Food handler

Protozoa

Giardia lambia and Crytosporidium parvum often infected water

Physical Contamination

A number of bugs may find their way into food items and die, or pest may drag objects into foods.

Appendix H covers "Example of HACCP Records:" including

A. Ingredients for which critical limits have been established: 1. Supplier certification records documenting compliance of an ingredient with a critical limit. 2. Processor audit records verifying supplier compliance. 3. Storage records (e.g., time, temperature) for when ingredient storage is a CCP. B. Processing, storage and distribution records: 1. Information that establishes the efficacy of a CCP to maintain product safety. 2. Data establishing the safe shelf life of the product; if age of product can affect safety. 3. Records indicating compliance with critical limits when packaging materials, labeling, or sealing specifications are necessary for food safety. 4. Monitoring records 5. Verification records C. Deviation and corrective action records D. Employee training records that are pertinent to CCPs and the HACCP plan. E. Documentation of the adequacy of the HACCP plan from a knowledgeable HACCP expert.

chemical contamination

Abuse of insecticides may contaminate foods. Pest baits may be eaten and regurgitated onto foods or dragged onto foods. The potential for chemical contamination requires that rodenticide baits should only be used outdoors or in bait stations that are regularly maintained by qualified pest removal employees.

Oxygen need

Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to reproduce. Anaerobic bacteria can only survive without oxygen.

Preliminary Steps to Developing a HACCP Plan

Five preliminary tasks are completed in the development of a HACCP plan and before applying HACCP principles to a specific product or process. 1. Task one: Assemble the Team The HACCP team should consist of individuals who have specific knowledge and expertise appropriate to the product and process. This team will develop the HACCP plan. For example, a team in a manufacturing environment should include individuals from areas such as engineering, production, sanitization, quality assurance, and food microbiology. The team should also include local personnel who are involved in the operation as they are more familiar with the variability and limitations of the operation. Using this multidisciplinary approach fosters a sense of ownership among those who must implement the plan. The HACCP team may also use outside experts who are knowledgeable in the potential biological, chemical, and/or physical hazards associated with the product and the process. Keep in mind that a plan developed totally by outside sources may be incorrect, incomplete, and lack support by employees. Experts who are knowledgeable in the food process should either participate in or verify the completeness of the hazard analysis and the HACCP plan. Note: Such individuals should have the knowledge and experience to correctly -Conduct a hazard analysis -Identify potential hazards -Identify hazards which must be controlled -Recommend controls, critical limits, and procedures for monitoring and verification. -Recommend appropriate corrective actions when a deviation occurs -Recommend research related to the HACCP plan if important is not known -Validate the HACCP plan 2. Task two: Describe the food and its distribution The HACCP team develops a general; description of the food, ingredients, and processing methods used. The team should also describe the method of distribution, along with information on whether the food is to be distributed frozen, refrigerated, or at ambient temperature. 3. Task three: Describe the Intended use and consumers of the food The HACCP team describes how the food will normally be used and by whom. The intended consumers may be the general public or a particular segment of the population like children in day care centers, all the schools in a city or town, immune-compromised individuals in a hospital, or the elderly in a long term care facility. 4. Task Four: Develop a flow diagram which describes the process The flow diagram provides a clear, simple outline of the steps in the process. It must include all the steps in the process which are directly under the control of the establishment. If desired, the flow diagram may also include steps that occur before and after the processing completed in the establishment. the flow diagram does not need to be complex; a simple flow chart is sufficient. A simple schematic of the facility can be useful in understanding and evaluating the product and process flow. The flow diagram should include each step in the process, the hazards at each step, which steps are Critical Control Points, the ingredients or equipment used, and formulations or recipes that address the Food safety concerns involved. Appendix B is an example of a flow diagram for the production of frozen cooked beef patties. -Receiving (Beef) -Grinding -Mixing -Forming -Cooking -Freezing -Boxing -Distributing -Reheating -Serving 5. Task five: Verify the flow diagram The HACCP team should verify the accuracy and completeness of the flow diagram by performing an on-site review of the operation. The flow diagram should be modified as needed. After these five preliminary tasks have been completed, the team is ready to apply the seven principles of HACCP. These will be covered in Lesson 12 on this series.

Biological Contaminants

In these cases, a rat, for example, eating grains in the dry storage unit leaves droppings that carry bacteria on the food. Or, the rat has been injured by a trap and bleeds onto foods while making an escape. Other pests, such as insects, may lay their eggs in food, also creating biological contamination.

cross-contamination

May occur when unwashed hands and tools are used without being properly washed.

Physical Contaminants

Occurs when items such as hair, jewelry, or paint chips end up in foods.

Introduction

Once the preliminary tasks are completed, the HACCP team will follow seven basic principles to complete the initial plan. Information in this lesson is from the "Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and Application Guidelines" adopted by the USDA and FDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) in August 1997.

Pasteurization

Pasteurization is used for mostly dairy products, eggs, and wine. It kills off many organisms, but after pasteurization, foods must still be preserved by other means, such as refrigeration. The pasteurization technique involves heating foods up to mild temperatures momentarily and then cooling them back down immediately. Food establishments that serve the very young, the elderly or medically fragile must substitute pasteurized eggs or egg products for raw eggs in the preparation of foods unless the eggs are combined immediately before cooking a single meal to be served immediately, such as an omelet, the raw eggs are immediately baked such as in a cake, or there is a specific HACCP in place. Additionally, raw animal foods like raw fish and steak tartare, partially cooked animal foods like rare meat and meringue, and raw seed sprouts may not be served.

Calibrating Thermometers

There are two ways to make sure that your thermometer is working properly. -The Ice-Point Method: The temperature of a large glass of crushed ice and water should be 32F -The boiling-point method: The temperature of boiling water should read 212F.

Roundworms

Trichina - hogs and can cause trichinosis in humans that have consumed infected pork - fish, cod, herring

Flatworms

beef, pork, and fish tapeworms, and flukes such as liver fluke

Poor Standards in Food Safety

All of the benefits of developing, implementing, and following high safety standards are reversed when poor food standards to creep into your establishment. The problems that arise from poor standards in food safety are: -Complaints -Loss of customers -Unsatisfactory inspections -Increased food waste -Loss of employees and business profits -Hospitalizations -Costly insurance -lawsuits -Business closure

Canning

Canning of foods require heating as well. In order to kill off the bacterium Clostridium botulinum (botulism), canned foods are heated 249F for at least three minutes this is called "botulinum cook." Some canned foods are cooked for longer periods of time depending on the circumstances.

These disclosures must include the following information:

-A description of the animal-derived foods, such as "oysters on the half shell (raw oysters)", "raw-egg Caesar salad," and "hamburgers (can be cooked to order)"; -Identification of the animal-derived foods by asterisking them to a footnote that states that the items are served raw or undercooked, or contain (or may contain) raw or undercooked ingredients. Reminders must include asterisking the animal-derived foods requiring disclosure to a footnote that states: -Regarding the safety of these items, that written information is available upon request; -Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness; or -Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

When to clean and sanitize food contact surfaces

-After using a surface -Before food handlers start working with a different type of food -Any time food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items being used may have been contaminated -After four hours if item are in constant use As with all areas related to operating a food service establishment safety, training employees is critical. Remember that biological pathogens need food, water, and warmth to grow. A wiping cloth kept in a server's apron pocket or a prep workers trouser pocket is considered to be soiled and contaminated. Soiled wiping cloths are breeding grounds for pathogens that can be transferred to food.

Practices to avoid

-Avoid hiring poorly educated employees -Do not let training and retraining employees fall by the wayside -Do not let reference guides fall into disrepair -Resist the temptation to assume that employees know the correct way to handle food -Do not rely on other people's common sense -Avoid allowing deliveries to be made before or after business hours -Avoid doing business with companies that do not have established reputations -Do not allow yourself to become too busy to talk with others about concerns or to get the right information from the right people.

Good practices

-Educate employees and yourself as much as possible in the clean, responsible, and lawful ways of handling and maintaining food. -Provide easy reference guides for proper food handling -Provide thermometers and temperature guide for cooking and holding foods. -Provide cleaners and sanitizers for employees to use -Keep food storage areas neat, clean, and organized -Inspect deliveries and return questionable products -Communicate with employees, vendors, wholesalers, boards of health, and industry share groups.

Prevent Physical contamination

-Keep light fixtures covered or use shatter resistant bulbs in food storage areas. -Maintain kitchen machinery regularly. -Maintain knives and kitchen implements. -Remove loose items that do not belong in food preparation areas. -Fix any areas that are in need of maintenance promptly. -Established and enforce policies related to employee jewelry, fingernails, hair, and uniforms. -Prohibit employees from smoking, eating, or drinking open beverages near exposed food. -Keep cleaning cloths, food serve wipes, and bar towels away from food and food prep areas.

How to use the HACCP System

-Select a product that is known to need special handling to ensure freshness and that needs to be protected from environmental hazards. Then collect as much information about the product as possible, such as known toxins that may be present possible parasites, what the product should look like, and instructions on how to transport and cook the item correctly. -Draw a product flow chart showing how the product moves through your establishment. Be certain to consider how the item is shipped to your location, who transports the item, how the item is stored, and how the item is processed. -List all possible hazards associated with the product. Consider which hazards areas are most critical and label those as Critical Control points. -Select the actions, time limits, and quality standards that should be taken at each of the CCPs. -Monitor your CCPs to make sure they are working the way that you intended. -Established procedures for corrective action at each CCP; maintain records of actions taken -Make a self-inspection process so that you know your system is working the way it ought to work. -Review your HACCP system and make updates when there are technology changes, product changes, or changes in the Food code.

Chemical Storage

-Store chemicals in their original containers. If chemicals are transferred to a new container, the label int he container must list the common name of the chemical -Always store chemicals and cleaning supplies in the designated storage area -NEVER store chemicals and cleaning supplies near food. The chemicals might get on the food. -NEVER dump mop water or dirty liquids into a toilet or urinal. It might contaminate the cleaning equipment and spread pathogens. Always dump mop water and other dirty and other dirty liquids into a designated service sink with a floor drain. -NEVER use old chemical containers to store food. This could cause chemical contamination.

