QSR June 2023

SmartChain Food Safety

Quick-service operators are also invest ing more in touch-based technology like self-serve kiosks and other digital dis plays in the front of the house as well as the back of the house. These touch screens must be cleaned and sanitized with prod ucts that don’t damage the technology. “There is an enhanced need for compatible surface cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfec tants that are worry-free and effective and can support an operator’s food safety pol icy,” Manuel says. Innovation is also taking place in the makeup of cleaning and sanitizing chemicals themselves. Traditional clean ing chemicals like bleach and quater nary ammonium compounds are asso ciated with health risks, and the CDC recommends not using these chemicals around people who have asthma or aller gies—about 30 percent of the U.S. adult population and 40 percent of U.S. children. Seventy-five percent of consumers also say they’re concerned about the safety of dis infectants used in restaurants. “People don’t want to be subjected to the health risks from toxic cleaners any more,” says Sandy Posa, CEO of Force of Nature . “The health risks are avoidable, though, with new disinfecting technolo gies that use hypochlorous acid ( hoc l ) as the active ingredient. HOCl has no toxic fumes or residues to rinse, so it’s much easier for staff to sanitize and disinfect surfaces. But don’t let its toxic-chemical free nature fool you—HOCl is a serious germ-buster. It’s the same chemical that the human body’s immune system creates to fight infections.” From automated systems and the internet of things to innovations in clean ing products, new advancements are changing the ways operators ensure food safety in their stores. “Restaurant operators with the greatest chance of success are those that remain curious about the potential of new tech nology,” Uvodich says. “These operators are devoting their efforts to integrating cost-effective solutions that can enhance food safety and quality, as well as allow ing staff to concentrate on high-value cus tomer interactions and creating excep tional experiences.” SC

ADOBE STOCK / AICANDY

“ The internet of things is a game-changer for restaurant operators.”

safety can help employees hone in on the right checks, suggest appropriate follow up actions, track trends in compliance, and more. Staying alert and aware is key. “Implementing a system for self-assess ments is critical in maintaining proper food safety practices,” says Chris Boyles, vice president of food safety at Steritech . “Food safety inspections happen a few hours a year. Operators need to own food safety every shift of every day.” It’s now easier to do this than ever before. Operators are incorporating more technology into their processes for mon itoring critical food safety-related data points. Network-connected sensors, also known as the internet of things, are mak ing it possible to track potential issues as they develop. “The internet of things is a game-changer for restaurant operators, offering real-time safety data delivery to the right personnel,” says Kylie Uvodich, general manager, Americas at SafetyCulture . “Affordable sensor solutions that enable managers to receive instant, contactless alerts—like temperature and humidity lev els for food safety—have gone from a ‘nice to-have’ to a standard in a post-pandemic world. They’re preventing large amounts of waste and helping businesses run more sustainably.” After all, it takes just one significant mishap for such sensors to prove their worth. “Companies that aren’t focused

on adopting technology when it comes to continuous monitoring will inevita bly also suffer,” Uvodich says. “If you’re forced to throw away 10,000 gallons of milk because someone left the door ajar and the temperature feels outside the acceptable temperature range, that’s a huge loss of revenue. Take that small mis take and imagine it happens every couple of months across all your locations. That could mean hundreds of thousands of dol lars over time. And that’s just one compo nent of a larger complex operation of the supply chain.” Of course, a foundation of food safety is proper hand hygiene—and consumers now have a heightened awareness of its benefits. As technology costs lower, some restaurants are experimenting with hand hygiene monitoring systems to help them demonstrate their commitment to best practices. “These systems allow a chain to monitor hand hygiene compliance over time, which can help determine if contin uous improvement efforts are working,” says Chip Manuel, Ph.D., food safety sci ence advisor at GOJO .

50

JUNE 2023 | SPONSORED SECTION