Food safety

Details

Parent Category: Airline catering

Published on Thursday, 08 May 2008 10:00

At Gate Gourmet, food safety is always top-of-mind.

Our 100+ locations around the world operate in ways that are more sanitary and with more safety checks and assurance systems than most fine dining restaurants, fast food chains and home kitchens.

Gate Gourmet’s commitment to food safety is second to none and we are proud of our strong record. We have implemented rigorous food safety standards and we see their direct benefits.

Gate Gourmet operates under the most stringent health and safety regulations in the food service industry, and we voluntarily follow “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points” known as “HACCP,” initially created by NASA to ensure food safety for astronauts traveling in space.

- We support establishing more uniform standards throughout the entire food industry.  Such efforts would help raise the level of food safety to the top quality standards Gate Gourmet routinely provides for the traveling public.  In the U.S., for example, Gate Gourmet’s own mandatory procedures go beyond even those federal, state and local requirements. 

Gate Gourmet conducts extensive monitoring and methodical food safety checks thousands of times a day every day at all of our kitchens.

In our kitchen at Dulles airport in Washington DC, for instance, we perform between 800-1200 daily food safety checks as part of our continuous-safety operational system. For example:

- We inspect every vehicle that delivers our raw materials, as well as the ingredients themselves.
- We monitor and check by digital probe food temperatures during the prepping, cooking, storing and delivery of food all the way to the airplane galleys. 
- We closely monitor oven and refrigerator temperatures throughout the day.
- We perform temperature checks on every batch of cooked food.
- And we ensure the safety of the way every dish is washed and every cook and food prep surface is cleaned.

An average facility is audited in unannounced inspections at least twice a month by government regulators, third parties and our own health and safety experts.

- Government authorities make unannounced inspections to check our food and our facilities.
- Our airline customers inspect our kitchens for safety, quality and performance.
- Our own Quality Assurance personnel have responsibility within each facility, and we have national Quality Assurance teams who travel to all of our facilities and provide ongoing training.
- Gate Gourmet kitchens in the U.S. also are visited routinely by a well-respected, independent firm, which we have hired to conduct surprise audits.

Though not mandated by any regulatory authority, Gate Gourmet is proud that we use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that our food and facilities are safe and clean:

- We’ve added electronic equipment to monitor the cleanliness of our countertops and work surfaces. 
- We utilize cutting-edge technologies to test for and ensure that our kitchens are listeria free.

Safety and quality are the first ingredients in every meal we make. We hope to see the same high standards reflected throughout the entire foodservice industry.

At Gate Gourmet, food safety is the main ingredient in every meal. Click here to learn more.

Find further details about one of Gate Gourmet’s case studies here.

To learn more about how Gate Gourmet can help enhance your onboard offering, please contact us.