CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/11/16

Food safety and Friday night lights

By Keishon Thomas

Football season is here, and soccer and basketball seasons are soon to follow. There will be marching and pep bands, families gathering to cheer on their favorite teams, lots of fun and my favorite part: the concession stand.

Concession stands are great fundraisers. They vary widely from site to site in everything from the menu to the accommodations they offer. The safety and well-being of everyone visiting the concession stand, as well as the organization’s reputation, lies in the hands of a small, but dedicated, group of volunteers.

If you are working at a concession stand this football season, use these helpful tips from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension to ensure proper food safety, and stay in the game.

Remember your checklist of essential items:

  • Dishwashing liquid can be used to clean all equipment and utensils; it can also be used to wash hands in the absence of soap.
  • Paper towels can be used to wash and dry equipment and utensils, dry hands and clean countertops. Remember that sponges, dishcloths and brushes can spread harmful bacteria.
  • Sanitizing solution can be used to sanitize all workspaces, including countertops and equipment. According to UGA Extension food safety specialist Judy Harrison, “Sanitizing is a step beyond clean and reduces the levels of bacteria left behind after cleaning.” A quick recipe for sanitizer is 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.
  • Gloves, tongs and tissue paper can be used to avoid hand-to-hand contact with food items.

While working the concession stand, it’s essential to adhere to these helpful tips:

Wash your hands often. This includes when you begin and end your shift, and any time you return to the stand. Hands should be washed frequently during food service. Remember that sharing towels also spreads bacteria.

Clean your hands and change gloves if you handle money with your gloves on and plan to continue with food service.

Keep germs out of the ice. Place the ice scooper in a secure place outside the ice machine. You wouldn’t want germs from the handle to contaminate the entire batch of ice.

Ensure that all meats are cooked to the appropriate internal temperature. Grillmasters, keep in mind that beef should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit and chicken should reach 165 F. Reaching the correct temperature is a safe way to kill bacteria and avoid illness.

Keep it cold. Lettuce, fruits, vegetables and condiments should be stored in a cooler with ice or in a refrigerator at 40 F or below. While this may be a no-brainer, I can’t tell you how many times I have personally seen lemons, pico de gallo and other condiments languishing outdoors without proper cooling.

Keep it hot. Some foods can be dangerous if they are not held at the appropriate temperature once they are cooked. If the food item is not kept warm, throw it out after two hours; if the temperature exceeds 90 F, that time should be reduced to one hour.

Even if you only have minor symptoms of illness, don’t volunteer. Get someone to replace you.

Lastly, training is essential. Volunteers are often students, parents and good-hearted members of the community. Provide food safety training prior to the big event.

Keishon Thomas is the University of Georgia Extension family and consumer sciences agent in Bibb County.

Authors:
Keishon Thomas
Experts/Sources:
Judy A. Harrison
Keishon Thomas
Food safety rules apply to concession stands just like other food preparation areas. UGA Extension food safety experts say to wash hands often, and remember to keep cold items cold and hot items hot.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Thermal imaging technology could improve the production of fruits and vegetables. CAES News
Thermal imaging may help fruits, veggies stay fresher longer 10/28/24 Savannah Peat
Before your favorite produce arrives at the grocery store, it must be carefully harvested and maintained across long stretches of time. A recent University of Georgia review suggests new temperature measuring technologies could make that process much simpler, amid growing agricultural challenges fueled by fluctuating climates. Maintaining temperature, humidity and light is critical to ensuring fruits and vegetables don’t spoil or deteriorate rapidly. Temperature spikes are the root of adverse outcomes, so monitoring these changes quickly and accurately is key.
Brooklyne Wassel and colleague Philip Hensley developed the Master Forager program after popular demand from residents in their counties. CAES News
Participants in UGA Extension's Master Forager program find a taste for the wild 09/19/24 Becky Mills
On an unseasonably warm winter afternoon, three women armed with baskets and shears made their way along a nature trail in the woods of Pike County, Georgia. Peering into the underbrush, they stopped occasionally to examine spots of interest in and under the trees and around fallen logs and decaying stumps. A curious observer might wonder what they were searching for with such intent — unless they overheard the trio’s conversation. 
Cairo, Georgia CAES News
New funding for UGA faculty to address rural issues 09/16/24 Baker Owens
The Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty at the University of Georgia has announced the list of funded faculty seed grants to address issues in rural Georgia. The grants offer funding between $5,000 and $10,000 for faculty to engage with rural Georgians on issues that are critical for their communities. The program encourages collaboration between faculty in UGA schools and colleges with faculty in Public Service and Outreach and UGA Cooperative Extension already working throughout rural Georgia.
goldenlatte CAES News
UGA researchers develop ‘instant’ version of trendy golden milk latte 08/21/24 Jordan Powers
Nestled among cappuccinos and traditional espresso lattes, a unique, golden-hued beverage has grown increasingly popular on cafe menus over the past several years. Advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, “golden” turmeric milk is a take on haldi doodh — a traditional Indian beverage often used as an at-home cold remedy. Now researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have developed a new method to make a plant-based, instant version of the beverage.
Northern Thai food CAES News
Exploring the world through food 07/30/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
From the agricultural revolution to globalization, food has always held a defining role for humanity, with foodways serving as the foundation of many cultures and civilizations throughout history. “We talk about food around the dinner table. The food choices we make, the origins of the foods, and where they come from are fascinating,” said Ronald Pegg, one of three University of Georgia instructors for “The Impact of Food and World History and Culture,” a class that takes students on an interdisciplinary exploration of how food shapes societies.
20240111 NC ADT MARCM 041 CAES News
CAES student follows her zeal for food safety to UGA School of Law 07/09/24 Lillian Dickens
The career world is wide open for students at the University of Georgia, a life lesson third-year student Emily Harris learned as a food science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Harris plans to attend the UGA School of Law to pursue a degree in food regulation and law this fall, a unique path she discovered through classes in the Department of Food Science and Technology.