By: Sam Cole
Director, Product Certification – Equipment & Chemical Evaluation
NSF
In the hustle and bustle of working in the restaurant industry, food safety can sometimes be forgotten or put on the back burner, especially when it comes to selecting and maintaining equipment. Unfortunately, this can lead to both short-term and long-term consequences, ranging from failing food safety inspections to an outbreak of foodborne illness. Dealers and manufacturers can learn how to avoid those issues by visiting the NSF booth at the National Restaurant Association Show later this month.
According to a 2023 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were a total of 800 foodborne illness outbreaks associated with 875 retail food establishments reported to the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System between 2017 and 2019. Many of those outbreaks were traced to equipment-related issues, such as cross-contamination of ingredients (16 percent), improper cold holding due to malfunctioning refrigeration equipment (25.6 percent) and improper hot holding due to malfunctioning equipment (1.6 percent).
Purchasing and maintaining equipment that is designed and constructed to be easily cleaned and sanitized is critical to maintaining food safety. NSF, a public health and safety organization, has developed 21 standards for commercial food equipment that establish food protection and sanitation requirements. Those standards cover requirements for material safety, design, construction and product performance. For example, using the wrong materials can lead to harmful chemicals being leached into food. Poor design or construction can make equipment harder to clean or store food at warm or cold enough temperatures.
Properly maintaining food equipment is also important. In 2021, NSF conducted a survey of nearly 700 quick-service restaurant (QSR) professionals and found that 70% of respondents reported problems in their establishments were caused by malfunctioning equipment. The survey spotlighted common situations, such as equipment failures, ignoring error messages and skipping cleaning cycles, which resulted in higher food safety risks among both employees and consumers.
Those wishing to learn more about mitigating food safety risks when designing, purchasing and using foodservice equipment may visit NSF at Booth No. 3934 in South Hall of the McCormick Place Convention Center during the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show, May 18-21 in Chicago.