Proper Use of Hot Food Holding Cabinets a Must
When health inspectors visit local eateries in order to check for compliance with health codes, one of the first aspects of the kitchens that they inspect is that of hot food holding cabinets. After all, it is not enough that food is kept hot until it is served to diners. The food must also be kept warm at the proper temperatures and only for the designated length of time in order to ensure the safety and health of the customer.
If these standards are not met, restaurants can be faced with fines and public outcry, oftentimes damaging to their reputations.
Witness the unfortunate case of June inspection of an Arkansas restaurant which failed to comply with several health and safety codes, being “out of compliance in three areas of the seven ‘potentially hazardous food time/temperature’ category, [including] food held in a back hot holding cabinet below 135 degrees” (Siftings Herald). This bad inspection led to bad press for the restaurant which, although they may now be in compliance, will have that report available on the internet for their customers to access at any time.
Or take into account a Virginia restaurant caught out of compliance who were later called out by the Hernando Citizen Restaurant Watch for “two critical violations reported (food inside cabinet – rice, corn, meatballs – observed hot holding at improper temperatures; ready-to-eat food in display cases – sliced ham, flan – and in walk-in had incorrect amount of time for shelf life, both exceeded seven days).”
In both cases, the problem is not the quality of the holding cabinets being used, but the lack of attention to their proper use.
As purveyors of quality hot food holding cabinets, we here at Thermodyne Foodservice Products, Inc. encourage our customers to use all kitchen products in compliance with both their recommended usage and local health and safety codes.
For more information on our fine products, please feel free to contact us.
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