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You’ve probably been reading a lot more about H1N1 lately, as the flu season approaches.
Last week, USA Today’s opinion blog featured a letter from a public health expert preaching good hygiene as the key to prevention.
And a recent Wall Street Journal blog focused on prevention guidelines for small business, including reexamination of policies on leave and telecommuting.
Also last week, the National Restaurant Association put out a great resource on H1N1 prevention. The entire presentation is available here, but here are the highlights, along with some relevant products to aid prevention…
Most importantly for restaurant operators to remember is that the flu virus is NOT spread by eating food items - it can only be spread by inhalation or by touching contaminated surfaces and THEN touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
According to the presentation, the virus is transmitted through droplets generated by sneezing, cough or speaking (within a distance of 3 - 6 feet), and also by direct contact of an infected human or by touching an object that an infected human touched or contaminated with droplets.
The virus can survive on stainless steel and plastic for 24 - 48 hours. Because a restaurant kitchen can be made up of nearly ALL stainless steel surfaces, its important to consider all measures for cleaning and sanitizing these surfaces.
Remember, all it takes is for a person to touch an infected surface, and then touch his eyes, nose or mouth to become infected.
Surfaces
Following are some general guidelines listed in the NRA presentation for surface cleaning and disinfecting.
Clean
Rinse (if necessary)
Disinfect
You can find a list of EPA-registered influenza virus products here.
For food contact surfaces like worktables, cutting boards and other equipment, the CDC advises restaurant operators to follow current procedures for food contact surfaces and warewashing. Reinforce the importance of thorough and frequent cleaning and sanitation with your associates.
The flu virus can survive on cloth, paper and tissues for 8 - 12 hours, and on hands for up to five minutes. Obviously, this calls for an increased frequency of disinfection and hand hygiene.
Handwashing
General prevention guidelines include the typical stuff: wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, cover up when you sneeze or cough, AND following PROPER handwashing techniques - which means NOT touching the faucet after you finish washing.
There are a couple of different options for restaurants to adhere to this guideline.
Portable hand sinks are a great option for catering and other outdoor functions - especially with large gatherings of people who are eating and drinking.
The knee-operated hand sink or hand sink with optional wrist handles is a good idea for back-of-house and kitchen operations to help prevent re-contamination after hand washing.
By that same logic, touchless hand dryers and touchless paper towel dispensers can be used in customer/patron restrooms as well as BOH operations.
Next, a poster outlining the proper handwashing technique is a helpful reminder for both you and your staff.
Also, the CDC is offering a free seasonal influenza “Cover Your Cough” poster on their website, great for dining rooms and kitchens alike.
Gloves & Masks
According to the NRA presentation, disposable gloves should be used when cleaning and disinfecting. Wash hands frequently (before and after gloving) with soap and water and/or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Make sure you discard gloves after use.
The CDC only advises a face mask for those who have direct contact with influenza patients in healthcare settings. The WHO and the CDC have not determined any benefits of wearing face masks in non-healthcare settings.
General Guidelines
Last, here are some general prevention guidelines listed in the NRA presentation:
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A fryer can be a great way to cook up high profit menu items that are actually healthy too - but it’s important to choose the right equipment for your specific operation so you don’t end up wasting valuable time and resources.
Here’s a few things to consider when shopping for a commercial fryer.
Consider menu
Open pot fryers have heating conductors outside the frypot and deep internal sediment collection zones. They perform well in many frying applications, but are ideal for light- to medium-breaded items such as French fries and prepackaged foods. This type of fryer allows every inch of the frypot to be easily accessed and cleaned.
Tube type fryers have heating conductors inside the frypot and wide sediment collections zones below the conductor tubes, making them the best choice for foods that are fresh battered or heavily breaded, such as fresh fish and onion blossoms.
Flat-bottomed fryers have no sediment collection zones making this type of fryer best suited for food items that float on top of the oil during the fry cycle. Wet battered fish is ideal for this fryer.
Menu Trends
According to Frymaster’s Fit Frying website, one of the major trends right now involves small plates, mini meals, appetizers, and little bites.
“Whether experimenting with flavors, or thinking about weight control, people are interested in ‘portioned indulgence.’”
Leading snacks include calamari, wings, cheese sticks, and fried zucchini, all of which can easily be handled by a 10, 15 or 30 lb. capacity countertop fryer.
For more information, check out Frymaster’s 5 Factors for Fit Frying.
Other models are specifically designed for preparing high volumes of breaded chicken and fish.
Volume
Next consider what percentage of your menu you’ll be using the fryer to prepare. If your establishment specializes in catfish, French fries and chicken tenders, you could be using the fryer for up to 90% of all dishes prepared. However, if you’re only using the equipment for a few small appetizers, you probably don’t need a 90 lb. fryer.
Space
Also think about the space you have available in your kitchen and the flow from one end to the other. According to NAFEM, proper flow will prevent backtracking by personnel, decreased productivity and inefficient use of labor.
Countertop fryers are ideal for lower-volume operations. A floor model fryer is a better option for high capacity frying and for achieving maximum output.
Gas vs. Electric
Ask a product consultant whether a gas or electric fryers is right for you. It may depend on how your kitchen is equipped, recovery time and energy efficiency. In addition, some gas fryers may also require an electrical connection.
Accessories
What else do you need to go with your fryer? All gas fryers require a safety quick disconnect hose. The quick-disconnect prevents accidental disconnects when gas is on, eliminating the chance of gas leaks. The gas connector cannot be disconnected until the gas valve is shut off and cannot be opened until the gas connector is properly attached.
Last, most floor fryer models also offer the option of locking casters for added portability.
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