Here are some other things to remember about wiping cloths and sanitizer

-Wiping cloths soiled with organic material can neutralize the sanitizer -The sanitizing solution must be changed as needed to minimize the accumulation of food, crumbs or other debris or at least every four hours. -Proper sanitizer concentration should be ensured by checking the solution periodically with an appropriate chemical test kit Wiping down a surface with a reusable wet cloth that has been properly stored in a sanitizer solution is an acceptable practice for wiping up certain types of food spills and wiping down equipment surfaces. The same is true of the practice of wiping down a surface using dry disposable towels and a spray bottle containing pre-mixed sanitizing solution.

The HACCP Plan

A HACCP plan documents the procedures used to ensure that the principles of HACCP are followed. It dictates the methods used to monitor and control chemical, physical, and biological hazards. It also directs the use of appropriate resources and timely responses to problems. Information in this lesson and in the next is from the "Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and Application Guidelines" adopted by the USDA and FDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) in August 1997. Management must be committed to the HACCP program for it to be successful. When management demonstrates its strong commitment, it instills in employees a sense of the importance of producing safe food. In addition to enhanced assurance of food safety, the organization benefits from better use of resources and a timely response to problems.

Cross Contamination

A cockroach crawls over several different kinds of vegetables and meats, spreading various kinds of microorganisms. Or, a mouse may drag a piece of meat onto another food item and leave it there.

Master Cleaning Schedule

A master cleaning schedule describes when how different items and areas should be cleaned and who should do the cleaning. The master cleaning schedule should contain: -Item or area to be cleaned -Frequency of cleaning required -Method -Employees involved and the name of the person responsible for checking that the cleaning has been done -Names of cleaning contractors for specialized tasks

Food Protection Manager Certification

A person-in-charge who demonstrates knowledge by being a food protection manager and is certified by a Food Protection Manager Certification Program. The person is evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection; a recognized accrediting agency. The receiver of the certificate is deemed to comply with paragraph.

Food spoilage

All animals and plants upon death will begin to decay, but for the purpose of preserving food, we can slow this decaying process down by taking simple measures. Food spoilage can be caused by such things as rough handling, exaggerated high/low keeping temperatures, bacteria, enzymes, mold, and pests. Normally spoiled food can be detected by its appearance. Bad smell, texture, feel, and taste may also be indicators of spoilage. If the food you are handling seems spoiled in any way, and you are unsure or have a "hut feeling" about it, it is always better to be safe and ask about it or not use it at all.

Power supply

All electricity controls and isolators must be waterproof and installed in positions where employees do not have to reach across cooking equipment or machinery to access them in case of emergency. Electrical equipment should be positioned so that it is not exposed to water or wet conditions. Flexible gas connections are also recommended to make it easy to clean around supply lines without damage.

special considerations

All food establishments must have written procedures that employees must follow when vomitus or fecal matter is discharged onto surfaces in that food establishment, as addressed in the Food Code, section 2-501.11 Clean-up of Vomiting and Diarrheal Events. these written procedures must inform employees of the specific actions they must take to minimize the spread of contamination and the exposure of employees, consumers, food, and surfaces to vomitus or fecal matter. The written procedures for dealing with a vomit event must include: -Cordoning off an area of at least 25 feet in diameter -Initial cleaning of gross visible contamination with water to minimize spread and take into account the likelihood of aerosolization of virus particles; -Subsequent disinfection with 1000 ppm chlorine (or other disinfectant registered as effective against norovirus by the EPA; and -Steps for segregating cleaning and sanitation equipment from the food preparation, storage, and handling areas.

Documentation of Allergen Control Plan

An allergen that exists in food is considered a chemical hazard. HACCP is recommended to control the possibility of allergen contamination. There are several critical points to control the allergen-caused hazards, including the training and supervision of employees, the supply chain of raw materials, the manufacturing premises, processes, equipment, cleaning, packaging, and labeling. A plan for controlling the hazards presented by these allergens must be created and implemented. The top food allergens are: soy, wheat, eggs, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish. Once an allergen has been identified in an operation, control steps must be established if the product is not run on separate processing equipment or lines, or a complete wet cleaning must be performed between the products that do and do not contain the allergen.

Principle 3 (continued)

An example of establishing critical limits is the cooking of beef patties. During the hazard analysis, the team identified enteric pathogens (e.g., verotoxigenic E. Coli such as E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonellae) as significant biological hazards for cooked meat patties. Cooking is the step in the process where control limits can be used to educe the enteric pathogens to an acceptable level. In the example, to ensure that an acceptable level of critical limits will be constantly achieved when cooking the meat patties, the team collects accurate information on: -The probable number of pathogens in the raw patties, - their heat resistance, - the factors that influence the heating of the patties, - the area of the patty which heats the slowest. Collectively, this information forms the scientific basis for establishing the critical limits. To ensure that the required time and temperature are attained, the HACCP team establishes critical limits for the oven temperature and humidity, belt speed (time in oven), patty thickness, and composition (e.g., all beef, beef and other ingredients).

Temperature Abuse

Any time that food is allowed to enter the temperature danger zone and allowed to remain there, it is being subjected to temperature abuse. Many cases of food borne illness are linked to temperature abuse, which happens when time and temperature controls are not followed and food is kept in the danger zone for an unsafe period of time. The most significant problems of temperature abuse are: Improper storing, improper cooking, improper hot holding, improper cooling, improper reheating, preparing food too far ahead of planned sale or service.

Skin

Anyone with a skin infection such as dermatitis or psoriasis, and any persons with cuts, boils, or septic pimples that can spread bacteria, should be excluded from food prep areas. If an employee is cut while working and needs to be bandaged, the bandages should be waterproof and kept clean. These bandages need to be brightly colored so they may be found easily if accidentally dropped into food. Bandages should be kept in a well supplied first aid kit that is easy to find and accessible to any employee in need. Any employee with a skin infection or open wound should have the infection or wounds covered with an impermeable cover like a bandage, finger cot, or finger stall. If the wound is on the hand, finger, or wrist, it should also be covered with a single use glove.

Bad Bacteria

Are pathogenic, meaning they provide no benefit but can actually harm other organisms. In the food industry, pathogenic bacteria cause food borne illness and cause foods to spoil. Unlike spoilage bacteria, pathogenic bacteria are not detectable by smell, sight, or taste; therefore, proper cooking of food is necessary.

How Bacteria Contamination Occurs

Bacteria can move on their own, more often they are transported from one place to another. Raw food can be contaminated by: being processed improperly, being handled carelessly, cross-contamination from other foods, cross-contamination from an improperly clean surface.

Time

Bacteria reproduce by dividing through process called binary fission. Bacteria only need 10 to 20 minutes to multiply, making it possible for one bacterium to produce millions of bacteria within a few hours.

Biological Contaminants

Biological contaminants such as staphylococcus aureus or other viruses can come from the mouth, nice, and cuts and may contaminate food.

Storage (chemical)

Chemical contamination may happen if foods are stored too close to cleaning supplies or by storing food items in inappropriate containers.

Chlorine

Chlorine-based sanitizers are effective against most microorganisms in both hard and soft water. These are fairly cheap, but may cause corrosion in some metals when used at high temperatures. Chlorine solutions have a minimum temperature based on the concentration and pH of the solution.

Building Design Considerations

Construction materials: The materials used in the construction of a building are important considerations. The walls, floors, and ceilings must be able to withstand heat, stream, condensation, and grease that are part of the food industry. The construction should also address safety concerns like using fire resistant materials and non-slip floors where appropriate. The walls in the food prep areas need to be covered in a material that will not bubble, peel or flake off into food causing physical contamination. The ceilings must be able to support any water lines, ventilation ducting, or electrical conduits. If local codes require that pipes, ducts, or conduits remain exposed for easy maintenance, then they should be sealed and brakes should be easy to clean. It is the responsibility of the business owner to ensure that all local building and health codes are followed during the construction or renovation of a facility. The windows and doors in the food storage and prep areas should be protected by screens. Cooler and freezer doors should be protected with strip curtains, or air curtains to reduce temperature variations and reduce contamination risks where appropriate. All the work surfaces should be smooth and nonporous to prevent contamination of foods. Surfaces that may be exposed to hot pans and utensils should be heat resistant. The food code prohibits carpeting in food preparation and storage areas due to its ability to absorb liquid, which will become a biological hazard.

Eggs

Eggs present a particular challenge especially on a buffet line. Raw eggs that are broken and prepared for immediate service at a customer's request may be cooked to 145F for 15 seconds. Otherwise, raw eggs must be cooked to 155F for 17 seconds.

Master Cleaning Schedule (continued)

Employees must be trained on how to clean and sanitize properly. There are five main stages involved in cleaning and sanitizing. -Stage 1: Remove all loose dirt -Stage 2: Wash the surface with hot water and the appropriate detergent, and use the proper equipment -Stage 3: Rinse with clean water -Stage 4: Use a chemical or thermal sanitizer -Stage 5: Let the item air dry In order to maintain a safe, secure, and healthy environment, you must make sure that cleaning schedules are being followed and that the sanitation standards and procedures detailed below are being informed.

Looking for Evidence of Pests

Employees should inspect for signs of pests when they are storing food, cleaning, and removing garbage and trash. Any pest sightings should be reported immediately. The main signs of a pest problem are: -Torn or damaged packaging, perhaps surrounded by spilled food -Droppings, eggs, larvae, feathers, fur, or nesting material -Rub marks and rat runs -Presence of predators looking for an easy food source -Remains of pests that have fallen prey to predators

Eradication

Eradication means completely eliminate or remove something from an area. In this section, eradication means completely removing by acceptable practice any insects, rodents, snakes or known pests from an establishment. It is crucial that an establishment follows an integrated pest management (IPM) system to avoid an infestation of pests in the establishment. In the event that an establishment does not follow an IPM system, it is very likely that an infestation will result. Generally speaking, if an employee in a food establishment is reporting signs of pests there is a pretty good chance that the establishment is infested.

Rising and Air Drying (continued)

Establishments should clean and sanitize any surfaces where microorganisms may be present and could potentially affect foods. Here are some examples surfaces: -Hands - Hands should be washed regularly with disinfectant soap -Hand contact surfaces - Any number of areas including handles, faucets, power switches, etc. -Food contact surfaces - items such as pots and pans, machinery, equipment and utensils, containers, and cutting boards; as well as table tops. These items should be cleaned after use, and when switching from task to task. -Cleaning supplies - cleaning supplies themselves should be sanitized - as cleaning with dirty tools may make the problem worse -Sanitizing with heated water - water without chemical chemical additives should be heated at 171F or above and items immersed for a minimum of 30 seconds. If stream is used, the steam temperature should be at least 200F and applied for a minimum of 5 seconds.

Food Contact Materials

Even though wood should not be used as a counter or food contact surface, there are certain situations in which hard maple or a similar close-grained wood may be used like: -Cutting boards, cutting blocks, pizza paddles Surfaces such as cutting blocks and boards that are subject to scratching and scoring must be resurfaced if they can no longer be effectively cleaned and sanitized. When the wood items can no longer be properly resurfaced, they must be thrown away.

Principle 3 (example 2)

Examples of monitoring activities include visual observations and measurement of temperature, time, pH, and moisture level. Because they are time-consuming and have problems with accurate detection of contaminants, microbiological tests are seldom effective. Physical and chemical measurements are faster and usually more effective for assuring control of microbiological hazards.

Documentation of Terrorist Activity Safety Policies

Food defense is the protection of food products from contamination or intentional adulteration with the goal of causing public health harm or economic disruption. In collaboration with partners and other, FSIS is working to implement an aggressive program to help create a resilient U.S. food infrastructure that has the ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from intentional tampering with our food supply. The mission of the FSIS Food Defense Program is to protect the U.S. food supply from dynamic and evolving threats. Under 21 CFR 121, mitigation strategies have been designed to protect food against intentional adulteration have been established. One such strategy that a company can employ is creating a written food defense plan. This documented food defense plan must include: -A written vulnerability assessment, including required explanations, to identify significant vulnerabilities and actionable process steps; -Written mitigation strategies; -Written procedures for the food defense monitoring of the implementation of the mitigation strategies; -Written procedures for food defense corrective actions; and -Written procedures for food defense verification As you can see, the food safety laws, regulations, and requirements continue to evolve to address current and ongoing potential threats to the U.S. food supply and the health of our citizens. It's your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of the most recent and upcoming legislation to help you do your part to comply with the standards at all times.

Biological contamination

For example: Cutting boards for cutting meats are not cleaned properly and allowed to sit for long periods of time. Another employee then cuts new meat on the same boards that are now covered in harmful bacteria. The new meat is not contaminated and hazardous to human health.

Basic Considerations for Food Establishment

Food establishment locations must meet the building and health code requirements for the city that they will be located in. Each city may have unique requirements or codes; those that will be discussed are the general requirements. A building must have suitable coolers, freezers, and dry goods storage areas. The prep areas must be separated from the storage area. Sanitized equipment, utensils, linens, single-service articles, and single use articles must be located away from sources of contamination. They may not be stored in toilets, garbage, or mechanical rooms, under sewer lines or leaking water pipes, under open stairwells, in locker rooms used for other purposes, or under potential sources of contamination (like raw foods). The facility must be set up in such a way that the ingredients used and the foods prepared can be sold safely to the public. There can be many designs for the food establishment, but each establishment should think about these factors before deciding upon a site for the business: -Location of the site being considered -Use of the site (deli, sit down restaurant, store) -volume of customers that will be served by the facility -Hours of operation -Workflow or the way that work will be organized logically inside the establishment

Principle 3 (Example 1)

For example, the temperature and time for the scheduled thermal process of low-acid canned foods is recorded continuously on temperature recording charts. If the temperature falls below the scheduled temperature or if the time is insufficient, as recorded on the chart, the product can be held and the disposition determined according to principle 5. Likewise, pH measurement may be performed continually in fluids or by testing each batch before processing. The HACCP team must consider carefully who is assigned the responsibility for monitoring each CCP. Specific assignments depend on the number of CCPs, the control measures, and the complexity of monitoring. Usually, personnel who monitor CCPs are associated with production (e.g., line supervisors, selected line workers, and maintenance personnel) and, as required, quality control personnel. These individuals are trained to perform their assigned monitoring process, to understand its purpose and importance, to be unbiased, and to accurately report the results. In addition, employees should be trained in the procedures to follow if there is a trend towards loss of control. This ensures that adjustments can be made in a timely manner to keep the process under control. The person responsible for monitoring must also immediately report a process or product that does not meet critical limits. When a CCP cannot be monitored on a continuous basis, a monitoring frequency procedure should be established that will indicate if the CCP is under control. Usually this is accomplished through statistically designed data collection or sampling systems. Most monitoring procedures need to be accomplished quickly because they relate to on-line, "real time" process. There is not time for lengthy analytical testing.

Cross-contamination

For example: An employee wearing rubber boots walks through the butchering area and into the refrigerator without washing off his boots. In the refrigerator, the day's shipment of vegetables has been dropped off, and his boots rub against a sack of potatoes sitting on the bottom shelf of a rack. These potatoes are now contaminated and hazardous to humans.

Health codes

Health codes differ from place to place, but usually cover these subjects: -Sale of unfit food items -Food contamination and adulteration -Importing and interstate commerce -Honest presentation of foods (labeling) -Controlling food borne illness -Issuing operating permits -Sanitization of premises and equipment -Personal hygiene -temperature and time control -Worker's health and safety -Operations inspection -Action against violations and non-compliance -Complaint investigations -Education of food industry workers

Hair

Including beards and mustaches, can contain pathogens and other harmful microorganisms as well as physical and chemical contaminants. Employees should never comb or fix hair in prep areas but should keep their hair fixed under an approved hat or netting and beards need to be covered with a beard net.

Pests

Insects, bugs, rodents, and other vermin are attracted to food establishments for the same reason that customer come int food establishments. There is tasty things to eat and cool refreshing drinks, Pests also contaminate foods by: waste secretions, cross-contamination while drawing on or eating them, being directly on or in foods. -Some ways to keep your risk of pest infestation to a minimum: -Close exterior doors to stop mice and other rodents from entering. -Keep work areas clean reduce food sources for rodents and insects. Keep your food establishment in good repair; fix problems as they are found -Contract with pest elimination service to routinely treat your facility.

Inspections

Inspections are conducted by state and local officials. Establishments considered high risk are inspected more often than others. Inspections normally focus on the following specific areas: -Food safety practices, -Personal hygiene, - Time and temperature control, -Food flow, -Preventions against contamination, -Sanitization, -Equipment and utensils, -Storage, -Pests, -Water and waste, -Toxic materials, -HACCP conformity. Inspectors are not enemies unless you are purposely trying to hide something from them; otherwise, the main objective of the inspector is maintaining safety. Immediately after the inspection is completed, you should correct any mistakes that inspectors point out. You must sign the inspection to document that the inspection has taken place; however, signing the inspection does not mean that you agree with the inspection's results. Signing the inspection only means that you confirmed that the inspection has taken place. It is also best to accompany inspectors and take notes about the things the inspector points out. If it is appropriate, explain to the inspector how you have improved your food safety practices and how you are continuing to maintain and improve standards. It's nit a good ideas to complain to the inspector or to make excuses for poor standards. Answer any questions fully and completely, and under no circumstances should argue with the inspector. Once inspection is over, you need to correct any violations quickly and completely. Normally the establishment has 10 days to correct violations. Minor violation may granted upwards of 90 days for correction.

Iodine

Iodine-based sanitizers are effective against most microorganisms as well and they work quickly. These may stain silver and copper. Iodine solutions must have a minimum temperature of 68F, a pH of 5.0 or less or a pH no higher than the level for which the manufacturer specifies the solution is effective, and a concentration between 12.5 mg/L and 25 mg/L

ultra heat treatment (UHT)

Is much like pasteurization, except the food items are bought to an even higher temperature.

Sterilization

Is the process of heating foods at a high enough temperature and for long enough tine ti destroy all organisms. Food often loses quality due to sterilization; therefore, variations such as "Ohmic heating" (sterilization of food using electric currents) have been introduced as an alternative. Heating foods at a lower temperature and for longer time is also another option.

Introduction: "What is Food Safety" High standards in Food Safety

It is very important to have high food safety standards to ensure: -Consumers feel comfortable in the safety of the product that they are buying or that they are served. -Employees work in clean and safe workplace and take pride in the job that they are doing. -Business owners reduce the risk of insurance claims, civil lawsuits, and criminal prosecutions caused by unsafe food handling and low standards. An important part of having high food safety standards is developing good practices and keeping good records. The combination of having good practices and good records of your efforts allows you to confidently serve quality food to customers and is the direct cause of customer loyalty-enabling your establishment to withstand any false accusations of poor food safety standards and negligence.

Quality Assurance

Management is also responsible for providing a quality assurance system. This system explains what needs to be done to maintain quality and how these things should be done. Records are kept of what has been done, and current records are compared to previous results and set standards.

Good Bacteria

Many bacteria are helpful. Bacteria in your body help to digest food, others recycle dead organisms, and some help to make food such yogurt and cheese.

USDA Stamps and Stickers

Meat and poultry products must come from facilities inspected by the USDA. These products will either be stamped or will have a sticker on their packaging. This sticker only means that the provider has met required food safety standards and does not mean that the food does not contain harmful microorganisms. Some items come with USDA FRADE stamps, which means that the provider has paid extra for the USDA to rate the quality of the product.

Conditions that cause disease-causing bacteria to multiply to harmful levels. (Food)

Most bacteria prefer foods that are high protein, moist, and slightly acidic.

