How to build a robust food safety management system

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, ensuring food safety is paramount. Although this has always been the case, it has become even more of a focus since the pandemic, with hospitality businesses needing to become resilient and adaptable in order to keep everyone safe. A single lapse in food handling or preparation can lead to a negative review – and that's the best-case scenario. At worst, severe consequences could include foodborne illnesses, legal liabilities, and damage to a business’s reputation. To mitigate these risks, it's essential to have a robust food safety management system (FSMS) in place. While functional, traditional paper-based processes can be cumbersome, with a lot to go wrong – from misplaced checklists and illegible handwriting to difficulty in tracking trends across multiple locations. By embracing digitised processes, businesses can maintain the highest standards of hygiene while being 24/7 inspection ready. Here are some of the main benefits: Enhanced transparency: Digital systems provide real-time access to data for all relevant personnel. Managers can monitor adherence to procedures, identify potential issues before they escalate, and address them promptly. It also means that readily available records are just a click away in the event of an unannounced environmental health officer (EHO) visit – no more scrambling for paperwork! Increased efficiency and accuracy: Traditionally, food safety checklists and logs have been maintained manually, leaving room for human errors and inconsistencies. Digitised processes lead to more accurate and consistent record-keeping and are easily accessible in just a few clicks. When used in conjunction with certain devices, such as temperature monitoring devices used for fridges and freezers, time can be saved through the reduction of manual tasks. Easy scalability: As a business grows, a digital FSMS can easily scale to accommodate new operations, sites, and staff. It also ensures consistent food safety practices across all venues. Data-driven decision making: When data is all in one place, it’s easy to analyse and spot any hazards or trends. Managers become empowered by the information at hand and can put the relevant solutions in place, while constantly benchmarking performance against industry standards. Hospitality businesses that don’t already have digitised processes in place may find it overwhelming to go from pen to paper to doing everything via one single piece of software or app. But the good news is that many digital FSMS solutions are designed to be user-friendly, and Rome wasn’t built in a day! Here’s how to get started with the change: Undergo a food safety risk assessment The first step is for hospitality leaders to identify the potential food safety hazards within their operations. Conduct a thorough risk assessment to determine critical control points (CCPs) where food safety risks are highest. This can include stages such as receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, and service. Think about how to translate current processes from paper-based to digital for better organisation, efficiency and transparency. For example, a log could be put in place to digitally record deliveries, including supplier information, product details, and temperature readings. Digital checklists for food preparation and cleaning are also easy to follow and require little input from the user, other than a tick in a box. Let the team have their say Form a dedicated team responsible for food safety. Include members from a cross-section of the business and ask for their input in designing and implementing effective processes. The more you can get everyone’s buy-in from the beginning, the more engaged they’ll be to adhere to any changes. And speaking of engagement, it’s worth considering different multimedia elements in a FSMS, such as videos and diagrams to aid understanding. Implement and train As with any project, it’s essential to have a detailed roadmap in place. Consider which procedures will be prioritised first, timelines, and any resource allocations. Staff also need to be trained to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to use the new systems, and know who to speak to if they have any issues with the platform. They should feel confident in the benefits of the digital transformation and how it streamlines their daily tasks. Pilot testing – perhaps in one area, or with a small group of users – gives businesses an opportunity to iron out any teething issues early on. Maintain and continuously improve What is a robust FSMS now may not be in six months or a year down the line. New challenges arise and regulations change, and businesses must be adaptable to this. Scheduling periodic internal audits will help hospitality leaders to uncover any weaknesses or outdated processes within the system.