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What are Food Industry Standards?

C. Daw
C. Daw

Food industry standards are rules and regulations that all businesses involved with serving and handling food must follow, or else risk being fined or shut down. Public health is important so rules were set into place to ensure that people consuming prepared foods are not susceptible to diseases and infections due to improper handling and preparing. Food industry standards vary from one area to another, but they all follow along the lines of maximizing the safety of all food products that are consumed throughout the world.

All companies that handle and prepare food are required by law, to follow specific safety procedures, and to keep record of those procedures. The safety of the public health relies heavily upon how food is handled and prepared because the demand for prepared foods is on the rise. The industrial world demands that people be on the go more often, which means that they no longer have time to prepare home cooked meals. Because of this, people rely more upon foods that are prepared for them, such as at convenience stores and fast food restaurants, so food industry standards are in place to allow the demand for this industry while maximizing the safety of the consumers.

Food industry standards ensure the safety of prepared foods.
Food industry standards ensure the safety of prepared foods.

Most areas have a local policing department that travels around checking to make sure that all food preparation businesses are up to code, and that they are following the guidelines and safety precautions that have been documented. Food industry standards require that the businesses being analyzed comply with the department, make any changes that are stated by the inspector, and that all records are offered if needed. The importance of these enforcers is to ensure that public health is kept as the number one priority in any type of food preparation establishment. If the business fails the inspection, they have a short period of time to make modifications and be inspected again, otherwise they will be forced to close the doors until the guidelines have been met.

The food industry has standards regarding the preparation and cooking of meat.
The food industry has standards regarding the preparation and cooking of meat.

Contrary to popular belief, the food industry standards do not just apply to companies that prepare food for the public. The manufacturers of the items, the transportation companies, and the storage companies must all comply with the same regulations. The point of this is that even though the preparation of the food may be done correctly, if the food becomes spoiled during transport or storage, the health of the public will still be at risk. Every company within the food industry is required to follow the rules that have been set, and to keep records that prove that they are following them.

Discussion Comments

Euroxati

Speaking of food industry standards, I like how the article mentions health inspectors, which I feel are a very important part of food industry standards. Not only do they do a good job at making sure restaurants and establishments are free of health violations, but sometimes, they even show up unexpected. Because of this, there's not always time to prepare for a visit, and they can see the establishment for what it truly is.

RoyalSpyder

@Chmander - You do have a good point about cross contamination, as my friend had an unfortunate experience. One night when she went out to eat, she ordered a salad. About thirty minutes later, she began to get sick, and had to be sent to the hospital immediately. Later on, it was discovered that the tomatoes from the salad had been cross contaminated with raw meat used on a cutting board.

Chmander

When it comes to food industry standards, one of the reasons why they're so strict is due to cross contamination. People might not think it's a big deal, but if one isn't careful, it can even cause death, and even more so, it could cause a whole batch of produce to be ruined. For example, what if someone used the same crate that raw meat was put in, and used it for the produce. It's things like this that you have to be careful about. Customer safety is always important.

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    • Food industry standards ensure the safety of prepared foods.
      By: dream79
      Food industry standards ensure the safety of prepared foods.
    • The food industry has standards regarding the preparation and cooking of meat.
      By: noppasit
      The food industry has standards regarding the preparation and cooking of meat.
    • The HACCP system is a food safety system that businesses use to comply with standards from the FDA.
      By: Marzky Ragsac Jr.
      The HACCP system is a food safety system that businesses use to comply with standards from the FDA.
    • The FDA sets strict hygiene and safety protocols for dairy processing and bottling plants.
      By: Budimir Jevtic
      The FDA sets strict hygiene and safety protocols for dairy processing and bottling plants.
    • Food returned by a diner cannot be served again later to other customers.
      By: william87
      Food returned by a diner cannot be served again later to other customers.
    • Individuals who work in food preparation are required to perform proper hand washing techniques.
      By: mast3r
      Individuals who work in food preparation are required to perform proper hand washing techniques.