Food safety is important for everyone.

[Robin129]

If you provide food for your guests you need to be concerned about food safety. There are a lot of things commercial establishements are required to do that may not apply to us, but is good for us to know. I found the video on youtube (I hope the link works.) It is a little long but does address many things we may need to consider. For instance:

1. Proper temperatures for hot and cold foods.
2. How long food is "good."
3. Best way to store foods in the refrigerator.
4. Best order to store items in the pantry, and more.

The video is from 2011, but the information is really still relevant. 

I provide breakfast for my house guests. Watching this video has helped me rethink the way I handle things (when to wear gloves, when I don't have to) and why I have to be more careful in how I load my refrigerator. 

Airbnb hosts get blasted by traditional bnb owners because many of us are not required to meet the same rules and regulations they are. Maybe we should at least know what the rules are and voluntarily adhere to them? 

Anyway here is the video: Food Manager Training Video 

[Edwin57]

So true thank you for the information and thank you for sharing 

[Monica4]

Here in Quebec, Canada, and probably in other provinces as well, we are not permitted to supply any kind of food without a permit. We, the legal hosts, have inspections and are fined if food is found in our listing. I had salt and pepper shakers out and the inspector frowned but did not comment. I am waiting to see if it is on his report.

We are allowed small packets of salt, sugar, ketchup, mustard and relish.....if they are sealed of course.

Many Airbnb hosts in my area are not aware of this and they are offering to feed guests breakfast. They are most likely illegal and do not have proper insurance coverage for liability....not to mention fines from the government if caught. Ignorance is bliss, I guess, but there are two inspectors that I know of that are cracking down on these listings.

So whenever I see Airbnb asking hosts to have some breakfast items available for their guests, I cringe!

[Kimberly54]

Hello @Robin129@Monica4@Edwin57 and all reading this.

@Monica4used the 'I' Word (INSURANCE), and this is SOOOOO important for everyone to wake up to.  I offer warm fresh bread in the morning, coffee, tea service, and fresh fruit any time.  NO COOKING.  This, my private insurance company (and the underwriter) were clear about.  If I cook and somebody even has gas pains, I AM 100% LIABLE.  

Not worth it for me.  

Any condiment is served in a bowl/plate of its own, and anything unused is tossed.  Nobody scoops out of a jar of jam.  

Be verrrry careful if you get into the 'food business' unless it's 'take-out' or 'delivery' service.

Best,

[Simon284]

Really important post. I recently learned about the dangers of homemade seasoned oils - be warned these can cause deadly botulism if not carefully prepared under strict conditions:

https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/33629/homemade-chilli-oil

[David126]

I used to have a Food License and may get one next year.

The Health Inspector was also a near neighbour and some of the stories he told me....

There has been a switch to procedures rather than the physical aspect of late.

From a practical point of view unless there is some mass outbreak it would be nigh on impossible for one persons Delly Belly to be traced back to a Host, there is not strict liability in any juridsiction I am aware of.

[Allison116]

Good video and reminders. I want my kids to watch this video because they never want to listen to mom.

I do provide breakfast but because of food Safety issues I use singleserve items for everything. Peanut butter, jam, cream cheese, oatmeal, cereal, etc. all comes in single serve packets. Orange juice is in separate cartons stamped with expiration dates and so is the milk. It definitely cost more this way but then I don’t have to worry and I feel like my guests also feel more welcome to help themselves and not have to think about what a prior guest may have done. And now with online ordering, I can buy all the same little packages and supplies that restaurants and hotels also use.

[David126]

The ecological impact of all this packaging worries me.

[Taylor59]

Great Info! Thanks 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Thanks for sharing this info with us @Robin129

I don't provide any meals to guests, but info about best way to store foods and how long food is "good" was really helpful for Henry and me!

[Leigh50]

Thanks for the topic. Have been wondering what the requirements are, if any, for serving home-prepared foods. At first I only offered coffee. My listing is in a rural area and guests sometimes don't plan ahead and bring their own food, so I have offered to share food I prepared for myself. My county health department didn't have any regulations and referred me to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants. After about two weeks I got an unsatisfactory reply today:

"If the establishment conducts food handling or preparation beyond the scope of prepackaged food products or fresh whole fruits, the facility must also meet the minimum requirements for a public food service establishment and be separately licensed for this activity. You are operating out of a private residence and Per the FDA Food Code 6-202.111:

A private home, a room used as living or sleeping quarters, or an area directly opening into a room used as living or sleeping quarters may  not be used for conducting FOOD ESTABLISHMENT operations."

So it appears that I am not able to even get a license to serve home-prepared food.

The video was too long to watch at over 4 hours. Can anyone recommend something 1/2 hour or less? Thank  you.

[David126]

I actually have a Commercial Kitchen and have been approached by a few people wanting to use it as Colorado has similar regulations.