Mid-April’s massive recall of more than 200 million eggs after several confirmed cases of salmonella-related illness were traced to one of the nation’s leading egg suppliers highlighted the importance of having a solid supplier approval program in place at your operation.

A Supplier Approval Program is one of several essential prerequisite programs a foodservice operation should have to protect their business and their customers.  Buying from reputable suppliers is the baseline for providing safe food and reducing food safety risks. 

Food supplier recalls, such as April’s recalls on eggs and romaine lettuce, are on the rise. These recalls can lead to lost revenue and damage to your brand. Knowing your suppliers and ensuring that they have practices in place to prevent contamination at the source can help to minimize risk and build trust.

The National Restaurant Association's Food Safety & Industry Relations department presented a webinar, “Safe Food Begins with Safe Suppliers, Part 1,” on Tuesday, April 10. The presentation discussed how developing a supplier approval program helps to ensure that the ingredients you purchase for your foodservice operation are safe and is a vital step in creating a culture of food safety.

Evaluating ingredient risk was one of the key learnings of the presentation. Steps included:

·       Listing all ingredients used in your operation

·       Listing method of storage for each ingredient

·       Identifying ingredients that are Temperature Controlled for Safety (TCS) and Ready to Eat (RTE)

·       Determining the risk associated with each ingredient.

·       After identifying high-risk ingredients, note opportunities where pathogens might be introduced, and where and how those should be controlled by the supplier.

“Safe Food Begins with Safe Suppliers” was the second in a series of three webinars being offered by the National Restaurant Association’s Department of Food Safety & Industry Relations this spring. The goal of the webinars is to assist food service operators in protecting public health through a more robust understanding of food safety best practices along with tips for effective implementation.

Register here to view the April 10 webinar. 

To register for the May 8 webinar, “Serving Safe Food Begins with Safe Suppliers, Part 2”, click here.