According to studies, nearly 80 million people a year – in the United States alone – suffer from an illness that stemmed from consuming spoiled food.

Undercooked meats may contain E. Coli, fruits and vegetables may contain infection-causing bacteria, soft cheeses may contain listeria, and chicken, eggs, and other items may contain salmonella.

Illnesses from food can be extremely serious and costly business for your restaurant. The secret to preventing food-related illnesses among your patrons is to learn a few steps that will help in preventing food spoilage.

Continue reading to learn about a few steps that will save you a lot of problems.

Step #1: Keep Your Equipment Maintained and in Proper Working Order

The first – and possibly one of the most important steps – in preventing food spoilage is to make certain that all of your restaurant equipment is properly maintained and is in good working order.

This includes your smokers, stoves, holding ovens, conveyor ovens, dishwasher equipment, freezers, refrigerators, lamp units, food wells, fryers, sinks, water boilers, ice machines, drink machines, and even your water system.

This will help make certain what needs to be clean is cleaned, what needs to be cooked is cooked, what needs to be kept cold remains cold, and what needs to be served is safely served.

Step #2: Keep Temperatures in Check

The next step to preventing food spoilage is to constantly check your temperatures and ensure that all products in your restaurant are appropriately frozen, chilled, and heated.

If items are not kept at the proper temperatures, it is more likely that they will result in sicknesses among your patrons and possibly your staff, too.

Step #3: Order Just Enough

One of the most common mistakes made by restaurants is ordering too much. When too much is ordered, it is more likely that items will go bad before being used.

It is also more tempting to use items in storage to avoid wasting money than to order new items. Just order what you need.

If it is money that you want to save, it is best to create a seasonal menu. Once your order comes in, review all due dates and packaging to ensure that everything is safe for consumption.

You should complete the process by labeling, dating, and completely organizing all of the items. NEVER serve any type of questionable food or drink product to a customer.

Conclusion

As you can see, all it takes is a little upkeep, maintenance, and organization in order to keep the food in your restaurant from spoiling.

In addition to taking the steps outlined in this guide, you should always make sure that you have restaurant insurance in New York. This will ensure that if an issue does arise, your business is protected.

If you would like more information on insurance coverage or would like to learn about the types of policies that you are able to obtain for your New York restaurant, you may contact us directly by calling: 718-855-1836