The restaurant industry has always struggled with high levels of employee turnover. And especially since the onset of labor disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the need to employ and train new and temporary workers has escalated to record-breaking levels. For example, in 2022, only 54% of QSR employees worked for 90 days before quitting.Some economic forecasters predict that labor deficiencies in...

Written by SmartSense | September 17, 2024 | Food Safety, HACCP, FSMA, Food Service

In its conventional usage, “sushi” refers to the popular Japanese delicacy in which cooked rice is formed with raw fish. Well-known variations include nigiri, maki, and hand rolls, made either manually using bamboo mats or mechanically using specialized tools.Both of sushi's main components—raw fish and acidified rice—are highly perishable and prone to pathogens that can cause outbreaks of foodborne illness....

Written by SmartSense | August 21, 2024 | Food Safety, HACCP, Supply Chain, Grocery, Food Service

Successful food retailing is a complex operation that starts long before product arrives at the store. For instance, a pivotal point in this process is the transfer of product from transport vehicles to a grocer’s warehouse. Why? Because temperature-sensitive foods deteriorate quickly if not stored promptly in refrigerated areas upon delivery.Of course, the flow of food across the supply chain encompasses a...

Written by SmartSense | March 26, 2024 | Food Safety, HACCP, FSMA, Supply Chain, Data, Grocery, Food Service, Innovation

The cycle foods travel along the cold and value chain is called the “flow of food.” When the flow of food is subject to federal regulations, commercial and not-for-profit food service operations are legally responsible for the safety of all their food products at each step along the chain: purchasing, transporting, receiving, storing, cooking, holding, cooling, reheating, serving, and delivering. Monitoring...

Written by SmartSense | March 1, 2024 | Food Safety, HACCP, Data, Grocery, Food Service, Innovation

The traditional definition of “perishable foods” has been revised over the years to reflect scientific and technological developments. “Perishable foods” broadly emphasizes the idea that food such as raw meat or produce eventually spoils, but without any connotation regarding safety. Once the number and severity of food recalls due to foodborne illness became more common as a public health issue, perishable foods...

Written by SmartSense | April 28, 2020 | Food Safety, HACCP