Blog

What to know about the 2026 Cyclospora lettuce outbreak

The 2026 Cyclospora outbreak linked to recalled iceberg lettuce: what was recalled, current CDC figures, symptoms to watch for, and exactly what to do at home.

FenixFoodSafety Team ·

What do best-by, sell-by, and use-by dates mean?

Best By, Sell By, and Use By are mostly about quality, not safety — with one big exception. What U.S. date labels really mean and how to decide what stays.

Daniel Follett · August 14, 2026

Tropical Food Safety in Hawaii: A Comprehensive Guide for Food Service Professionals

Tropical food safety is an immediate top consideration due to Hawaii’s unique tropical environment. It presents both opportunities and challenges for food safety. The islands’ warm, humid climate, diverse marine ecosystem, and agricultural landscape require specialized knowledge and prac

Cindy Ignis · December 5, 2025

Use this free food safety violations checklist to help your establishment keep food safe, protect the public, and maintain a good food safety culture! You can read the whole Food Safety Violations article as well!

Cindy Ignis · December 2, 2025

Seasonal Food Safety for Fruit and Vegetable Harvesting in Utah

Utah’s vibrant gardening and U-pick scenes offer fresh, delicious produce during the harvest season, which peaks from late spring through fall. Whether you’re picking apples in a U-pick orchard or harvesting zucchini from your backyard garden, food safety is key to enjoying the fruits (and vegetable

Cindy Ignis · November 20, 2025

Pest Control Guide

Complete guide to pest control in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · November 14, 2025

Complete guide to listeria control in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · November 6, 2025

Texas BBQ Food Safety: Essential Guidelines for Safe Smoking and Grilling

Texas BBQ food safety is critical. Texas BBQ is more than just a cooking method—it’s a cultural institution that brings families and communities together around smoky, flavorful meats. However, the low-and-slow cooking methods that make Texas BBQ legendary also present unique food safety chall

Cindy Ignis · October 23, 2025

Complete guide to food safety culture in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 12, 2025

Complete guide to crisis communication in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 7, 2025

Complete guide to juice HACCP in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 3, 2025

Complete guide to salmonella prevention in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · September 25, 2025

Food Safety in Hawaii Resorts: Essential Considerations for Keeping Patrons Safe

Hawaii’s resort industry serves millions of visitors annually in a challenging tropical environment that demands heightened food safety protocols. The combination of warm, humid conditions, diverse food sources, and high-volume operations creates unique risks that resort operators must address

Cindy Ignis · September 15, 2025

Complete guide to waste management in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · September 5, 2025

ANAB Accreditation Certificate

FenixFoodSafety is proud to present its ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Accreditation Certificate. You can verify the certificate on ANAB‘s Accreditation Directory site. You can also see the certificate here.

Cindy Ignis · August 25, 2025

Certificates vs. Certification in Food Safety: ANSI and CFP FPMCC Standards

In the context of food safety, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and its ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredit both certificates and certification. These are NOT the same and care should be taken not to confuse these two, or use terms interchangeably. These distinctions ar

Cindy Ignis · August 10, 2025

Complete guide to illness reporting in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · July 19, 2025

Complete guide to microbiological testing in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · July 3, 2025

Complete guide to foodborne illness prevention in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · July 1, 2025

Complete guide to meat processing in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · June 13, 2025

How Food Handler Training Can Help Protect Restaurant Patrons

How Food Handler Training Can Help Protect Restaurant Patrons When you dine at a restaurant, you trust that the food on your plate is safe to eat. But behind every delicious meal is a team of food handlers whose knowledge and skills play a critical role in keeping you safe. Food handler training is

Cindy Ignis · June 13, 2025

Complete guide to handwashing in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · May 27, 2025

Complete guide to dairy processing in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · May 24, 2025

Food Handler vs Food Manager: Which Certification Do You Need?

