Servicing Equipment is Key to Food Safety

Commercial Parts and Service is proud to have a previous Service Manager featured in Food Service Equipment and Supply’s September article, Servicing Foodservice Equipment Supports Food Safety. In recognition of September as National Food Safety Month, Donny highlights the equipment maintenance and cleaning practices that can contribute to food safety. The first hazards on his list are faulty door seals and hinges. Loose hinges and bad door gaskets on cooking equipment can prevent cookers from reaching and maintaining desired temperatures, resulting in undercooked food. Equally dangerous, faulty refrigerator doors can result in food being stored at unsafe temperatures. Donny goes on to explain some of the dangers of poor kitchen equipment cleaning methods. He explains that simply hosing down kitchen equipment can damage electrical components and damage gas valves. Damage to gas valves can cause prevent gas cooking equipment from reaching desired temperatures and result in undercooked food. Lack of equipment cleaning is also a concern, as grim and soot build-up can also lead to cooking temperature issues and undercooked food. Donny’s advice: Make sure your service agency is performing critical cleaning jobs, such as descaling and deliming a steamer, which requires special training to do correctly. Refrigeration components also require professional cleaning to maintain. Service agents should also be regularly calibrating equipment to ensure proper cooking temperatures, energy efficiency, and kitchen safety standards. And, during each preventative maintenance service visits, service techs should be checking all temperature probes, thermometers, and temperature displays for accuracy. Schedule your complimentary commercial kitchen equipment audit to see how your equipment stacks up to these safety standards.