QSR October 2022

SmartChain FoodSafety

lost inventory. “We see technology transforming food safety just as we see it impacting all aspects of our daily lives,” says Kevin R. Roberts, Ph.D., food safety expert at FoodHandler . In fact, technology can be a driv ing force behind food safety—even to the point of detecting patterns and predicting new issues before they occur. “Technology can make procedures easy to access, easy to update, and available at the point where they are used,” says Chris Boyles, vice president of food safety at Steritech. “Automated food safety measurements are helping move preventive maintenance to predictive maintenance.” As restaurants accumulate a broad range of different systems to stream line workflows, however, a new challenge emerges. All of these systems have to be able to talk to each other. “We’re seeing a lot of technology emerging around sensor fusion in food safety,” says Sean Podvent, founder, CEO, and head of product at Hand IQ . “One piece of data from one sensor or technol ogy provider doesn’t usually provide con text around bigger food safety problems or risks. Many of the larger brands are espe cially keen on using tools like APIs to cre ate a more complete picture of their food safety efforts.” Not only are automated procedures and monitoring systems changing the food safety game—cleaning products themselves are seeing more innovation. “Restaurant operators are gaining bet ter knowledge of cleaning chemistry and products,” says Douglas Koester, president of Tuway . “It’s important to partner with a brand who evolves their cleaning product line to stay up-to-date with current issues and to match what is needed.” Manufacturers of cleaning chemistries are developing products that can safely and effectively clean multiple areas—a major change from the norm of requiring multiple products for each specific clean ing and sanitizing operation. “Today, you can find products that can clean and san itize dining tables and food contact sur faces in the kitchen, as well as disinfect bathrooms, without changing the con

SafetyCulture

SAFETYCULTURE SENSORS

Force of Nature

Hand IQ

HAND IQ

FORCE OF NATURE

centration,” says Tom Myers, COO of PURE Bioscience, Inc. “When workers do not have to worry about whether they are using the right product, they can better focus on the task at hand. Having fewer products saves money and time.” Traditional cleaning chemicals like bleach and quaternary ammonium com pounds are also associated with health risks. The CDC recommends not using these chemicals around people who have asthma or allergies, which accounts for about 30 percent of the population. Meanwhile, seventy-five percent of con sumers also say they’re concerned about the safety of disinfectants used in foodser vice environments. “Restaurant operators are gaining better knowledge of cleaning chemistry and products.”

“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 technologies that use hypochlorous acid ( HOCI ) as the active ingredient. HOCI has no toxic fumes or residues to rinse, so it’s much easier for staff to sanitize and disinfect surfaces.” New innovations are building momen tum as operators look ensure food safety in shifting conditions. “Changes in consumer behavior pat terns, the use of technology, widespread staff shortages, and growing cost pres sures have all contributed to a foodservice landscape that looks dramatically differ ent than it did prior to the pandemic,” says Esperanza Carrion, vice president and general manager of Sani Professional , the food safety division of PDI, Inc. “Operators find themselves at the core of trying to solve these challenges, while also provid ing a safe dining experience for their team and guests.” SC

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OCTOBER 2022 | SPONSORED SECTION