When many students think of Sodexho, food quality is usually the topic of discussion.
However, Sodexho employees are constantly ensuring the safety of the food served to students. Cafeteria workers strive to better the quality and safety of the food, whether it is seen by students or done behind the scenes.
Last September, spinach was pulled from the Sodexho food selection after serious E. coli outbreaks had caused multiple deaths and illnesses in other parts of the country.
“When spinach was pulled last year we put signs out and explained the situation to the students,” said Brian Davis, Sodexho general manager.
He added that alfalfa sprouts, if eaten raw, contain Salmonella and E. coli bacteria, and were also removed from the cafeteria last year.
In terms of actual precautions taken, the key seems to be preventive maintenance.
“The company spends a lot of money and time devoted to safety,” said Davis.
According to Davis, the hourly staff of 85 attends monthly training sessions regarding safety procedures.
By law, the cafeteria and its staff are inspected twice a year by the town of Fairfield, once annually by the National Consumer Forum (NCF) and monthly by the Sodexho corporation.
The Sodexho staff at Fairfield has never failed an inspection.
“To pass an inspection we must score a 92 percent,” said Davis.
The inspection, which is based around U.S. health standards of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, tests both physical and food safety, according to Davis.
“While they test the temperature of the food, how we handle it, and maintain it on the line,” said Davis, “they also test our workers and our environment to make sure that it’s safe.”
According to Belcher, the inspections are unannounced.
To ensure food quality, Sodexho employees said they focus on the source.
“Our company has strict guidelines on who we buy from,” said Davis.
“We cannot just go out and buy our food from anywhere,” said Jenn Belcher, Sodexho director of operations.
One of the Sodexho guidelines is that the company they purchase the food from must have $5 million in liquidity, she said.
In 2006, Sodexho received a food safety leadership award from NCF.
Belcher said that Sodexho withdraws all questionable foods from areas where the consumer can have access to it before even inspecting it.
“One day Sodexho [main branch] sent us [local Sodexho] an e-mail stating that some of the cheeses used for the salad bar had been punctured,” said Davis.
Belcher immediately instructed the kitchen staff to remove the potentially harmful cheese from the salad bar.
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