Storage Areas

Most establishments have these types of storage areas: -Chiller cabinets and/or vending machines: chiller cabinets and/or vending machines for short term display of foods such as sandwiches and fruits -Refrigeration Units: refrigeration units for storing time/temperature control for safety foods or highly perishable foods for short time periods. Freezers: freezers for long term storage of food items -Dry storage: dry storage for storing canned foods, and dry foods such as grains, and spices -Chemical storage: chemical storage for storing cleaning supplies and equipment

Fish and Shellfish (continued)

Not al customers are aware that establishments must adhere to strict guidelines regarding food preparation. It is the duty and responsibility of he permit holder or business owner to notify customers that consuming undercooked foods may be risky to their health. Some examples of customer requests that may be risky are eating sunny side up eggs, requesting their steak cooked rare, and eating hamburger that has not reached an internal temperature of 160F. Food establishments may provide the cautionary notice in a variety of ways, like posting the disclosure statement: "consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness." -This disclosure can be added to brochures, posted on the deli case, printed as menu advisories, added as part of label statements, contained on table tents or placards, or other effective written means. -The disclosure must be on specific foods like -oysters on the half shell (raw oysters) -Caesar salad dressing made with raw egg -Hamburgers that can be cooked to order -Identification of the animal-derived foods by asterisking them to a footnote that states that the items are served raw or uncooked, or contain (or may contain) raw or undercooked ingredients.

Displaying Food (continued)

One area that may forgotten is the soda fountain or coffee bar. If customers and employees are allowed to fill or refill their own beverages, the establishment must take reasonable precautions to ensure that the cups, lids, straws and other supplies are protected from potential hazards. Milk and cream should be available from refrigerated units. Other equipment that needs to be cleaned and sanitized regularly includes: -Coffee flavor dispensers -Iced tea and iced coffee dispensers -Ice makers and ice dispensers -Shake and ice cream machines -Slush and frozen beverage dispensers -Sugar and sweetener dispensers

Choosing a sanitizer

Please note, that chemical sanitizers must be used only according to the instructions on their labels. Generally, they need to be diluted with water and must never be mixed with other chemicals, detergents, or sanitizers. Here is the quick tip: The minimum standard parts per million (ppm) concentration that you can use for a chlorine-based chemical sanitizing solution in a three compartment sink is 50ppm. The three main types of chemical sanitizing compounds that are approved for use on food premises are:

Prerequisite Programs

Prerequisite programs are an essential foundation for the development and implementation of a successful HACCP plan. These have traditionally been based on current Good Manufacturing Practices (sGMPs). Prerequisite programs provide the environmental and operating conditions required to produce safe food. HACCP programs are limited to ensuring that food is safe to consume.

Heat Preservation

Preservation by heat is simply raising the temperature of food enough to kill spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.

preservation

Preservation is the control of the safety and quality of food items. Food is preserved by doing one or more of the following: killing spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, removing oxygen, and removing moisture. -Preservation delays spoilage, prevents growth of pathogenic microorganisms, and helps maintain the time period in which food tastes good and is good for us. -Prevention also allows us to the opportunity to eat foods from faraway places and helps maintain consistent availability of seasonal food items. We can be in Texas and eat a lobster fresh from Maine or eat a Meal ready to Eat (MRE) five years after it is packages because of preservation techniques.

quaternary Ammonium (quats)

Quaternary-based sanitizers are order free and none corrosive. However, quats do not work well in hard water and are not effective against some bacteria. Quaternary ammonium compound solutions must have a minimum temperature of 75F, a concentration as specified under s7-204.11 and as indicated by the manufacturer's use directions included in the labeling, and be used only in water with 500 mg/L hardness or less or in water having a hardness no greater than specified by the EPA-registered label use instructions.

Dry storage continued part 2

Ready-to-eat foods should explain how long the food was refrigerated before being frozen. This time range includes the day of preparation (to be counted as day 1 as per s3-501.17), and it should be no longer than 7 days if stored at 41F or less. Any ready-to-eat foods that are not to be frozen but kept longer than 24hours are required to be labeled with the date the food must be consumed, sold, or discarded. the amount of time an item is available for customer purchase or consumption, also called the keep time, should be no longer than 7 days if stored at 41F or less. The items should have a "sell by" or "use by" sticker that is easily understood placed where it can be seen.

Thawing

Remember that thawing could expose the meat to time and temperature abuse. It is necessary to ensure that the entire cut of meat is thawed completely before placing it into the smoker. It is not a good practice to leave the meat inside the box or to leave the items to thaw on a prep area. In order to correctly handle the meat, each piece that your intend to cooks needs to be placed in a tray to catch any water or blood that is released during thawing. The meat needs to be placed into the walk in cooler. However, placing nine briskets in trays makes for a crowded thawing area. After rearranging a few things, all but two of the briskets are safety thawing in the walk in cooler. Now you must decide how to thaw the other two pieces of brisket so that it is not in the danger zone. There are many other ways that meat can be thawed. Here are several of them that are acceptable under section 3-501.13 of the FDA food code: -In a refrigeration unit at, or colder than, 41F -Submerged under running, quality, drinking water at, or below, 70F -As part of the cooking process, if cooked according to the requirements of the food code. -In a microwave oven if the food will be cooked immediately afterward using conventional means and the manufacturer's instructions are followed. -Using any safe method is a segment of frozen ready-to-eat food is thawed and prepared to be immediately served to an individual consumer by order.

Soil and Dust

Soil from unwashed vegetables can contaminate food. Soil is often on vegetables upon delivery, and these items should be washed well without allowing the soil to contact any other food items. Vegetables that are regularly covered in soil, such as potatoes should be stored beneath other vegetables so that any loose soil will not fall onto the clean vegetables. Remember that botulism grows naturally in our soil and is very dangerous to humans. The dust is simply the finer grains of first and soil that becomes airborne. When those finer particles settle on work surfaces, multiuser tools, and ingredients it becomes a potential contaminant as well. The best way to reduce the risk of dust becoming a vehicle of transition is to practice good housekeeping. Areas that are prone to dust, like ceiling vents, should be regularly cleaned and items stored in dry storage should remain covered when not needed.

Choosing a Detergent

Some factors to be considered when selecting a detergent are: -The type of surface and the soil to be removed -The pH of the water supply -The requirements and recommendations for the use of the cleaning equipment in your workplace The flooring influence the effectiveness of the detergent: -The water temperature -The energy applied -The length and frequency of treatment

Ensuring Proper Temperature Control

The most effective way to prevent temperature abuse is to implement proper temperature controls. this means the employees of a food establishment use booth time limits and temperature to keep food safe and consumption. As food moves through the establishment, there are many points that proper temperature control is important.

Common foodborne illnesses

The center for disease control has identified the top five that cause food borne illness in the U.S. as norovirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens (found in cooked meat and poultry). Campyloacter (found in poultry and raw milk). and staphylococcus aureus (found in ready to eat foods touched by bare hands). - The FDA has identified the "Big 5" foodborne illnesses, and when diagnosed, all of these illnesses must be reported to the Certified Food Protection Manager who has a duty to exclude or restrict to exclude or restrict these employees until they are cleared to return to normal duties. 1. Salmonella 2. Shigella 3. Norovirus 4. Hepatitis A 5. Shiga Toxin-producing E. Coli

Clean and sanitize

The food premises must be kept clean. Surfaces that come in contact with food or hands must be cleaned and sanitized often. Employees should clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces. -Before using the equipment or utensils -When switching to work with another type of food -As often as possible during the shift, and at least every four hours if something is in constant use. -Immediately after use -At the end of the shift Chemical sanitizers and other chemical antimicrobials applied to food-contact surfaces shall meet the requirements specified in 21 CFR 178.1010 (579 KB) sanitizing solutions and OSHA limits for gases dissolved in solutions. Cleaning agents and sanitizing solutions for equipment and utensil cleansing must be provided to employees and be readily accessible.

Hazard Evaluation

The organization should keep the hazard analysis records for future reference. This information may be useful during future updates of the hazard analysis and HACCP plan. Appendix D provides three examples of using a logic sequence to conduct a hazard analysis. While these examples relate to biological hazards, chemical and physical hazards are equally important to consider. Information from risk assessments can also be used by the HACCP team to help identify and evaluate hazards, even though the process and output of the risk assessment is different. After completing the analysis, the team should list the hazards associated with step of production and any control measure(s) applied. The term "control measure" is used because not all hazards can be prevented, but nearly all can be controlled. Keep in mind, more than one control measure can be used to address a hazard and more than one hazard may be addressed by a specific control measure. The hazard analysis summary can be represented in different ways. One format is a table such as the one given in the example. Another is a narrative summary of the HACCP team's hazard analysis and a summary table which lists only the hazards and associated control measures. -For example, if a HACCP team conducts a hazard analysis for the production of frozen cooked beef patties, enteric pathogens (e.g., Salmonella and verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli) in the raw meat would be identified as hazards. Cooking is a control measure, which can be used to eliminate these hazards. The following is an excerpt from a hazard analysis summary table for this product.

Temperature

The range of temperatures from 41 to 135F is called the temperature "danger zone." The ideal temperature for bacteria to multiply is about 98.6F -Cooking at high temperatures kills most bacteria if the food is cooked for long enough. Remember that high cooking temperatures do not destroy all toxins, so a health danger can still exist after cooking.

Principle 3: Establish Critical Limits

The third principle applied by the team in developing the HACCP plan is to establish critical limits. A critical limit is defined as a maximum and/or minimum value to which a biological, chemical, or physical parameter must be controlled at a CCP to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the occurrence of a food safety hazard to an acceptable level. Each CCP will have one or more control measures and each control measure has one or more associated critical limit. The critical limit distinguishes between safe and unsafe operating conditions at a CCP. Do not confuse critical limits with operational limits, which are established for reason other than food safety. Critical limits must be scientifically based and may be based on: temperature, time, physical dimensions, humidity, moisture level, water activity (aw), PH, titratable acidity, salt concentration, available chlorine, viscosity, preservatives, sensory information such as aroma, visual appearance. For each CCP, there is at least one criterion for food safety that must be met. Critical limits and criteria for food may be derived from sources such as regulatory standards and guidelines, literature surveys, experimental results, and experts.

