Bed and Breakfast Food Safety Course: Introduction

Bed and Breakfasts have been a popular alternative to traditional hospitality choices such as hotels and motels. The concept of a Bed and Breakfast involves a private residence with bedrooms for rent and includes complimentary breakfast served in the morning. Along with proper zoning and a business license, Bed and Breakfasts should also be concerned about their food preparation and safety.

In British Columbia, the Food Premises Regulation does not apply to Bed and Breakfasts in private residences. This raises concern given the potentially hazardous nature of foods served at Bed and Breakfast establishments. Bed and Breakfasts in rural settings are of a particular concern because food may not be easily or frequently purchased resulting in improper storage conditions. Furthermore, the purchase of food from unapproved sources such as directly buying from a local farm may be appealing to some Bed and Breakfast owners. These are only some of the reasons that could lead to food borne illnesses in Bed and Breakfast visitors.

This food plan course identifies and provides solutions to some of the problems associated with potentially hazardous foods at Bed and Breakfasts. Ideally this course will be a valuable and educational tool used to prevent potential food associated illnesses in Bed and Breakfast settings.

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Why Should I Take This Food Safety Course?

Educate yourself on proper practices for serving food.
Prevent people from getting ill at your Bed and Breakfast.

Often people will become ill at an establishment and tell their friends about it and not recommend the establishment in the future! (Often, they will not even inform the operator – so you may not know that you are making people sick.)
Prevent your Bed and Breakfast from getting a bad reputation.

There are no enforceable regulations for Bed and Breakfasts in British Columbia, therefore this serves as a guide to help you operate a well run and safe establishment.
Become comfortable with food safety concepts and be able to educate your employees as well.
There could be many reasons leading to food poisoning in any establishment. The top ten reasons are listed below: