For previously closed retail food outlets that have been open with limited service due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA provides a food safety reopening protocol to safely reopen your restaurant amid COVID-19. Offense to FDA food safety citations can lead to a legal notice, criminal prosecution, or a fine of up to $500,000, depending on the severity of the violation. The checklist addresses critical food safety standards for retail food enterprises to consider. It is not an exhaustive list. Before reopening, Retailers are advised to work with local regulatory/health authorities to address the unique requirements for their retail food facility. Due to the consequences of COVID-19, we might see adjustments in the restaurant industry when dining rooms progressively reopen in this challenging situation. Here are some of the few things to consider to safely reopen your restaurant amid COVID-19:
Changing your seating space to provide 6 feet of social distance between customers,
requiring your personnel to wear masks, and
doubling down on cleaning and sanitizing high-traffic areas to avoid foodborne illness.
The good news is that the food safety protocols you follow before COVID-19 are still valid and unlikely to change. Bacteria still grow quickest on food in the danger zone of temperature; food must still be prepared to the same temperatures as suggested. Cleaning and sanitizing are still efficient ways to prevent cross-contamination.