Rising and Air Drying (continued part 2)

There are many resources available on the internet as well to help guide you through Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Employees should be taught -How to use cleaning supplies properly -To read the instructions on all cleaning materials -Not to mix chemicals -Rinse items thoroughly and to use fresh sanitizer -To take care of cleaning supplies Note:It is important to monitor your chemicals to make sure that there are no signs of misuse or damage

Common Cleaning and Sanitizing Practices

There are two primary areas that food service establishment employees focus their cleaning and sanitizing efforts, the food prep and food cooking areas and the customer access area of the establishment. There are generally accepted practices that should be followed for each distinct area. The cleaning and sanitizing of the food prep and food cooking, or back of house, areas is different than the cleaning and sanitizing done in customer access, or front of house, areas. Let's look at some food practices for each area in the food service establishment. Four simple steps to cleaning and sanitizing 1. Clean the surface 2. Rinse the surface 3. Sanitize the surface 4. Allow the surface to air-dry

Common Eradication Methods

There are two ways to eradicate pests: physical and chemical -Physical methods can help eliminate small infections and maintain good control. Physical control usually involves traps, glueboards, flypapers, and bird scaring devices -Chemical methods may be needed to elimate major infestations. Chemical control usually involves insecticides, poison, and sometimes drugs that eliminate birds.

Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food (TCS)

Time/Temperature control for safety (TCS) foods require special measures be taken to protect them from the growth of bacteria, molds, yeasts, and other toxins. As discussed earlier in the course, improper handling of foods is a leading cause of food borne illness. As a food establishment owner, manager, or certified food protect manager, it is your duty ti ensure that time and temperature abuse of foods is kept to a minimum. The optimal temperature range for harmful organisms to grow in food is called the temperature danger zone. -TCS abuse happens any time raw or cooked food is in the temperature danger zone. The temperature danger zone is 41 to 135F. TCS abuse happens when food are: not cooked to the recommended minimum internal temperature, not held at the proper temperature, not cooled or reheated properly.

Education and Training

To be successful, employees and management must understand their role in producing safe foods. To do this, employees must receive education and training in: -Control of food borne hazards related to all stages of the food chain -The purpose and function of the HACCP system -How to make the HACCP system function properly -The work instructions and procedures required for all tasks used to monitor and control each CCP

Loading the Refrigerator

Try to use separate refrigeration units for raw foods like meat and poultry and for ready-to-eat foods like dairy products and cooked meats. If this is not an option, always remember to store raw meat and poultry on a shelf below the other foods so that juices or blood cannot drip onto the other foods and contaminate them. Also, remember to lead the shelves so that the cold air can circulate freely.

Clostridium botulinum

Unlike salmonella and Hepatitis A, Clostridium botulinum, more commonly called Botulism, is a neurotoxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulism is a life threatening disease. This neurotoxins is one of the most toxic substances known; even microscopic amounts it can cause illness or death. In the past, botulism was linked primarily to home-canned foods. Since botulism is a naturally occurring neurotoxin, there are many ways that it can enter the food establishment. Common ways - honey, home canned vegetables and fruits, and corn syrup.

Principle 1: Conduct a hazard analysis

Using the first principle, the team conducts a hazard analysis and identifies appropriate control measures. In this context, a hazard is defined as a biological, chemical, or physical agent that is likely to cause injury or illness it not controlled. Thus, the word hazard, as used here, is limited to safety. During the analysis, the team identifies any and all hazards that, if they occur, are likely to cause injury or illness. Hazards that are not reasonably likely to occur are not included in a HACCP plan. A complete hazard analysis is the key in preparing an effective HACCP plan. If the hazard analysis is not done correctly and the hazards needing control are not identified, the plan will not be effective regardless of how well it is followed. As part of the hazard analysis, the team examines all of the following that apply to the operations: -Ingredients and raw materials -Each step in the process -Product storage and distribution -Final preparation and use by the consumer When conducting a hazard analysis, safety concerns are differentiated from quality concerns. The hazard analysis accomplishes three objectives: 1. Hazards and associated control measures are identified 2. Modifications to a process or product may be identified that will further assure or improve product safety. 3. It provides the basis for determining CCPs in principle 2 Conducting a hazard analysis involves two stages: hazard identification and hazard evaluation

Hand washing

Washing hands is essential for proper hygiene and reduces potential hazardous bacteria and viruses on the hands of employees. It doesn't matter if the employee is the dining room manager, the dishwasher, the busboy or the head chef it is important to insist on good hand washing practices. Hands should be washed: -Before beginning any food separation -Between preparations of different types of foods -After handling anything other than the food being prepared -After handling trash or food waste -After smoking -After taking a break -After using the bathroom -After sneezing -After touching face, hair or mouth -After handling an animal as defined in the food code -Before putting gloves on Handwashing sinks should be available in the kitchen area. There must be single use paper towels and hand soap. A hand sink may not be used to dispose of trash, empty cups or glasses, or filled with dishes or prep utensils. The hand washing sink must be able to provide water at a temperature of at least 100F through a mixing value or a combination faucet and must be designated by a sign as "Handwashing Only" Due to the potential of physical contamination of food items, employees in a foods establishment who are not wearing gloves are not permitted to wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails when they are working with exposed food.

Eradication (continued)

When a property owner or establishment owner is dealing with a pest infestation, the business may be closed while the infestation is eradicated. In the even that an infestation is discovered, immediately contact your pest control operator and work with them and any involved local agencies to ensure: -The problem is fully investigated and treated using physical or chemical eradication -Allow the Pest Control Operators (PCO) time to completely inspect the building and reduce pest access points and hiding places -Clean and sanitize all areas that may have been treated or over sprayed with insecticide or pesticide -Make sure that the pest control operations (PCOs) return for regular check-ups and resume an IPM program

Transporting foods

When transporting food off site to a satellite location of the same business, off site catering events, or from a kitchen to patient rooms in a hospital, it is important that TCS foods be thoroughly checked with an appropriate temperature measuring device. TCS food packaged using cook-chill or sous vide must have a verifiable electronic device to monitor time and temperature during transportation. Similarly, there are rules safeguarding the transport of foods from animal sources, like farm to table eggs. Eggs cartons must bear safe handling instructions and egg must be transported and distributed under refrigeration at an ambient temperature of 45F or less in order to reduce Salmonella infections.

Storing Previously Prepared Food Safety

Wouldn't it be great if all foods that was cooked each day in a food establishment was used each day. Of course, it would because then there would be no wasted food and nothing to store for another day. That rarely happens, so implementing best practices for storing previously prepared foods must be planned. In order to safety store previously prepared foods or sale items, your must place each into a clean container, seal it and mark it with the date and time. Most foods will safety last three or four days after they are wrapped, dated and put in the refrigerator or walk in cooler. Rotate stored prepared foods according to FIFO principles. Do not allow left over food to remain in the walk in cooler or refrigerator for more than seven days. It must be discarded. If the food is sealed and prepared to be placed in the freezer for future use then it will last up to three months. The same basic rules apply, wrap and seal the item and label and date the item. The freezer should be routinely checked to ensure that there are no foods being stored in excess of the three months. Storing food has lots of details and is very important to the establishment's profitability and customer safety. More specific guidance on this topic can be found in the USDA food code and in your stat or local regulations.

Mold and Yeasts

both are types of fungus that can cause problems when handling food. There are some molds that are not harmful to humans, like the mold in bleu cheese. There are some yeasts that we need in order to make bread rise. There are molds and yeast challenging is that they grow on almost any type of food. Crops like grains, nuts, fruits, and bean in fields before harvesting and during storage are in danger of being invaded by toxic mold. Foods that are high in a sugar are ideal places to find yeast. - Mold contains hyphae, or thread like filaments, that grow on the surface of food and drinks and is easily seen. - Yeast tends to grow within food and is not easily seen. - Mold needs an organic host and specific organic mater to grow. - Yeast needs an organic host to grow and breaks down carbohydrates and sugars to cause fermentation. - Mold is an aerobic organism and needs oxygen to grow. - Yeast is an aerobic and anaerobic organism and grows with or without oxygen.

Chemical Contaminant

chemical contaminants are such things as pesticides, cleaning liquids, and personal grooming products, maps, bleach, rat-baits, perfume, and hair spray that come in contact with food. In addition to the man-made chemical, it is possible for naturally occurring chemicals to contaminate food. Examples of naturally occurring chemical contaminants may also include toxic metals from surfaces, natural toxins from seafood, natural toxins from mushrooms and plants, as well as some molds and allergens.

virsues

complicated assemblies of molecules, including proteins nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, can do nothing until enter cell - without cells, will not be able to multiply - not a living things. - Most common way for a virus to enter a human is for an infected person to pass it along on dirty hands or badly fluids like saliva or blood. Ex. Hepatitis - contacted through contaminated food or water - transmitted to food if it is prepared by an infected person.

Freezing

freezing at -20F-0F or colder stops most microorganism activity. Frozen food should not be refrozen once it began to thaw since it may have been warm enough for a long enough time to allow for bacterial growth. In chest-type freezers, food with the longest shelf life must be placed below food with a short shelf life, according to the FIFO principle. Also, do not stack food above the load limit line. Food should be kept in the supplier's packing as long as it is clean and unbroken. If the food needs to be rewrapped, be sure to label the item clearly and include the code date. Unwrapped food should bot be allowed in freezer.

Salmonella

is an infection caused by one of several strains of salmonella bacteria. It is usually associated with improperly stored and undercooked chicken. Salmonella non-typhoidal infection develops within 12 to 72 hours of exposure and lasts from 4 to 7 days. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. Many people with salmonellosis seek medical treatment because of the symptoms. Very young, elderly, and immune-compromised individuals are most likely to be severely affected by a salmonella infection. - Typhoid fever is also caused by Salmonella. Typhoid fever is characterized by a high fever, constipation, headache, and vomiting. -In order to prevent Salmonella, avoid cross-contamination by storing thawed chicken in a container on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator or cooler. Also, frequent hand washing, change gloves often, clean and sanitize work surfaces and multiuser tools, cook and hold foods properly.

Dehydration

Dehydrating foods entails reducing the amount of water inside of the food items. Instead of turning water into a solid (freezing) so that organisms cannot use it, dehydration attempts to eliminate water. Dehydrated products such as beef jerky and banana chips are good examples of how foods that are dehydrated take on new shapes and textures.

Types of Preservation

Depending on the type of food and preservation period, different methods of preservation are used.

