StateFoodSafety Articles
Sesame Allergy Foods and Ingredients to Watch For
Learn which foods and ingredients may contain sesame, how to read labels and what steps can help prevent accidental exposure at home or when eating out.
Fish Delivery Receiving Guide for Restaurants and Grocery Stores
Seafood receiving is one of the first chances for you to stop unsafe or poor-quality products from entering your operation. Use this guide to learn what to check and when to reject a delivery.
How to Use Color-Coded Cutting Boards in Your Kitchen
Color-coded boards are a simple tool for safer food prep. Learn how commercial kitchens use this system to separate different foods.
How Long Is Food Good in a Fridge Without Power?
When the power goes out, time and temperature matter. Use this guide to understand how long your fridge and freezer can keep food safe and how to know if food can be kept or thrown away.
Food Defense Strategies for Industry Compliance
Food defense planning helps facilities prepare for intentional adulteration risks before they become serious problems. Learn how to build a plan that fits your operation, supports compliance and gives employees clear steps to follow.
Bartending License vs. Certification: What You Need to Know
A bartending license helps you meet alcohol service requirements, while certification can help you build bar skills. Here’s how to tell which one you need before your first shift.
Food Handler Handwashing Locations & Best Practices Guide
Knowing where to wash hands is a basic food safety skill every food handler needs. Learn which sinks are approved, which ones are off limits and how proper handwashing protects both food workers and customers.
Cleaning Cantaloupe Safely: Your Essential Guide
Before you slice into a cantaloupe, take a minute to wash it the right way. This guide explains why cantaloupe needs extra care and what steps help keep cut fruit safe.
How Long Can Cooked Vegetables Keep in the Fridge?
Leftover vegetables are useful for quick meals, but safe storage matters. Learn how long cooked veggies last, how to cool and refrigerate them properly and how to tell when they are no longer safe to eat.
FATTOM in Food Safety: Conditions for Bacterial Growth & How to Control Them
FATTOM explains the six conditions that allow harmful bacteria to grow in food. Learn what each factor means, why it matters and how food handlers can control risk at every stage.
Guide to CMS Dietary Regulations for Nursing Homes
From therapeutic diets to meal service and sanitation, CMS dietary rules affect nearly every part of a nursing home’s nutrition program. This article breaks down the rules and what they mean for day-to-day compliance.
USDA vs. FDA Food Regulation Explained
The USDA and FDA both help keep food safe, but they do it in different ways. This article breaks down who regulates what, how the systems differ and what those differences mean for businesses and consumers.
How to Clean Restaurant Hoods: Complete Guide to Safety & Efficiency
Keep your kitchen safe and compliant with our guide to restaurant hood cleaning, covering grease buildup, filters, ducts and maintenance schedules.
SQF Certification: Elevating Food Safety and Quality Standards
Understand the requirements and steps to achieve Safe Quality Food certification. Enhance your food safety system and build consumer trust with this robust standard.
Why No Bare Hand Contact Matters for Ready-to-Eat Foods
From salads and sandwiches to cut fruit and garnishes, ready-to-eat foods need careful handling to prevent spreading illness. This article explains the risks, rules and practical food safety habits that help keep customers safe.
How to Make Ingredient Labels: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide
Ingredient labels are more complex than they seem. This guide shows you how to create labels correctly, from ordering ingredients by weight to declaring allergens and designing a panel that meets FDA requirements.
Guide to Creating a Sanitation Program in a Food Plant
Sanitation is a key element of food plant safety and compliance. This article covers the practical steps and program elements that help facilities stay clean, controlled and inspection ready.
Protect Your Business & Plumbing: A Guide to Grease Trap Upkeep
Keep your kitchen's grease removal unit in top condition. Our guide covers vital steps for routine servicing, preventing overflows and maintaining compliance standards.
How Far Above the Floor Should Food Be Stored?
Keep your storage areas clean, organized and inspection ready. Learn how high food should be stored, what exceptions exist and how to prevent cross-contamination on shelves.
How Long Can You Leave Food Out?
Bacteria can grow fast when dishes are left out too long. Discover how long different ingredients can be kept at room temperature, why some items are more sensitive to time and temp controls than others and what you can do to protect consumer safety.
Chemical Hazards in Food: Types, Sources and Prevention
Learn about chemical food hazards, including types, sources, health risks and prevention tips for consumers and food workers to keep meals safe and reduce exposure to harmful contaminants.
Complete Guide: How to Calibrate a Thermometer
Learn the right way to calibrate thermometers, why it matters to food safety and how often to test temperature gauges for accuracy.
Deciphering Kosher Symbols: Your Guide to Certified Foods
Learn how to identify kosher certification symbols, avoid confusion with labels and shop confidently for certified products.
Building Safe and Trustworthy Food Systems Through Quality Control
Learn about quality control in the food and beverage industry and how to implement effective protocols, including food safety systems, inspections, continuous improvement strategies and real-world examples.
Restaurant Food Safety Compliance and How Enforcement Works
This guide explains who enforces food safety in U.S. restaurants, how federal agencies influence the rules and what your local health department actually checks during inspections.
The Ultimate Cleaning Guide for Restaurants (with Free Downloadable Checklist)
Keeping a clean restaurant is essential for passing health inspections and ensuring customer satisfaction. Learn about proper cleaning protocols and download a free checklist to follow!
What Food Handlers and Managers Need to Know About Audits
Learn all about the auditing process, what inspectors look for and how food handlers and managers can prepare to ensure compliance, reduce risks and protect public health.
Understanding Critical Limits for Food Safety in HACCP Programs
Critical limits set the boundaries for safety at critical control points in an HACCP program. Use this guide to define measurable limits, monitor them during production and respond quickly when a limit is missed.
Understanding Food Contamination: What Food Handlers Should Know and How to Prevent It
Discover what leads to food contamination, how to prevent it and why proper food safety training protects consumers, workers and businesses alike.
The Hidden Dangers of Fraud and What It Means for Food and Beverage Professionals
Fraud is a growing threat in the global food supply chain. Explore common adulteration practices, regulations, recalls and how industry professionals can prevent them.
Training Tip: Cleaning and Sanitizing
Many managers hold monthly, weekly or even daily training sessions to make sure that employees remember essential food safety principles. Follow these training tips to improve food safety at your establishment.