Are You A Food Poisoning Snob?

Think working at a high-end restaurant means you don’t have to worry as much about food safety? Think again!

One recent study of 27 different restaurants found lower overall bacteria counts in fast food joints than in five-star restaurants. The study cited dish washing, as opposed to disposable utensils, as the cause. But there are a number of other reported reasons high-end restaurants may be more likely than fast food to have food safety problems.

 

Bare Hand Contact

Food at high-end restaurants may be handled by kitchen staff more, allowing more opportunity for contamination. Fast food usually arrives on-site in prepackaged containers and is cooked from frozen state, making the introduction of bacteria or food borne illness less likely.

 

Discretion When Cooking to Order

Kitchen staff often have more discretion in cooking in high-end or fine dining restaurants. When human beings makes decisions about how long to cook and at what temperature, mistakes and misjudgments can be made. Fast food ovens often can’t be turned off until food has reached a designated temperature.

 

Financial Considerations

Big fast food companies have the financial leverage to require food producers to follow strict safety practices. Food suppliers are more likely to be vigilant when they stand to lose a multi-million dollar contract with a large fast food chain.

 

Food poisoning doesn’t discriminate. It’s important to remember there’s a difference between food safety and food quality. Where food safety is the primary concern, it looks like fast food may come out on top.

So what’s you’re takeaway here? No matter where you work, the more personal the handling and preparation of food, the more careful you must be about your food handler practices.

 

Certified On The Fly is a leading provider of online Texas Food Handler certification, licensed and accredited by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). 

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