Bacteria

Most common organisms on earth, we could not live without them because they are the "recyclers" of the planet. Wind and rain break down mountains and buildings, and bacteria take care of the rest. Without bacteria, life simply cannot be maintained. - Living creatures, capable of reproducing, have a well-defined cell wall are able to move.

Food Allergies and Allergens (continued)

Most people with food allergy know what to avoid. However, they may need help identifying which ingredients have been used. Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include: rashes, swelling, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, anaphylaxis, and death.

Parasites

Organisms that derive nourishment and protection from other living organism known as a hosts, transmitted by water, soil, or person to person contact. -Range in size from tiny, single-celled organisms to worms visible to the naked eye. -Most common, protozoa, roundworms, tapeworms Foodborn parasites that causes the most hospitalization and deaths in this county is Topoplasms gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. - transmitted from host to host through consumption of contaminated food & water.

Meats

Raw meats like steaks, chops, and roasts, must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F for 15 seconds when the temperature is tab at the thickest part of the item and after it has rested outside the oven for three minutes. Meats that have been mechanically tenderized, injected, or comminuted (ground beef, ground pork, ground veal or ground lamb), and game animals should be cooked to 155F for 17 seconds or they can be cooked to 145F for 3 minutes; 150F for 1 minute, or instantaneously cooked at 158F.

Storing Food Properly (continued)

There are many factors that go into how food will last once it is in your establishment. It is important to consider the following factors that will impact how long unprepared foods last. The storage life of foods is affected by the: -Freshness of the food when it is reached the food service establishment -Length of time and the temperature at which it was held before purchase -Temperature of your food storage areas -Humidity level in your food storage areas -Type of storage container or packaging the food is stored in -Characteristics of the food item

Food Handling Techniques

To avoid contaminating glassware and dishes, employees must hold dishes so that they do not touch the lip-or food-contact surfaces. The prohibition of bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods does not apply to the handling of ready-to-eats foods as they are being added as ingredients to a food that is to be cooked in the food establishment to a minimum temperature specified in the code. When serving highly susceptible populations, including the elderly, very young, and immunocompromised, you may not use alternatives to the no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food requirement.

Chicken, Turkey and other fowl

When cooking the poultry, blasts or other fowl, the internal temperature must reach 165F for less than a second (instantaneous). The same temperature applies to nay ground poultry or fowl, a casserole that contains poultry or fowl, and the thighs, legs, or wings of poultry or fowl. The higher temperature is needed to kill the salmonella bacteria.

Storage

When it comes to storing food, remember the importance of FIFO procedures for quality control-the first products put into storage should be the first ones used. Proper date marking allows you to use FIFO method to limit the growth of pathogens, maintain proper product rotation, and comply with time/temperature requirements.

Personnel should be familiar with definitions/statistics associated with food safety and be able to:

-Define the term "food borne illness outbreak" -Outline how food borne illness outbreaks are investigated -Identify current food borne illness statistics such as the estimated number of cases, hospitalization, and deaths that annually occur in the U.S. -Explain why there is a difference between the number of reported cases of food borne illness and the number of estimated cases -Distinguish between the major types of food borne illness infection, intoxication, and toxin-medicated infection. -Describe population groups that are at high risk for food borne illness (the elderly, children, and people with weakened immune systems) -Identify three categories of hazards that can make a food unsafe You should constantly monitor your team to identify training needs that will enhance personal hygiene, protect food safety, and create a safer, healthier workplace. You need to identify operational problems when they occur and determine what interventions are necessary to improve safety in your establishment.

Here are the common types of cleansers that may be found in food service establishments:

-Detergents contain surfactants to reduce surface tension between food soil and the surface so the detergent can penetrate quickly and lift off the soil from the surface -Solvent cleaners contain a grease-dissolving agent that can be used in areas with burned on grease. -Acid Cleansers are used on mineral deposits that alkaline detergents cannot remove. -Abrasive cleaners are used to remove heavy accumulations of soil often found in small areas. The abrasive action is provided by small mineral or metal particles, such as fine steel wool, copper or even nylon Once a surface is cleaned, the nest step is sanitizing. Sanitization is the application of heat or chemicals to a properly cleaned (and thoroughly rinsed) food-contact surface, yielding a 99.999% reduction of representative pathogenic microorganisms of public health importance. Sanitization is not sterilization. Sterilization is the process of destroying all living microorganisms, not just pathogens. Other terms (and their definitions) that are sometimes confused with sanitization and that should be noted are the following: -Antiseptic - used against sepsis or putrefaction in humans or animals -Disinfectant/Germicide - applied to inanimate objects to destroy all vegetative cells, not spores. -Bactericide - kills a specific group of microorganisms -Bacteriostat - prevents the growth of a specific group of microorganisms but does not necessarily kill them The two sanitization methods commonly used in retail/foodservice establishments are heat and chemicals. It is important that the chemical sanitizer is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. If the product is not used correctly, it will not kill the microorganisms that can cause food borne illness.

The major elements of the FSMA can be divided into five key areas:

-Preventive controls - The FDA has the legal authority to require comprehensive, prevention-based controls across the food supply to prevent or significantly minimize the chance of problems occurring. -Inspection and Compliance: The FDA plans to use its inspection resources based on risks, and adopting new approaches to inspections. -Imported Food safety: FDA has new tools to make sure that all imported foods meet U.S. standards and are safe for consumers. For example importers must verify that their foreign suppliers have adequate preventive controls in place to ensure safety. In addition, the FDA will be able to accredit qualified third-party auditors to certify that foreign food facilities comply with U.S. food safety standards. -Response: In addition to the FDA's mandatory recall authority for all food products, the agency has also expanded administrative detention of products that are potentially in violation of the law, and suspension of a food facility's registration. -Enhanced Partnerships: The FSMA plans to work to strengthen existing collaboration among all food safety agencies U.S. federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, and foreign-to achieve our public health goals.

Reheating Foods (continued)

A food establishment may choose to use only time as a control measure to ensure that food remains safe for consumption, then maximum time standards of four hours applies. The following guidelines must also be followed: -The food shall be marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is 4 hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control -The food shall be cooked and served, served if ready to eat, or discarded within 4 hours from the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control -The food is unmarked containers or packages or marked to exceed a 4 hour limit shall be discarded -written procedures shall be maintained in the food establishment and made available to the regulatory authority upon request, to ensure compliance with subparagraphs of this section and for food that is prepared, cooked, and refrigerated before time is used as a public health control.

Food Safety Policies

A food safety policy is a statement that lists the manner in which an establishment will maintain a food-safe environment. Among the established duties of the Certified Food Protection Manager, he or she must ensure that: -All operating procedures required by the Food Code are developed and implemented -All employees are informed about their responsibility to report certain health conditions that relate to the transmission of food borne illness. -Any food establishment that receives product after operating hours must ensure that it is delivered in a manner that does not create a food safety hazard -Employees are properly cleaning and sanitizing multiuse equipment and utensils before they're reused. -Employees are properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness, as it related to the employee's assigned duties. -Employees are regularly monitoring the temperature of foods in hot and cold holding -Written procedures and plans (as required by the Food Code) are maintained and implemented as required, including written plans for vomiting or diarrheal incidents.

Water and Drainage

A good supply of quality drinking water with enough pressure to allow the business to operate in a sanitary manner must be available. That means that the water must flow without interruption and must be connected to dishwashers, prep sinks, hand washing sinks, and restrooms. The drinking water must be protected from contamination caused by cross-connections in the plumbing or by back-siphonage. No drinking water can be contaminated by waste water or other non drinking water of questionable origin. Make sure the piping for non-drinking water is clearly identified. Water supply systems must comply with local codes. The purpose of a drainage system is to prevent flooding and to remove contaminated waste and solids from food preparation areas. A grease trap may be necessary on some of the drains to stop grease, fryer oils, and animals fats from entering the wastewater system or municipal sewer lines. If a grease trap is required, the size and location will be determined by local building codes. A direct connection may not exist between the sewage system and a drain originating from equipment in which food, potable equipment or utensils are placed. The exceptions to this are floor drains, ware washing machines, and ware washing or culinary sinks. According to the food code, a back flow or back-siphonage prevention device installed on a water supply system must meet American Society of Sanitary Engineering (A.S.S.E) standards. It is important to follow the local building and health code requirements for construction when installing back flow or back-siphon devices. The local codes must be followed when maintaining, inspecting, and testing the back flow device. A commercial plumbing company must locate and device so that it can be serviced and maintained, and maintenance should be done according to the manufacturer's schedule to prevent wastewater back flow. Vending machines and other appliances subject to spillage or overflow of internal wastes should be equipped with diversion devices and retention pans, including an internally mounted waste receptacle fo the collection of drip and overflow. An automatic shutoff device is also necessary to prevent overflow of the waste receptacle.

Mobile Units

A mobile unit can include a range of units from catering vehicles to push-carts. As a manager, you must oversee all inspection protocol for food safety and general maintenance and housekeeping, including mobil units. The FDA has an established mobile food establishment matrix to help you ensure that your mobile unit is compliant with all safety standards. Be aware that depending on the local regulatory authority, a mobile unit may be subject to all provisions in the Food Code that apply to non-mobile food establishments. Make sure you check with your local regulatory authority so you fully understand all of the laws and provisions that apply in your local area.

What is a biological hazard

A toxic or infectious agent that poses threat to humans when it is eaten, inhaled, or contact with skin. Living organism like viruses, parasites, bacteria, yeasts or mold spores, they need oxygen, food, water, and place to live.

Acidity

Acid levels in a food have a significant effect on bacterial and fungal multiplication. This is measured on a pH scale. This runs from a low 0 to a high of 14, with 7 as the neutral point. Foods with a low pH are acidic. -Red meat (less acidic) Beef 5.3-6.2 -Poultry (less acidic) egg yolk 6.0-6.3, egg white 7.9-9.5 -Condiments and seasonings (acidic), Dill pickles 2.6-3.8

Sugar and Sat Preservation

Adding large amounts of sugar or salt to foods can preserve them. Both sugar and salt absorb moisture in the food and in essence rob the microorganisms of the water they need to grow. Other type of preservation - modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), smoking, irradiation.

