Cleaning Chemicals
Never mix cleaning chemicals unless the manufacturer's instructions specifically allow it.
Mixing chemicals can create dangerous reactions or fumes.
Always read the label and follow the manufacturer's directions.
DON'T Leave Dirty Dishes Sitting in Standing Soap Water
Dirty dishes should not simply sit in a sink filled with soapy water while employees wait to wash them.
A proper warewashing system should be followed.
For a three-compartment sink, the basic sequence is:
WASH → RINSE → SANITIZE
Follow your establishment's procedures and applicable health code requirements.
DON'T Guess About Food Safety
One of the most important food safety rules is simple:
When in doubt, ask a manager.
Employees should never guess about whether food should be served, discarded, cooled, reheated, stored, or handled in a particular way.
If something looks questionable or you are unsure what to do, stop and speak with a manager immediately.
Food Safety Starts With Everyday Habits
Food safety isn't just something you learn for a certification exam.
It is something that happens throughout the entire workday.
Employees should consistently:
Wash their hands.
Use gloves correctly.
Prevent cross-contamination.
Check food temperatures.
Label and date food properly.
Follow FIFO.
Clean and sanitize equipment.
Store food safely.
Keep chemicals away from food.
Report food safety problems to management.
Small mistakes can create big food safety problems, which is why consistent procedures and employee training are so important.
ServSafe Food Safety Training
The ServSafe Food Manager program covers many of the food safety principles that managers need to understand when working in a commercial food establishment.
A strong food safety program combines proper training with consistent procedures, management oversight, and employee accountability.
At Westchester Food Safety, we provide live ServSafe Food Manager classes and exams for food service professionals in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Our training is designed to help restaurant owners, managers, chefs, and food service professionals better understand food safety and prepare for the ServSafe Food Manager Exam.
The Bottom Line
Food safety doesn't have to be complicated.
Follow the basics every day:
DO:
Wash your hands
Use gloves properly
Keep foods separated
Check temperatures
Date and label food
Practice FIFO
Clean and sanitize
Store chemicals properly
Ask questions when you're unsure
DON'T:
Handle food with contaminated hands
Cross-contaminate foods
Ignore unsafe temperatures
Use dirty equipment
Mix cleaning chemicals
Store raw foods improperly
Ignore employee illness
Guess when you don't know the answer
Good food safety starts with good habits.
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