What should an employee do if they find potentially contaminated food?

When an employee finds potentially contaminated food, the most responsible action is to report it and ensure that it undergoes inspection. This approach is crucial for maintaining food safety standards and protecting public health. Contaminated food can pose serious health risks, including foodborne illnesses, which can lead to serious consequences for both consumers and the establishment. By reporting the issue, the employee enables trained personnel to investigate, dispose of unsafe food, and take necessary corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

Ignoring the potential contamination can lead to serving unsafe food, putting customers at risk and endangering the establishment’s reputation. Storing potentially contaminated food for later use is unsafe, as it does not address the underlying issue that caused the contamination. Selling contaminated food at a discount is unethical and illegal, as it continues to expose customers to health risks without addressing the hazardous condition of the food. Therefore, reporting and ensuring an inspection is the best practice to uphold food safety and public health standards.