Cooling Hot Food

All of the steps that employees take to protect food in an establishment can be undone if leftover food items are not cooled correctly before storing for future use. Food is at its most vulnerable for contamination by pathogens that cause food borne illness when allowed to remain in the temperature danger zone for more than 4 hours. The temperature danger zone is the area above 40F and below 135F. This is the temperature range that allows pathogen to multiply quickly to unsafe levels. It is the responsibility of the permit holder or Certified Food Protection Manager to ensure that leftover foods are cooled quickly in order to safely preserve them. To achieve this, the following standard is detailed in the food code (3-501.14): foods should be cooled from 135F to 70F within 2 hours and then from 70F to 41F within 4 hours. In order to safely cool foods, there are several methods that can be used. The easiest way to quickly cool left offer foods is in a blast chiller. If this piece of equipment is not available in food code 3-501.15 cooling methods can also be used are: -divide hot food into smaller or thinner portions -place hot food in shallow pans two to three inches deep to increase the surface area of the food. -place hot food in smaller containers to reduce the food mass -use an ice bath: transfer the hot food to a clean, cold container and place the container in a large one that holds ice or ice and water -stir or rotate food while it is cooling -add ice (made from clean drinking water) as an ingredient -after removing cooked roasts and whole chickens from their juices, place them in clean containers with enough space for air to circulate

Define Minimum Food Safety Competencies for Personnel

All of your personnel must know and be able to put into effect specific food safety principles in their work. Accordingly, each employee must be able to display the following minimum food safety competencies/tasks: -List the hazards controls related to her or his job -Illustrate how monitor each hazard control to guarantee that it was done correctly -Display the hand washing procedure and declare when it must be used -Demonstrate how to clean and sanitize a food contact surface properly -Demonstrate how to cook meats such as hamburgers, chicken, turkey, and fish, and confirm that the end temperature and time is accurate according to the food code. -Demonstrate how to cool food safety -Explain how to make a safe salad -Explain how to handle leftovers -List the criteria for acquiring and handling food that is served in the same condition as purchased. -Demonstrate how to transport, hold, and serve food whether hot or cold.

Esherichia coli

Are bacterium normally found in the digestive tract of the human body and most other animals. Many strains of E. Coli are harmless to human and animals. The E. Coli bacterium that causes food food borne disease is scientifically known as E. Coli O157:H7 and is a shiva toxin- producing type. This illness causing bacterium is spread through poor processing and handling of food that has been contaminated by infected animal or human feces and other unsanitary conditions. While meat and ground meat are the primary ways that people get E. coli, there are other sources that can transmit the illness, including: raw untreated milk, yogurt made with intreated milk, fruits and vegetables that come in contact with animal manure, contaminated water, petting zoos, other people. -E. coli infection can be prevented by proper food handling, cooking meat correctly, and holding meat at the correct temperature. The most important way to prevent the transmission of E. coli is frequent hand washing especially after using the restroom and touching raw meats. Food preparation is an important step in preventing the transmission of the potentially deadly illness, so it is VERY important to completely wash any fruits or vegetables that may be contaminated with manure-based fertilizers. -Primary symptoms is diarrhea. Symptoms usually develop in three to four days, although they can develop in as little as one or as many as 8 days after infection. Some healthy adults develop only diarrhea and never know they were infected with E. coli. However, serious conditions may develop in the elderly or very young. some strains of E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea and, in severe cases, blood problems, kidney failure, seizures, and death.

Thermometers

Are important tools. Only thermometers should be used when accurate temperature measurements are needed. Read the instructions that come with the thermometer to best understand how to calibrate them and measure temperatures accurately. Avoid contamination and cross-contamination by only using thermometers that are undamaged and throughly cleaned and sanitized by an approved method. Be certain that the thermometer used in the food service establishment is a reliable food service grade device and that it has been calibrated to ensure accuracy. -the following types of temperature measuring devices may be used: - Thermometers, thermocouples, terminators, digital or dial-face metal stem (bi-metallic), infra-red and thermocouples types. Time Temperature Indicators (TTIs) may be attached to food shipments. If the shipment has been exposed to unsafe conditions while being transported, this device will provide the information and allow you to decide if the shipment should be accepted or rejected.

Food personnel Training

As a part of meeting food safety requirements and laws, managers and owners must ensure that their personnel are properly trained. You are responsible for not only identifying the required competencies that your personnel who influence food safety must have, but also for providing them with the training to make certain that they do, in fact, have the essential competencies. Most importantly, you must alert each of your employees to how his or her individual job performance influences food safety for your organization.

Mouth, Nose, and Throat

Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus is found on the skin of people and it is easily transmitted in a food service setting. This bacterium causes what most people call "food poisoning," the sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea after easting food that has been contaminated by an infected food handler. Preventing the spread of this bacteria is easily done in the workplace. Employees should wash their hands often, should handle food only when necessary, should taste food only with clean utensils, and should never spit or smoke in preparation areas. Employees must clean utensil each time the taste food to be served or sold and use the utensil only for that one tasting. Employees should never eat in the preparation area, and they should only drink from containers with both straw and lid. The main idea is to keep employers' hands away from their mouths. Employees should avoid sneezing and coughing around foods. Any employee with a cold or any similar contagious illness should not handle food or interact with customers until well again. Food establishments must have a plan for responding to and properly cleaning-up after an employee or other individual becomes physically ill in areas where food may be prepared, stored, or served.

Rinsing and Air Drying

Dishes must be rinsed in clean and clear water, after washing and before sanitizing, to remove detergents that could interfere with the sanitizer. Do not rinse dishes after sanitizing. Dishes that have been sanitized must be allowed to air dry. Using a towel to dry dishes increases the chances of cross-contamination. Unless alternate approved measures are in use, you must have a three compartment sink, at minimum, available for manually washing, rinsing, and sanitizing utensils and equipment. Warewashing machines must be provided with a clear data plate indicating temperatures required for washing, rising, and sanitizing; pressure required for fresh water rinsing and conveyor speed or cycle time.

Dry storage

Dry goods need to be kept in a cool, dry, and well ventilated area. The ideal temperature for dry storage is between 50F and 70F. Also, there needs to be sufficient space between supplies to allow the air to flow freely. The packaging must also be secured against pests. Dry and canned goods have a long shelf life, but care must be taken to inspect and regularly rotate the stock to follow the FIFO principle. Foods in storage areas should be checked often. The food should be checked to make sure that no damage has occurred, that it is clean, that no pests have tampered with it, and that it is not expired.

Alternatives Procedures for Water Interruptions

During an extended interruption of water service, you can take the following temporary alternative measures to address particular operations affected by the interruption. To prevent any contamination of food by employees as a result of not having water to wash hands in food preparation area, employees must not make direct contact with ready-to-eat food using their bare hands. The following measures can be taken for hand washing during a water interruption. -Employees may use chemically treated (wet nap) towelettes to clean there hands if the food items to be provided are pre-packaged and the alternate toilet room location has a hand washing facility -Drinkable, clean water from an approved public water supply system can be put into a sanitary container which has a spigot that can be turned on for clean, warm water to flow from it over the user's hands and into a sink drain. You also must supply appropriate hand cleaner, disposable towels, and a trash container. -This person washing her or his hands should then use an FDA food code compliant hand sanitizer, which has been approved for use as an indirect food additive When water interruptions leave you with inoperable restrooms for both food personnel and patrons, you can take the following alternatives measures: -Until water service is restored, you may provide toilet rooms and/or portable toilets that have sufficient hand washing facilities, which, while not conveniently located are easily available to employees during all hours of your business' operation -Provide portable toilets and hand washing facilities -Discontinue operation of your business if toilet facilities are not available

Hazard Identification

During hazard identification, the HACCP team reviews the ingredients used in the product, the activities conducted at each step in the process and the equipment used, the final product and its method of storage and distribution, and the intended use and consumers of the product. Based on this review, the team lists potential biological, chemical, or physical hazards which may be introduced, increased, or controlled at each step under direct control of the food operation. Knowledge of any adverse health-related events historically associated with the product or component ingredients will be valuable during this process. -Hazard identification - Questions to Ask The FDA provides suggested questions to ask at various stages of the food production process to help identify potential hazards. -Hazard Evaluation After identifying potential hazards, the HACCP team conducts a hazard evaluation to decide which potential hazards must be addressed in the HACCP plan. Each potential hazard is evaluated based on the severity of the potential hazard and how likely it is to occur if it is not controlled. The likelihood of occurrence is usually based upon a combination of experience, epidemiological data, and the information in the technical literature. The team should also consider the short-term and long-term effects of exposure to the hazard. These considerations do not include common dietary choices, which lie outside of HACCP. During the evaluation of each potential hazard, the food, the method of preparation, the transportation and the storage are considered to determine how each of these factors may influence the likely occurrence and severity of the hazard. The team may also call in the opinion of experts to resolve any differences of opinion regarding a potential hazard. Keep in mind that hazards identified in one operation may not be as significant in another that produces the same or a similar product. This is due to differences in equipment, type of maintenance program, and the likelihood of metal contamination may be significant in one food processing facility but not in another.

reciving

Employees must reject foods that are unacceptable. The foods should be labeled and kept apart from foods that are to be consumed. Foods may be rejected for several reasons including: Signs of spoilage, damaged packaging, leaking of dirty packaging, expired items, unlabeled items, items delivered at improper temperature, large ice crystals frozen on frozen foods indicative of temperature abuse, foods that are not completely frozen, dented or bulging containers, rusty cans, leaking cans, dry goods with wet packaging, discoloration, visible mold or slime, and unpleasant odors, texture changes, unusual flavor.

Storage continued

Employees should also be careful not to contaminate foods while cleaning areas containing stored foods. For example, when mopping with a bleach solution, employees should care not let the mop nit any food items such as a bag of potatoes or onions that has been set down on the floor. According to food code (3-305.11), food should be stored in a dry location, where it will not be splashed or covered in dust, and at least six inches off of the floor. According to food code (3-305.12), food should not be stored in locker or dressing rooms, rooms containing mechanical equipment, garbage rooms, or toilet facilities. It should not be stored under any other source of contamination such as stairwells, fire sprinkler lines, leaky water lines, or sewerage lines.

