Did you know that a food truck business can pose a bigger food safety risk than brick and mortar restaurants? This is due to the fact that these businesses usually handle more food than restaurants and the more the amount of food handled or transported, the higher the risk of bacterial infection.
This is why it is important for food truck owners to ensure that their employees observe food handling practices at all times. Doing this will help prevent any foodborne illnesses. Here are 5 tips that will help mobile food vendors keep their customers safe regardless of the size of an event.
Safe Food Practices
For large food truck events, food can either be prepared in advance or then transported to the place where the event is taking place or made at an onsite kitchen. Either way, food truck owners have to ensure that food is cooked to the recommended temperature.
Use Insulated Food Carriers
Depending on the duration and size of a food truck event, it is more likely that you will have to reload your truck with products to prepare and sell. Therefore, it is important to look for ways of keeping hot and cold foods at the right temperatures when transporting them to the event.
Using insulated food carriers is usually the best and only way to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold while in transit.
Reheating Foods
According to the FDA Food Code, any food that should be reheated has to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. So, as a food truck owners ensure that food cooked off-site and chilled for transport are properly reheated for it to maintain food safety.
Time and Temperature
The 2-hour rule is applicable to potentially hazardous foods. Therefore, you should keep hot meals above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and keep cold meals below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for proper food safety. Any food outside this range for more than 2 hours should be thrown away.
Ice
Ice used to chill beverage bottles or food should always be separated from ice to be used in drinks. At times display ice picks up bacteria and other contaminants from items it comes into contact with including beverage ice and customers drinks. Using a machine from Ice Makers Pro could be a smart decision for ice production.
For outdoor events flies, winds, and other vermin are potential hazards. You can avoid these hazards by covering displayed food, using wind guards on windy days, throwing waste into a waste container with a lid, and by setting food tables up below a tent.
People are now becoming more concerned with where their food comes from, how it is prepared and whether it is safe to eat or not. In order to quell the growing food safety fears that your customers may have, it is important that you apply the tips above.
