HACCP in Healthcare: Continuous Improvement

Most foodservice operators are familiar with the HACCP principals. But even if one knows about HACCP, it doesn’t mean it’s always being followed. The potential for hazard in foodservice is constant.  Looking at your food handling process through the HACCP prism will minimize the hazardous risks.

“One aspect of the HAACP concept is analyzing procedures by asking yourself: Why are we using this process? What are the potential dangers with the existing process? How can we eliminate that potential hazard at the critical control point?” These are some of the key questions Manuel Gallardo, Executive Chef at Masonic Home in Union City, CA asks himself daily.

Masonic Homes provides multi-level senior care and assistance—from independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing to dementia and hospice care. This community is the home for nearly 300 residents. Chef Manuel Gallardo takes pride in his role of overseeing the foodservice operation, from employee management, and cost management to menu development. With his seasoned background, Manuel takes no chances when it comes to food safety. Training his team to make sure proper food safety practices are followed is his top priority while seeking for alternative solutions to maximize efficiency.

At Masonic Homes, meals are prepared with the highest quality ingredients and cooked from scratch in the central kitchen. Each building has its own dining area where the food is transported.

“In the past, we used to transfer foods from our central kitchen to our satellite kitchens using hot boxes that required sternos but there were cost, safety and cross contamination issues I was concerned about. Imagine how close the sternos were to the foods and how many sternos we used on weekly basis?” Manuel says. “So we looked for a solution that could do the job without using sternos and that’s when Cambro insulated transporters came in. Cambro transporters are self-contained heating unit. They hold temperatures for an extended period of time; they keep the food safe and are easy to clean,” says Manuel.

There is always room for improvement in existing processes. The key is having a proactive mind by staying informed and open to improvements as the solutions for keeping your operation safe and efficient are constantly evolving.

Get in touch with your local Cambro Healthcare Specialist to discuss efficient and cost-saving solutions.