Sanitation Rules for a Frozen Yogurt Shop

Written by: Gelato Products

Summary: Make sure you follow these rules to properly sanitize your ice cream shop.

If you run a frozen yogurt shop, proper sanitation in accordance with the law is a must. Failure to comply with the standards set forth by the health department could lead to closures, which translates to a loss of business. The health department has specific rules for your state and your profession that you should be mindful of, but mastery of these basics will get you most of the way to where you want to be.

Wash Hands

Rule number one should be clean hands at all times. Employees should be encouraged to wear gloves while they work, especially if they are handling the customer’s food directly. Signs should be posted in the bathrooms directing people to wash their hands after using the facilities. Another element to keep an eye out for is hair nets. Employees with facial hair will need hair nets, the same as those who choose not to wear hats and are not bald.

You might also consider having hand sanitizer for guests too. Have guests use the sanitizer before handling a cup or cone, or before using plastic yogurt spoons for the first time to avoid food borne illness.

Avoid Cross Contamination

Cross contamination occurs when you have mixed more than one food together. When you’re serving froyo, cross contamination can get people sick. Make sure you’re not using ice cream spoons on toppings, and that each topping is in its own space. Fruits are especially susceptible because they are fresh and may need to be kept cold. Make sure you’re always rotating perishable items too, and that you dispose of everything when the date is up.

Use Different Spoons

Make sure that you are not using the same spoon to serve different substances. Not only do you cross flavors when you use gelato spoons on ice cream or froyo, it changes the consistency of the mixture. Gelato is very light and creamy, adding too much frozen yogurt or ice cream to the mix will change the texture in the customer’s mouth. Different spoons also help cut down on cross contamination, so be sure your customers aren’t using the same spoon

Final Thoughts

Once you’ve done all you can to prevent the obvious sources of contamination, it’s time to consult your state’s specific rules on healthy and safety. Remember to mind freezer temperature, case temperature and internal temperature to avoid the spread of bacteria.