Food Safety Practices for Food Delivery Orders

Tuesday, April 05th, 2022

By: Michala Krakowski  

Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, direct-to-consumer and third-party delivery methods were on the rise. The food delivery industry has tripled since 2017 with 8% growth just in the last few years (Ahuja et al., 2022). With this rapid growth in industry, regulatory agencies and establishments have had less time to adapt to the increasing food-safety concerns.  

There are three resources that I have found to be useful when looking for advice. The first is the Partnership for Food Safety Education, an organization that promotes and develops education programs to reduce the risk of foodborne illness among consumers (Partnership for Food Safety Education, 2021). The second source of information is from the Conference of Food Protection which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food safety guidance that is incorporated into food safety laws and regulations throughout the United States (Conference for Food Protection, n.d.). The third source of information comes from StateFoodSafety, an online food safety training company, where their efforts are designed to educate the public and ensure the health of communities nationwide (StateFoodSafety, n.d.).  

Here are a few tips you can use to ensure a food delivery order remains safe regardless of your role:

  • Consumers are individuals who seek out food orders for their own consumption: 
    • Partnership for Food Safety Education encourages consumers to: 
      • Ask the delivery company or restaurant questions about their delivery standards and what you should do if your order has been compromised. 
      • Ensure you or someone you know will be able to accept the delivery of your order so that it can be stored in a safe place if the food is not consumed immediately.  
      • Inspect the packaging once you have your order to ensure there is no damage and promptly cook, serve or save your food depending on your plans.

Consumer pic

  • Food Businesses are establishments that prepare, cook, and serve food to their customers. 

  • Protect your food by providing adequate packaging to ensure four things: 

1. There is no cross-contamination between perishable foods, 

2. Unpackaged food items do not have contact with major allergens, 

3. Food is protected from time-temperature abuse during transit, and 

4. Food is not damaged during transit. 

  • Provide your employees with proper food handling techniques through some sort of training program. 

  • Training should be reassessed on a regular basis. 

Food Business pic

  • Delivery Drivers are individuals who transport food items from a food business to a consumer whether through a third-party company or directly through a food business. 
    • StateFoodSafety encourages delivery drivers to:
      • Practice good personal hygiene.  
      • Avoid cross-contamination of delivery orders by keeping foods separate and in safe places. 
      • Identify ways to keep the food order at the proper temperature to ensure quality and safety. 

Delivery Driver pic

Everyone has a responsibility when it comes to the safety of food delivery orders, no matter what role an individual has in the food chain. Enjoy safe and delicious food using these tips! 

References: 

Ahuja, K., Chandra, V., Lord, V., & Peens, C. (2022, February 18). Ordering in: The rapid evolution of Food Delivery. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ordering-in-the-rapid-evolution-of-food-delivery  

Clark, C. (n.d.). How to Handle Food Delivery and To-Go Orders Safely. Statefoodsafety.com . Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/how-to-handle-food-delivery-and-to-go-orders-safely  

Conference for Food Protection. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2022, from http://www.foodprotect.org/  

Dimensions. (2021, April 27). Close up of woman packing food for delivery stock photo. iStock. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/close-up-of-woman-packing-food-for-delivery-gm1314632869-402807855  

Guidance document for direct-to-consumer and third-Party Delivery Service Food delivery: Conference-developed guides and documents. Conference for Food Protection. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2022, from http://www.foodprotect.org/guides-documents/guidance-document-for-direct-to-consumer-and-third-party-delivery-service-food-delivery/  

Partnership & history. Partnership for Food Safety Education. (2021, September 20). Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.fightbac.org/about-us/partnership-history/  

PeopleImages. (2020, November 26). We've got you covered during lockdown stock photo. iStock. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/weve-got-you-covered-during-lockdown-gm1287632111-383789708  

Prep yourself. Partnership for Food Safety Education. (2022, February 16). Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.fightbac.org/prep-yourself/  

Rez-Art. (2020). African american couple sitting at table looking at food delivery stock photo. iStock. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/african-american-couple-sitting-at-table-looking-at-food-delivery-gm1279915118-378372743  

StateFoodSafety. (n.d.). About us: Company. About Us | Company | StateFoodSafety.com. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.statefoodsafety.com/About 


Michala KrakowskiMichala Krakowski 

Undergraduate Intern

krakowski.9@buckeyemail.osu.edu

 

 

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April 5, 2022 - 10:45pm -- onianwa.2@osu.edu

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