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Many different foods can cause an allergic reaction, but 9 foods in particular are responsible for 90% of allergenic reactions and are classified by law as “major food allergens.” It is important to be aware of what these 9 food allergens are and what dishes they appear in to avoid your customers suffering from a severe allergic reaction. We will be going over these 9 food allergens and where they appear and could be hidden, as well as the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

The CDC reports that researchers have identified over 250 foodborne diseases. It is impossible to know about all of these sicknesses, but you should know about the 6 most common foodborne illnesses, known as the “Big 6”—Salmonella, Salmonella typhi (Typhoid), Shigella, E. coli, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A. Without proper food safety policies and procedures, foodborne pathogens can easily make their way into the food you are serving and infect your customers.

With coronavirus prevention policies such as masks, social distancing, and restrictions on how many people can be in your restaurant at one time, workers may be threatened or assaulted while trying to enforce these policies. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released guidelines on how to handle violent workplace situations that may arise due to COVID-19 restrictions. You can implement these strategies in your restaurant to protect your employees and customers and create a safer space for everyone.

Having a food manager certification allows you to lead your team and make sure that proper food safety measures are being taken to protect customers as well as your coworkers. And it is possible to earn this certification entirely online!

Filmmaker Thomas Draudt is an Emmy Award-Winning producer and an Emmy Nominated Director, and who also directed our Food Manager training videos! Partnering with Rhode Island PBS, he has created his first PBS special, “Second Wind: The Tale of a Sailor,” which originally premiered in August 2019 and will be airing again on various PBS stations in August 2020.

Keeping your staff trained about food safety is crucial to a well-run restaurant, but one aspect of food safety that is just as important is allergens. Food allergies are very common. Approximately 15 million Americans have some sort of food allergy. Reactions to allergens can range from mild to severe, with over 150 people dying each year.

The restaurant industry is one of the most diverse workforces in the United States, but there are still ways we can improve, especially when it comes to management positions. Having a diverse group of employees with different genders, ethnicities, ages, and experience can have a wide range of benefits to your company. Learn more about these benefits, as well as how to increase diversity in your company.

As things are starting to move online, Always Food Safe offers remote proctoring for our Food Manager Certification exam! Many tests are going virtual to help with social distancing, but there are many other benefits to online exams as opposed to in-person. Read more about the benefits to both the company and the test takers.

The COVID-19 epidemic has drastically changed the way we live, and now we begin the new normal. With businesses starting to open up again, it’s time to think about how you can safely reopen your restaurant. The CDC reported that coronavirus cannot be transmitted through food or food packaging, but that doesn’t mean food safety is any less important. If anything, it is even more vital now.

The news that 5 McDonald's employees in Chicago are filing a lawsuit alleging the chain did not protect them against COVID-19, brings into focus the importance of training your staff and following the correct safety procedures to protect them. Here is how to keep you and your staff properly trained and informed on the latest in restaurant and food safety, and to protect your restaurant from potential legal issues