Food safety starts before your groceries even hit your shopping cart. Shopping at a supermarket following food safety protocol is essential to preparing and eating safe food at home. Luckily, food safety isn’t a mystery, and signs of lack of consideration for health guidelines should be pretty obvious at any supermarket not adhering to safety suggestions.
“Since most of us shop at the same one or two grocery stores, the cleanliness should be evident the moment you walk into the store,” says Sue A. James, MS, RDN, LDN. “The floors sparkle and there aren’t any foul odors. This is indicative of a store meeting the food safety codes.”
- Sue A. James, MS, RDN, LDN, founder and president of Pinnacle Health & Wellness, a consulting firm that provides health, wellness, and sports nutrition programming to businesses and schools
Here’s how to tell whether or not your local grocery store is following basic food safety guidelines.
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Obvious Signs of Dirt
Sometimes we want to ignore what’s right in front of us for cost, convenience, or both, but visible dirt and dust on the floors and shelving of any store that sells food is cause for concern. James suggests looking out for cockroaches, flies, and foul odors or unusual smells, which indicate something is amiss in terms of cleanliness and food safety. A clean entryway and empty grocery carts are good signs that cleanliness is a priority, James says.
An Unkempt Restroom
A dirty restroom at any food service establishment is a major red flag. If this oft-used personal resource is being overlooked, what else has flown under the radar? If the bathroom is any indicator of the standard of cleanliness in the rest of the shop, do you really want to eat off the hot bar?
Produce That Isn’t Fresh
A store at the top of its safety game ensures expired produce isn’t mingling with the good stuff. “Produce should be firm and crisp,” James says. “It should not be discolored. It may also have a sweet smell and is maintained in working refrigerators and coolers.” Mold, flies, insect holes, and strange smells can indicate a lack of food safety in the produce aisle. Any produce with cuts or damage shouldn’t be on display for sale, as “this could harbor bacteria,” James points out.
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Broken Freezers
“I always check to see if the freezer door is ajar or missing,” James says. “If the doors do not close correctly, this can allow warm air to enter so the food items are not able to hold temperature.” Tight seals on the freezer doors are essential to frozen food safety. In the freezer, items should feel frozen solid and not soft.
Sweaty Items in the Refrigerated Cases
“If products are sweating in the refrigerator, the temperature may not be correct,” James says. Loose doors also indicate temperature issues. If there’s any condensation on fridge or freezer items at the supermarket, skip them.
Disorganized Shelves
Supermarkets are mostly shelving, and those shelves should certainly be clean and organized to ensure food safety. “I look to ensure that the shelves are dust- and dirt-free. I make sure that the stores where I shop are consistent with cleanliness, and the shelves are not cluttered,” James says. Seeing staff cleaning or wiping shelves and rotating products can be a nice assurance.
“Also check expiration dates on shelf products,” James notes. “If there are numerous items that are past their expiration dates, it means the store is not rotating stock. This is a potential food safety issue.”
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When in Doubt, Ask the Staff
If you shop at the same stores regularly and have questions or worries about the cleanliness and safety of the food, becoming friendly with your neighborhood grocery workers is advisable for social and practical purposes. “Staff can give insight as to what days of the week the fresh produce deliveries occur,” James says. “If the store is selling local produce, they can share which farms they procure the produce from. They can give you valuable advice on the best days and ways to get the freshest items for you and your family.”
Knowing the staff practices can also be extremely helpful. Are folks wearing gloves when handling fresh foods? Are hairnets worn while preparing food? Are uniforms clean? Visual cues are so important when assessing food safety.