With the exception of high-end establishments, just about every type of restaurant today has some form of customer self-service buffet and salad bar that serves food ready for consumption. Even El Pollo Loco and other Mexican style restaurants allow you to choose and fill a choice of salsas. Asian style buffet restaurants are another great with many appearing in most major cities. Then of course there are restaurants that focus exclusively on buffets and salad bars.
The safety and health laws governing these views have developed over the years to deal with the uniqueness of this type of set up and some of the unique dangers or risks to consumers. Below are most of these requirements, as well as my recommendations from years of experience inspecting restaurant buffets and salad bars:
An obvious requirement is that all open exposed ready to eat foods must be shielded to block a direct line between the mouth of the client and the food on display. This shield is generally known as a sneeze to displays of food and is usually made of glass or clear plastic, the largest angle above the food enough to block the possible contamination from the mouth of the client (sneezing, coughing, sputum, falandoetc). The shield can also take the form of a container with tight fitting lid firmly connected, usually with hinges. If there is no evidence of a shield or cover view is probably not approved and must be avoided.
A separate utensil with a handle is required for each food displayed for self-service. Any customer can touch any food exposed with hands.
Must be clean plates and other crockery at or adjacent to the salad bar or buffet and customers should be remembered or notified if need be, that just clears the table should be used to return to the buffet.
The proper temperature should be maintained. The food is generally displayed on ice (and really should be buried in the ice), or containers are sitting in a refrigerated unit or hotter, or food is sitting under a heat lamp. Browse by steam from the heater or steam table and even feed themselves. don't rely on a chafing dish for long term holding (over 2 hours). You usually only see chafing dishes in a temporary buffet setting. They are large plates of metal surface with one or two canned gas lit flame below, trying to keep the food hot. Perhaps they are good for short periods of time only and should not be trusted or definitely not approved for a more permanent configuration of buffet. Heat lamps usually fall into this same category. They are also not the best way to keep hot holding temperatures over a long period of times.
Employees must constantly monitor and maintain your buffet or salad bar. They should be doing everything refueling for cleaning and checking temperatures frequently.
No sulfites or sulfating agents. Sulphites used to be an agent of common especially on fruit preservation, keeping a fresh appearance. Most if not all Member States shall prohibit any food enforcement agents sulfating for fresh fruits and vegetables to raw consumption, or for all potentially hazardous foods. Sulphites are still allowed on fruits and vegetables not sold in raw state, such as dried fruits and grapes used for wine.
Absolutely no flies or other types of parasites (cockroaches, rodents) may be present. Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no acceptable number or amount of worms allowed in a food. Parasites are strictly illegal in all areas of the establishment. They harbor and can transmit dangerous microorganisms like dirt for your food and should not be tolerated.
No leaking and grouping of wastewater in the soil surface, the melting of ice, or cooling or warmer unit.
Most food must have a label identifying the common name of the food, sauce, dressing, seasonings, etc.
Learn the requirements and potential risks of a buffet or salad bar is the only good consumer awareness and can give you the advantage of preventing a serious food borne illness.
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