Food Handler vs Food Manager The food service industry operates under strict safety regulations designed to protect public health, and understanding the difference between food handler vs food manager is a cornerstone of these protections. However, navigating the world of food safety credentials can

Cindy Ignis · May 21, 2025

Complete guide to glove use in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · May 16, 2025

Food Safety Concerns in New Mexico: A Comprehensive Overview

New Mexico faces a complex landscape of food safety challenges that require coordinated efforts from state agencies, federal programs, and local communities. From recent deadly outbreaks to ongoing regulatory initiatives, the state’s food safety concerns reflect both national trends and unique

Cindy Ignis · April 30, 2025

The Hidden Cost of Foodborne Illness in the United States

Every year, millions of Americans enjoy a diverse and abundant food supply, but beneath the surface lies a persistent public health challenge: foodborne illness. Often referred to as food poisoning, these illnesses strike with alarming frequency, causing significant health and economic impacts. Usin

Cindy Ignis · April 11, 2025

Funny Food Safety Jokes to Keep You Laughing in the Kitchen

Food safety is no laughing matter—except when it is! Whether you’re a kitchen newbie or a seasoned chef, we could all use a chuckle to lighten the mood while keeping our meals safe and delicious. Here’s a collection of food safety jokes that blend humor with a dash of wisdom. Enjoy, and don’t

Cindy Ignis · April 7, 2025

FenixLearning LLC Achieves ANAB Accreditation for Food Handler Training Programs

Cindy Ignis · April 3, 2025

Complete guide to foster farms outbreak in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · March 26, 2025

How to Calibrate Thermometers in a Restaurant

Accurate temperature readings are critical in a restaurant setting to ensure food safety and compliance with health regulations. Whether you’re cooking, storing, or serving food, a properly calibrated thermometer can make all the difference. In this article, we’ll walk through the steps to cal

Cindy Ignis · March 18, 2025

The Toxic Tea Incident at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: A Cautionary Tale for Restaurants

In 2014, a shocking incident at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in South Jordan, Utah, made national headlines when a woman, Jan Harding, unknowingly consumed iced tea contaminated with a highly toxic industrial cleaning chemical. This tragic accident highlighted the critical importance of proper food safety

Cindy Ignis · March 11, 2025

Complete guide to jensen farms outbreak in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · March 9, 2025

Complete guide to frozen food safety in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · March 4, 2025

Cottage Food Safety: Rules, Training, and Best Practices for Home Producers

Starting a cottage food operation is an exciting venture that allows entrepreneurs to turn their culinary passions into profitable businesses from the comfort of their own kitchens. However, with this opportunity comes the critical responsibility of ensuring food safety. Whether you’re baking

Cindy Ignis · March 3, 2025

Complete guide to equipment calibration in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · February 27, 2025

Case Study: The 2011 Listeria Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes

Introduction In 2011, the United States faced one of its most severe foodborne illness outbreaks in recent decades, traced back to contaminated cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. This case study examines the outbreak’s causes, the response from public health authorities, and the key ta

Cindy Ignis · February 17, 2025

Complete guide to dry storage in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · February 16, 2025

Complete guide to food safety liability in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · January 25, 2025

Complete guide to food safety training in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · January 17, 2025

Complete guide to hot holding in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · January 14, 2025

Complete guide to food storage in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · December 31, 2024

ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Food Handler Accreditation and the ANSI/ASTM E2659 Standard

Overview of ANAB Accreditation Food safety is a cornerstone of public health, particularly in the food service industry, where improper handling can lead to widespread foodborne illnesses. The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Inst

Cindy Ignis · November 26, 2024

Complete guide to supply chain safety in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · November 18, 2024

Complete guide to e coli prevention in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · November 13, 2024

Keeping Customers with Allergies Safe in Restaurants

Keeping Customers with Allergies Safe in Restaurants For individuals with food allergies, dining out can feel like navigating a minefield. A single misstep could lead to discomfort, illness, or even a life-threatening reaction. As food employees—whether servers, chefs, or managers—you play a critica

Cindy Ignis · November 11, 2024

Complete guide to incident investigation in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · November 1, 2024

Complete guide to cleaning sanitation in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 26, 2024

Complete guide to food holding times in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 21, 2024

Food Safety Considerations for Summer Outdoor Patios and Dining

Summer brings warm weather and the joy of dining on outdoor patios, whether at restaurants or at home gatherings. However, the heat, humidity, and outdoor environment pose unique food safety challenges. Improper handling, storage, or preparation of food can lead to foodborne illnesses, which are par

Cindy Ignis · October 20, 2024

Complete guide to food recalls in food service including requirements, best practices, and compliance strategies.

Cindy Ignis · October 14, 2024