Have you ever wondered how the food you eat was handled before you receive it?
- Was it handled in a sanitary manner?
- Was it cooked to the right temperature?
- Was it refrigerated properly?
- Is it safe to eat?!
The impact of food safety on foodborne illness
A quick look at the statistics surrounding foodborne illness will confirm that your concerns are well warranted!
It is estimated that foodborne diseases account for 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States annually. Although there are multiple causes of foodborne illness, improper temperature control is a common failure in many segments of the food service production and distribution chain.
Weak links in the Cold Chain make you sick
Although the food industry has adopted several methods of packaging, transporting, and delivering food, the “cold chain” process has emerged as the most reliable method of assuring food safety. With this method, food is maintained at temperatures that prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can make you sick. These bacteria are known as pathogens and are responsible for the majority of foodborne related illnesses.
Food Safety = All Hands on Deck
Food safety is not achieved by chance or by luck. It requires a concerted effort by everyone involved in the process. From the janitor to the CEO, the cook to the delivery driver – every member of a food service team must be knowledgeable of and dedicated to the necessary steps involved in keeping food safe throughout the entire cold chain. This level of unity is the foundation of the processes and systems required to ensure that the chain is never broken and that safe, quality, nourishing food is always delivered.
Because processes and systems are only as good as the people that carry them out, safe quality food must be part of a food service provider’s organizational culture. At GA Foods, our entire food service team is involved in on-going education and training programs on the foundational principles of food safety. This training empowers them with the knowledge of just how important their specific job is to the cold chain process and to our common goal of excellence in food quality and safety.
GA Foods: Nourishment. Delivered.
Our core values instill a sense of pride as each member of our team carries out his or her job duties with excellence. Each person driven by a sense of ownership, accountability and integrity, armed with the knowledge that they are an important link in the cold chain and are in fact making a difference and touching lives every day.
Our philosophy on food safety is simple yet effective – safe quality food is the result of scientifically sound processes and systems carried out by dedicated and well trained people in a practical and effective manner. Our state of the art, USDA Inspected facility, coupled with our high sanitation & food handling standards provides us with an environment to assure our products are produced under the highest sanitary conditions.
Food production operations featuring high speed assembly lines, rapid and continuous cooling and freezing equipment, under the guidance of our science based HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) quality assurance and food safety processes eliminates the element of chance in our assurances to preserve the cold chain.
It is with this dedication to a unified team effort that GA Foods eliminates weak links in the cold chain. It is with this knowledge that we assure you, our valued customer that you are in safe hands with us.
In confidence and great appreciation we wish you Bon Appetite!
Click the image or here to download full size infographic.
Sources:
Mead et al. (1999)
2001 Food Code – Public Health Service, Food & Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
