SCPHD Focus on Food Safety

Twenty percent of the dish machines I check have one thing in common: they aren’t actually sanitizing. Whether the chemical bucket is empty or a pump line is clogged, clear water does not always mean clean dishes. The only way to know your sanitizer is working is to test it. Test strips are inexpensive, and checking every station in the store takes only a few minutes at most. It’s one of the cheap...

Sometimes the hardest decision a manager makes is the one to stop service. An “imminent health hazard”—like a power outage, loss of water, or a sewage backup—means you can no longer operate safely. If you can’t wash hands, flush toilets, or keep food cold, you must close your doors immediately. Don’t wait for an inspector to find the problem or a customer to report you. Maintain trust by taking th...

A high-performing kitchen doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the result of consistent habits. Manager’s checklists are your roadmap to ensuring food safety and protecting your business. From opening temperature checks to closing sanitation audits, these lists ensure that nothing is missed when the rush hits. Don’t treat a checklist as just another chore; treat it as a tool for confidence. When an in...

Listeria and other bacteria can continue to grow even in properly refrigerated food. Date marking prepared foods, opened products, and ready-to-eat food brought out of the freezer is the primary defense from Listeria growing to dangerous levels. Train your staff to date mark any food they prepare, open, or thaw that won’t be completely used that day. Then, assign a person in charge to check the da...

Proper handwashing is the single most effective way to stop foodborne illness. As the manager, you set the standard for safety by your example and your encouragement. This week, take just five minutes to quietly observe your team. Are they taking the full 20 seconds to wash or just doing a quick rinse? Pay close attention to transitions. Are they washing immediately when they enter the kitchen, ch...

Holding food at the proper temperature is your primary defense against harmful bacteria, and it’s something a health inspector always looks for. There’s nothing worse than an inspector discovering your refrigerator at 50 degrees and having to dispose of hundreds of dollars in product. You can prevent this with a simple routine: Assign staff to check and log refrigerator temperatures at least twice...

This session moves beyond simple compliance to forge a collaborative partnership for public health in the Magic Valley. Led by top local, state, and national food safety officials—including Josh Jensen, J. Wing, Jarryd Samples , and Patrick Guzzle —the panel will open with a brief overview of the Health District’s efforts to cultivate a safe food environment. With Guzzle’s national experience and...

Food safety is often seen as a compliance issue, but what if it could be your business's greatest asset? In this session, Matthew Luckock , a Managing Partner at Texas Roadhouse, shares the operational blueprint for building a winning food safety culture from the ground up. Drawing on his hands-on experience, he'll go beyond the checklist to reveal the strategies for engaging your team, empowering...

Health inspections can feel like a mystery, but every violation has a reason rooted in public safety. In this practical and insightful session, Jarryd Samples, the Food Protection Program Manager for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, will pull back the curtain on the inspection process. He'll share the most critical food safety violations found in Idaho establishments, revealing the real...

Food safety is more than a checklist of rules—it's about protecting human lives. Patrick Guzzle, a 20-year veteran of retail food safety, shares his personal and professional journey, which began after his wife contracted E. coli O157:H7. In this powerful presentation, he goes beyond regulatory compliance to reveal the devastating, real-world consequences of foodborne illness. This session will fu...