CAMPUS FOOD SAFETY

ENSURING FOOD SAFETY:

Through the Coles County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), Panther Dining permits and inspects all of its food facilities on a regular basis to ensure that they maintain the highest standards of safe food handling and cleanliness. At a minimum, all facilities comply with the CCDPH Food Code and all exceed the code regarding certain practices. Inspection reports are completed for all dining facilities every semester and action plans are developed to maintain the standards we put in place for ourselves. Dining Services provides food safety training for all food facility employees. 

HOW STUDENTS CAN HELP:

In Dining Centers:

• Wash your hands or use the hand sanitizer each time you enter and leave the dining centers to prevent the spread of germs.
• Only touch things that you are personally going to be using, such as silverware, plates, bowls, and cups.
• Let dining center employees know immediately if there is a mess that needs to be cleaned up.
• Properly dispose of your dirty trays and trash at the designated tray drop-off.
• Don’t share food or drinks! Each person is entitled to their own food and drink when eating in the dining centers, so it is unnecessary and unsafe to share.

When Getting Meals To Go:

• Only get food from the dining centers when you are able to eat it shortly after obtaining it. This will ensure that the food you get is kept at the best quality for consumption.
• When getting food to go, you need to immediately refrigerate any food that is not going to be immediately consumed. By doing so you will slow the growth of bacteria which can lead to illness.
• When reheating food that was refrigerated, you need to heat it until it is at least 165˚F, do not reheat food in the Styrofoam to-go containers. The microwave may melt the Styrofoam and cause chemicals to enter your food.