With the exception of high-end establishments, almost every restaurant these days has some form of customer service or a salad bar offering ready-to-eat products. Even El Pollo Loco and other Mexican-style restaurants allow you to select and replenish your selection of salsa. The Asian style of all-you-eat restaurants is another big one, many of which appear in most major cities. Then there are, of course, restaurants that are fully focused on buffets and salad bars.
Occupational safety and health laws governing these displays have been developed over the years with regard to the uniqueness of this type of installation and some unique hazards or risks to consumers. Below are most of these requirements, as well as my own recommendations from years of experience testing restaurant buffets and salad bars:
- One obvious requirement is that all open, ready-to-eat foods must be shielded to block the straight line between the customer’s mouth and the food on the display. This shield is commonly known as a sneezing protector for larger food displays and is usually a glass or clear plastic located above the food, sufficient to block possible contamination from the client’s mouth (saliva from sneezing, coughing, etc.) . The screen may also take the form of a container with a tight-fitting, secure lid, usually with hinges. If there are no signs of a shield or cover, then the display is most likely not approved and should be avoided.
- Each food displayed for self-service requires separate dishes with a handle. No customer is allowed to touch any of the exposed products with their hands.
- There should be clean plates and other dishes in the buffet or salad bar, and customers should be reminded or, if necessary, notified that when returning to the buffet should be used only clean dishes.
- It is necessary to maintain proper temperatures. Food is usually displayed on ice (and should actually be buried on ice), or the containers sit either in the refrigeration unit, or in a warm room, or the food sits under a heating lamp. Look for steam coming from a warm or steamy table and even the dish itself. Do not trust the cup for long-term storage (more than 2 hours) of products. You will usually only see the fried dishes during the temporary buffet. They are large, small metal plates with one or two flammable flames that ignite under it, trying to keep warm. They may be good only for short periods of time, and they should not be trusted or definitely not approved of a more permanent buffet setting. Heat lamps usually fall into this category. They are also not the best means of maintaining the temperature of hot aging for a long period of time.
- Employees must constantly monitor and maintain a buffet or salad bar. They should do everything from refilling to cleaning and checking the temperature.
- No sulfites or sulfating agents. Sulfites have usually been a common preserving agent, especially in fruits, while maintaining a fresh appearance. Most, if not all, states prohibit any food item from applying sulfating agents to fresh fruits and vegetables intended for raw consumption, or to any potentially dangerous products. Sulfites are still allowed on fruits and vegetables that are not sold raw, for example, dried fruits and grapes used for wine.
- Absolutely no flies or other types of parasites (cockroaches, rodents). Contrary to what you may have heard, there are no permissible amounts or quantities of pests allowed in the food establishment. Vermas are strictly illegal in all areas of the institution. They nourish and can transmit dangerous microorganisms, as well as general dirt to your food, and should not be tolerated.
- Lack of leakage and pooling of wastewater on the floor area, whether from melting ice or a refrigeration or warm device.
- All products must have a label denoting the common name of food, sauces, dressings, seasonings, etc.
Studying the requirements and potential hazards of a buffet or salad bar is just a good consumer awareness and can give you an advantage in preventing serious food-related illness.
