We all know that running a successful restaurant is more than just serving delicious dishes. It’s also about creating a safe and enjoyable dining experience for your customers. That’s where food safety comes into the picture. Ensuring that your restaurant follows proper food safety practices is a legal requirement but also a critical aspect of building trust with your patrons. By prioritizing food safety, you can prevent foodborne illnesses, protect your reputation, and keep your customers coming back for more.
You may have heard about the recent norovirus outbreak linked to a restaurant in California which sickened close to 100 people. And three years ago, Chipotle agreed to pay a hefty $25 million penalty for its norovirus outbreaks that sickened patrons from 2015-2018.
How can you prevent norovirus from occurring at your restaurant?
Norovirus: What is It?
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis — an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses and is commonly associated with outbreaks in restaurants, cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes.
Norovirus is transmitted primarily through consuming contaminated food or water, direct contact with an infected person, or contact with surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. The virus can survive on surfaces for a long time and is resistant to many common disinfectants.
Why is Norovirus so Common in Restaurants?
It is Highly Contagious: Norovirus is highly contagious and can easily spread from person to person or through contaminated food, water, or surfaces. Even a small amount of the virus can cause illness, making it easy to spread rapidly in crowded restaurants.
Handling of Sick Employees: If restaurant employees work while they are sick with norovirus or if they return to work too soon after recovering, they can contaminate the environment, food, or surfaces, contributing to the spread of the virus.
Low Infectious Dose: Norovirus has a low infectious dose, meaning that a small number of viral particles are enough to cause infection. This makes it easier for the virus to contaminate food, surfaces, or utensils if proper hygiene and sanitation practices are not followed diligently.
Poor Hand Hygiene: Improper hand hygiene significantly contributes to norovirus transmission. If food handlers do not wash their hands thoroughly or frequently enough, they can introduce the virus into the food preparation process, leading to contamination.
Handling of Ready-to-Eat Foods: Norovirus can contaminate ready-to-eat foods, such as salads, fruits, or sandwiches, if they come into contact with contaminated surfaces or if food handlers with unwashed hands handle them. These foods are often served in restaurants, increasing the risk of norovirus transmission.
Environmental Resilience: Norovirus can survive on surfaces for extended periods and is resistant to many common disinfectants. If contaminated surfaces, utensils, or equipment are not properly cleaned and sanitized, the virus can persist and infect subsequent individuals who come into contact with them.
Shared Spaces and Utensils: Restaurants often have shared spaces and utensils, such as buffets, salad bars, or communal serving utensils. These setups can facilitate the spread of norovirus if infected individuals contaminate the shared items, making it easy for others to encounter the virus.
Prevention Tactics
Preventing a norovirus outbreak in a restaurant requires a comprehensive approach focusing on multiple areas. First and foremost, strict adherence to proper hand hygiene practices is crucial. Restaurants should ensure that all employees understand and follow rigorous handwashing protocols, including washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Additionally, regular training sessions should emphasize the importance of avoiding bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and the significance of hand hygiene in preventing norovirus transmission. Provide hand sanitizer as an additional measure, but they should never replace thorough handwashing.
Furthermore, restaurants should prioritize cleanliness and sanitation throughout their operations. Regularly cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, utensils, and equipment are essential to minimize the risk of norovirus contamination. High-contact areas such as door handles, countertops, and faucets should receive extra attention. Use sanitizers that are effective against norovirus, according to manufacturer instructions. Implementing strict food handling and storage practices, such as separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, is crucial to prevent cross-contamination. Regularly monitoring of food storage temperatures, adhering to local health regulations, and cooking food to recommended temperatures is essential to ensure food safety.
Lastly, policies that encourage sick employees to stay home, maintaining water quality, and promoting hygiene awareness among employees and customers contribute to a robust prevention strategy against norovirus outbreaks in restaurants.
Sources:
CDC.gov
Openai.com
foodsafetynews.com
nbcnew.com