2017 has been a busy year for restaurants and food retail! From outbreaks, recalls, acquisitions, and new regulations, the need for a strict food safety plan has never been higher. This year, many of the final FSMA laws went into effect, and even more are set to roll out in 2018.

Written by SmartSense | December 26, 2017 | Food Safety

Holiday season traditionally meant home-cooked dinners — you know, Grandma’s braised brisket or Mom’s roast turkey with all the trimmings. This tradition is still alive for many households, but, as recent research data shows, times are changing. Busy and kitchen-phobic consumers are turning to supermarkets to prepare their holiday dinners with more frequency, from Christmas and Hanukkah to New Year’s Eve.

Written by SmartSense | December 20, 2017 | Food Safety

’Tis the season for holiday cheer, decorations, and, of course, presents. What better gift can be given than beautiful assortments of food? Giving food as holiday gifts has grown in popularity over the years, but ordering and delivering food as gifts introduces some food safety concerns. Is your business prepared to safely handle the influx of holiday orders this season?

Written by SmartSense | December 14, 2017 | Food Safety

If you work in foodservice or food retail and have only a vague sense of the difference between HACCP and HARPC, you’re not alone. At first glance, HARPC requirements may look quite similar to HACCP, since they’re both food safety standards based on prevention. Where the plans differ is in execution. Let us clear up some of the confusion.

Written by SmartSense | November 22, 2017 | Food Safety

For many consumers, the holiday season means celebratory meals centered around meat, poultry, and seafood: Think Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas roast beef, Hanukkah brisket, and New Year’s Eve shrimp cocktail. To meet increasing demand, grocery stores and supermarkets will be stocking larger volumes of these raw foods than they usually do the rest of the year.

Written by SmartSense | November 14, 2017 | Food Safety

Refrigeration, one of the distinguishing and valuable features of micromarkets, raises safety issue for perishable foods. We’ve examined the growth potential of this innovative vending concept, as well as its benefits for both consumers and operators, but continuous temperature monitoring is imperative to safe and efficient deployment.

Written by SmartSense | November 2, 2017 | Food Safety