How Hospitality is Navigating Food Safety Trends

Food safety in the hospitality industry is crucial for guaranteeing optimal service to consumers. As a business that offers food and drink, you must comply with food safety regulations. These measures are even more essential in light of the recent pandemic, which led to the introduction of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Here's how hospitality is navigating food safety trends.

1. The Use of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, or HACCP, is a European food hygiene regulation requiring food service businesses to assess the risks of food contamination and establish control systems to prevent these risks and processes to deal with any incidents should they occur. The HACCP plan helps ensure the food and drinks businesses prepare are safe from biological and chemical food safety hazards. Every company in the hospitality industry should adopt HACCP in its daily operations, activities, and product offerings.

When establishing an HACCP plan, businesses must identify hazards to avoid, remove, and reduce. These are known as Critical Control Points or CPPs. They must set limits for the CCPs, monitor them, and make things right if they identify any problems with them. Next, businesses must conduct checks to determine if their HACCP plan is effective. Finally, they have to keep records as proof in the event of inspections.

Businesses should regularly update these critical control points and apply any changes that will occur, such as the introduction of new recipes, kitchen methodologies, etc. The document can be in paper format. If a company has several departments, ensure that all teams use the same HACCP plan and are aware of any updates when they arise.

2. The Change in Food Safety Modernisation Act

The Food Safety Modernisation Act, or FSMA, refers to an overhaul in the food safety regulations, intending to transition from reactive to preventive measures concerning foodborne illnesses. It places increased accountability on food establishments to implement preventative measures, conduct regular inspections, and adhere to safety standards.

Some of the components of FSMA include Preventive Controls for Human Food, Foreign Supplier Verification Program, Produce Safety Rules, Sanitary Transportation Rules, and Third-Party Certification.

As an essential aspect of FSMA, Preventive Controls for Human Food mandates that food establishments implement preventive controls to identify hazards and take corrective actions when needed. Meanwhile, the Foreign Supplier Verification Program requires food importers to double-check that their foreign suppliers adhere to the Food Safety Standards.

The Produce Safety Rule puts in place science-backed standards for the safe growing, harvesting, and packing of produce, aiming to reduce foodborne illnesses. Another aspect of the FSMA is the Sanitary Transportation Rule, which sets out requirements for the safe transportation of food to prevent it from getting contaminated during transit.

Finally, Third-Party Certification is the accreditation of third-party auditors to perform food safety audits and certify the compliance of food facilities.

3. Implementing Training

As the need for food safety increases, more hospitality businesses are implementing food hygiene training. You cannot expect staff to adhere to safe food handling if they don't have the proper training and information. If you don't provide them with training materials on food safety, you can jeopardise consumer safety and ruin the reputation of your business. You will also face hefty penalties and the possible closure of your establishment.

While there are several ways to train employees on safe food handling, online training is your best bet. Going digital is the best way to ensure your team gets access to updated training materials and adapts the training according to their roles, from chefs to kitchen staff and servers. You will find training providers offering an extensive library of training modules that your employees can take according to their schedules.

The training covers extensive topics in food safety. For instance, some materials explore the most effective methods for preventing food contamination and food poisoning, teaching participants their role in ensuring food safety in the establishment. The training will also teach participants how to identify safety risks and food poisoning and what to do to control them.

4. Moving Towards Sustainability    

Consumers are vocal about supporting companies that make an effort to embrace sustainability, such as local food producers and farmers, to minimise their carbon footprint and boost the local economy. Thus, the hospitality industry is embracing sustainability more than ever.

Hospitality is among those industries that produce large amounts of waste materials and carbon dioxide, which consume large amounts of water and energy and contribute to climate change. As a result, many establishments are implementing long-term sustainable practises to lessen the effects of environmental pollution and waste production. Many companies in the hospitality business are making efforts to protect the environment and biodiversity, putting sustainability in their best interest.

As the number of environmental crises increases each year, there is an increasing risk of natural calamities, which endanger popular tourist destinations, and affect the overall hospitality sector. Because of this, the hospitality industry is at the forefront of implementing sustainable practices, encouraging customers to do the same.

5. Turning Towards Healthier Choices      

With many consumers increasingly focused on health and wellness, the hospitality industry is turning towards healthier choices when implementing effective food safety management to better appeal to health-conscious consumers.

Companies in the hospitality industry are adapting to the shifting trend by introducing healthier cuisines or innovating their existing menus. These include introducing plant-based recipes, using less oil and spices in some dishes on the menu, and maintaining the health quotient of all recipes.

The growing healthy food trend has resulted in many restaurants incorporating vegan dishes, organic foods, and other healthier options into their menus. Aside from adding new food items, some establishments are aesthetically improving the food presentation while aiming to establish centralised and consistent food safety practises.

Consistency in food safety is a crucial factor in the success of hospitality businesses. Thus, companies must implement regular food safety inspections to uphold the safety and quality of the food and drinks they provide to customers.