Keeping food safe isn't just for the Taste

Keeping food at the 28th annual Taste of Chicago fresh and safe is Frances Guichard's primary concern this week. But, then again, it's her primary concern the other 355 days of the year. As the Food Protection Program Director of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Guichard, along with the rest of the department staff, works hard to educate and inform Chicagoans about food safety in and out of the home.

Q. I stopped by the Taste of Chicago earlier in the week and spoke with a few people and everyone seemed really confident in the city's ability to keep food fresh and safe. How do you think food safety inspections have gone at the Taste so far?

 A. It's been going good. I appreciate people giving us all the confidence because we work hard to ensure education of food safety practices as well as enforcement.

Q. You are visiting booths every two-hours to check on food preparation and make sure vendors are following proper practices. Is that new for this years' festival?

A. No, this is something we've always done. We feel it is important to make sure we continue to come around and work with the vendors. As soon as we see a problem we address it and we get them back in order immediately.

Q. Have you had any complaints this year?

A. Nothing of significance, no

Q. In the past year there have been a lot of different food safety scares. There was the spinach E. Coli outbreak and then the Salmonella from raw tomatoes. Will the city be implementing any new food safety programs in the near future?

A. Continued education, that's basically it. Informing the public about food safety and food safety practices as well as the food vendors and the food entrepreneurs to make sure they understand how to handle food safety. The Taste of Chicago is something we do special, where we go through each booth every two hours. We do our inspections in food establishments twice a year; and it's important to make sure when we are there, and through the food service and sanitation classes that food managers take, that we're training and educating people in food safety.

Q. Does the risk of getting a food borne illness increase depending on the venue? Are people more at risk eating at a street vendor or a fancy restaurant? Are there different rules for eating smart at different locations?

A. All the rules are the same as far as food safety, but I would be more concerned about how people handle food at home, especially during the summer and at picnics. People seem not to realize that you have to take extra special precautions, and they don't take the food service sanitation classes like food vendors do. It's important to know how to maintain proper sanitation without all those amenities of running water and ovens and places to keep your food protected. We explain to people when they [have] a picnic to purchase products and immediately put it under heat or refrigeration. We explain they need to prevent cross-contamination, making sure they have cutting boards for raw product and cutting boards for their cooked product. And they need to cook all their food to the proper temperature. Most people at home don't have thermometers so we ask them to go to their grocery store and purchase a dial thermometer or a digital thermometer. And hand washing, hand washing is critical-making sure they are washing with soap and paper towel to ensure they are removing contamination from their hands.

Q. With food costs continuing to rise, the push to eat locally grown produce seems to be getting bigger. What kind of impact do you think this will have on food safety? Will knowing more specifically where our food is coming be better for our health?

A. I always think it's good to buy locally. The federal government is doing a good job maintaining food safety across the board. But of course when you buy food locally you know exactly where it's coming from; you know that it hasn't been through various different ports of entry in order for you to get that product. So from what we have seen, as far as information I've read, locally grown product is good.

Q. Are food safety concerns very different depending on the season?

A. I think so. In summer the temperatures are warmer outdoors and it doesn't take long for your food to get into what we call the temperature danger zone. Cold food should be kept at 40 degrees or below, and hot food should be maintained at 140 degrees or above. So anything in between there would be considered the temperature danger zone. When temperatures are warm, like 90 degrees outside, it doesn't take long for that product to warm up in the car with the sun beating down on it. That's why it's important for you to get food home immediately and under refrigeration.

Q. For anyone that hasn't been out to the Taste yet and is looking to go this weekend do you have any advice or last minute tips?

A. Enjoy! And if you buy something eat it right away or take it home and get it refrigerated immediately.