The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

Got a tip? Have something you need to tell us? Contact us

Loading Recent Classifieds...

Letter to the Editor

In lieu of the second installment of our special investigative report on campus food safety, the Sundial is publishing this response to the first part, published on Oct. 15, by Betsy Corrigan of The University Corporation. The second part of the series will appear in the Oct. 29 edition of the Sundial.

As campus food service operator, The University Corporation (TUC) serves thousands of customers daily. TUC takes very seriously its responsibility to CSUN students, faculty and staff, and is committed to delivering quality products and service to our customers while ensuring their safety. With 18 locations across campus and 18 publicly recorded ‘A’ grades, there can be no doubt that TUC is serious about food safety.

Receiving a grade of ‘A’ is not a simple task. There are numerous categories that are part of the inspection process including storage, ventilation, refrigeration, personal practices, temperature monitoring, lighting, plumbing and fixtures to name a few. Management and staff work hard every day to maintain health and safety standards.

The Los Angeles County Department of Environmental Health is a valued partner in ensuring food safety. Their evaluations are useful tools that assist food operators in correcting potential problems. TUC welcomes their expertise and recommendations, and acts quickly to resolve any potential issues.

Educating and training food handlers is required by law. TUC Foodservice’s employees are trained to protect their own health and the health of others, and to abide by California safe food handling rules and regulations. At least one employee (more if the facility has extended hours) in each unit must be a certified food handler. Today there are over 35 certified food handlers working in our kitchens and serving food to our guests every day. ServSafe certificates are on display and available for inspection, as required by the Health Department.

TUC is committed to keeping its customers and staff safe and will take extraordinary measures as needed. For instance, with the HlN1 virus outbreak, TUC was proactive and responded to this serious threat by investing in hand sanitizers for customer use in all our units, purchasing specialized serving utensils with metal ions that prevent bacterial growth, and sanitizing public areas with antibacterial wipes at least every thirty minutes or more frequently as needed.

Sundial reporters did not include this information in the October 15, 2009 article on food safety. Rather, the Daily Sundial chose to run an article clearly designed to shock. That is unfair to TUC and unfortunate for Sundial readers.

Sincerely,

Betsy Corrigan

Associate Director, Foodservices

More to Discover