Role of technology in food safety
Do you find your food safety plan is drowning in paper records? That often staff do not fill in the records at the point of measure but at times filled in at the end of the shift. Food safety is an everyday requirement as part of managing the risk of the prevention of food poisoning. We know that the elderly are a highly vulnerable population who need to have the safest food supply. At Church Resouces, we understand how the role of technology in food safety in aged care can play a vital role.
How to use technology in Aged-Care facilities?
Managing risk is significant for any aged care facility. Food safety plans are crucial to supporting food services to manage risk associated with the preparation of food. Food safety must be monitored 24/7, which includes overnight with cool rooms and freezers. It is essential to maintain accurate and complete records. Critical control points need to be monitored throughout the day. The most common essential points of control are food cooking temperatures, reheating temperatures, cold and frozen storage and dishwashers.
Technology has been developing to support monitoring food safety with technology and reduce the need for paper. There are programs which can support the collection and monitoring of food safety through wireless systems. These programs have many advantages such as saving time, accurate records and ensuring staff record temperatures at the point of service. They often have time limits on critical control points to ensure all records are kept up to date. The advantage of such systems is the ability to generate reports.
Author
Dr Karen Abbey – Procurement Australasia Foodservice Ambassador