Workflow

Employees working in a food establishment need to follow a logical, continuous workflow, with tasks moving from raw ingredients to the finished product. Cross-contamination should be made physically impossible by measures that focus on keeping raw foods away from other kinds of foods and separating work centers for "dirty" processes like washing vegetables and "clean" processes like portioning cold and cooked meats. Chemicals used for washing or to assist in the peeling of raw fruits, whole fruits and vegetables must be used in accordance with the EPA-registered usage instructions and should meet the labeling requirements in 40 CFR 156 for pesticide and devices. Chemicals for washing fruits and vegetables can be generated on-site.

Purchasing

Establishments should always purchase food from reputable sources. It is a good idea to inspect suppliers' warehouses and gain more information on their working practices. The condition of their facilities and employees may shed light on the condition of the food being received from them. Once food is delivered to your establishment, your employees should be able to check quality of food deliveries and identify problems in a food purchase. This is particularly important with meat, poultry, seafood, and foods that are vulnerable to temperature abuse. It is important that the wholesaler delivers cold foods cold, frozen foods frozen and that there is no observable damage like open packaging or missing seals and certificates. Employees should check the temperature of item to ensure that they are not in the food danger zone. Upon receipt of the delivery, your employees should take all reasonable measures to ensure that meat, poultry, seafood, and other perishable food items are stored correctly-place seafood on ice, put meat in the walk-in cooler or freezer and ensure that dairy items and eggs are refrigerated as quickly as possible. It is also important that raw meats be separated from other food items. If they cannot be stored in separate refrigerators, make sure raw meats are shelved below plant foods or ready to eat foods.

Product Tracing

FSMA Sec. 204, Enhanced Tracking and Tracing of Food and RecordKeeping, has two major requirements: 1. The FDA, with the USDA and state agencies, must establish pilot projects along with the food industry to determine the methods and technologies to quickly and effectively track and trade foods. 2. The FDA must publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish record keeping requirements for high-risk foods to help with tracing such foods.

Permits

Food establishments must obtain a permit to operate before beginning operation. In order to receive such permits, the establishment is required to pay fees, allow inspections, comply to set standards, provide any required information, and often to operate under a HACCP plan. Permits must also be maintained each year. Simply getting the permit does not relieve an establishment from the responsibility of maintaining its standards. The permit holder must be the food establishment's owner. If the establishment is owned by a corporation or partnership, then the permit will be issued in the name if a designated representative or in the name of the corporation. In addition to the business permit, members of management are required to have food handler certification. The number of certified food handlers is dependent on the hours of operation because a certified food handler must be in the establishment at all times. If one permit holder is legally responsible for more than one separately permitted establishments located on the same site, that permit holder-during specific time periods when food is not being prepared, served, or packaged-is allowed to select one person in charge, a Certified Food Protection Manager, to be there on site during all hours of operation. This Certified Food Protection Manager is responsible for each of the food establishments at that location.

Cooking (continued)

Food establishments that serve fresh water or salt water fish or shellfish (including crawfish) need to remember certain basic rules about cooking this type of food item. Here are some guidelines that need to be followed: -For fist, slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull aside. The edges should be opaque and the center slightly translucent with flakes beginning to separate. Let the fish stand three to four minutes to finish cooking. -For shrimp, lobster, and scallops check color. Shrimp and lobster turn red and the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm. -For clams, mussels, and oysters, watch for the point at which their shells open. That means they are done. Throw out those that stay closed

Protecting Food from Temperature Abuse

Food is extremely vulnerable to contamination by bacteria and other pathogens that are harmful to people and can lead to food borne illness. This is especially true of foods in self service areas, like buffet lines, food service counters in convenience stores or salad bars at restaurants. Any times that food is prepared and held for future service it is the responsibility of the Certified Food Protection Manager to ensure that it is kept out of the Temperature Danger Zone. This is the temperature range that allows bacteria to grow most rapidly. Any time that food is between 41F to 135F it is in the danger zone, and it must be thrown away after 4 hours. For this reason, it is important the employees make every reasonable effort to keep food safe and minimize temperature abuse.

Dry Storage continued

Food labels inform the customer of a number of things. Most display the date by which the item should be consumed with language like"use by", "best before", or "sell by". Manufacturer food labels also contain information about how the item should be stored. In order to avoid confusion, dry goods should be kept in their original packaging. In the event that an item is removed from original packaging, the items must be clearly labeled with the exact contents and the date that the item must be used by. Since there is a lot of valuable information on food packaging, including allergen warnings, the Food Code (3-602.12) directs that food establishments and manufacturers may not conceal or alter labels. Food taken out of the freezer should have a label plainly stating how the food must be prepared or when the food must be eaten or used. The label should contain an advisory notice to customers that thawed foods should be eaten within 24 hours. Fish that is kept in reduced oxygen packaging at retail must have a label stating it must be kept frozen until time of use.

Food Allergies and Allergens

Food safety precautions for food allergies and allergens. It is estimated that approximately 15 million Americans have food allergies, including almost six million children under 18. Many people have more then one food allergy. Additionally, some people are sensitive or intolerant to certain foods and become ill after eating them. As a business owner, manager, Certified Food Protection Manager, or employee in a food service establishment, it is vital that food allergies are taken seriously. There are right common allergens that affect nearly 90% of people diagnosed with food allergies. Here are the common allergens: milk, eggs, fish like bass, flounder, cod, tilapia, and red snapper, crustacean shellfish like crab, lobster, and shrimp, tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans, peanuts and peanuts products, wheat and wheat gluten, and soybeans and soybean products.

Receiving (continued)

Food should also be checked for any signs of pest infection. Look for evidence of rodent droppings or insect casing, be aware of an ammonia-like smell caused by pest urine, and pay attention to holes in packaging or containers or signs or gnawing. Rat droppings aren't the only thing you should be looking for-keep an eye out for physical contaminants like wood chips or pieces of hard plastics. These items can cause bodily harm when ingested. Chemical contamination can occur from industrial and agricultural chemicals and preservatives. Make sure food has been properly stored and alongside potential contaminants by inspecting and delivery truck. Scrombotoxin is a naturally occurring chemical hazard associated with Finnish and cheese. Check temperature upon receiving and make sure there has been no temperature abuse. Baked foods and prepared food containing corn, peanuts, cottonseed, milk, or tree nuts can develop mycotoxins-check that none of the products are moldy or decomposed up receiving.

Cold Preservation

Foodborne bacteria slow down their growth and eventually stop growing the colder food gets. Only when the temperature rises above a certain level do they begin to grow again. Cold preservation does not always kill bacteria; in fact, for the most part it only slows their growth; therefore, the colder foods can be kept, the longer they can be preserved. Of course, many foods lose their quality rapidly upon exposure to low temperatures. -Types of cold preservation include: Refrigeration: Good refrigeration temperatures may be anywhere from 34 to 40F; these temperature are best for short term storage. -Chilling: Just below refrigeration, but still above freezing. Chilling foods such as raw meats is common practice by commercial food distributors to maintain quality for a longer period. -Freezing: freezing foods means dropping their temperature even lower than chilled foods (below freezing point). Freezing foods means dropping their temperature even lower than chilled foods

Food borne Disease or Foodborne Illness

Foodborne diseases are any type of illness that results from ingestion of food contaminated by such things as pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Eventhough food establishments take all the reasonable precautions to prevent exposure to bacterial and viral infections, some groups of people are more susceptible than others. Elderly individuals, pregnant women and unborn babies, children six years old and younger, and those who are already ill, recovering from an illness, or immuno-compromised. -Part of being infected with a food borne disease means dealing with unpleasant symptoms. While the cause of the problem may be completely different, many times the symptoms are the same. Abdominal pain and cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and fever and headache.

Principle 3 (example 3)

For example, to monitor the safety of pasteurized milk, measurements of time and temperature of heating are taken rather than testing the heated milk to assure the absence of surviving pathogens. Certain foods, processes, or ingredients require microbiological testing, However it is usually not possible to use a sampling protocol to detect low levels of pathogens because of the large number of samples needed. An inadequate sampling protocol can result in a false sense of security. In addition, there are technical limitations in many laboratory procedures used to detect pathogens and/or their toxins.

Physical Contamination

For example: Garbage collection has been neglected and the bags are now too full to close completely. When the bags are finally pulled from their bins, trash may fall out and come into contact with food, which becomes contaminated and hazardous to humans. Pests: Unclean areas and exposed foods attract pests.

FDA Guidelines for Developing HACCP plans

HACCP is designed for use in all segments of the food industry from growing, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, distributing, and merchandising to preparing food for consumption. The HACCP principles have helped food industries around the world to successfully set up food safety systems and create effective food safety plans. The following guidelines will facilitate the development and implementation of effective HACCP plans.

Developing a HACCP plan

HACCP plan formats will vary, depending on the products sold and processes used. Generic HACCP plans can be used as guides in the development of a new plan. However, the unique conditions within each facility must be considered during the development of all components of the HACCP plan. When an HACCP plan is submitted for approval, it should also include blank copies of records forms necessary for implementation.

Cleaning and Sanitizing

In order for a surface or piece of equipment to be sanitized, first it has to be cleaned. To clean something is to remove grease and dirt that is visible on the surface or the piece of equipment. Sanitizing is taking already clean items and killing pathogenic and spoilage organisms that may still be present using heat or chemicals. Keeping you establishment called and hygienic is not only the law; it is also good for business. Keeping things clean can improve reputation, make employees and customers feel better, and help to avoid legal problems. When considering the cleanliness of an establishment one must consider potential hazards such as:

Management in Food Safety (continued)

In order to ensure regulatory compliance, it is the duty of the Certified Food Protection manager to: -Comply with all health, safety, and food hygiene requirements -Ensure the kitchen meets all health and safety requirements as mandated by law -Enforce sanitary practices including general cleanliness, maintenance of kitchen and dining areas, and proper food handling -Make sure employees are adhering to clean rotations -Ensure that food is stored according to company and statutory health and safety standards -Maintain up-to-date temperature records and food labels -Implement a policy for handling food workers who become ill -Implement policies fo though-risk population facilities that require special restrictions -Post consumer advisory information, enforce mandatory recalls and follow the Food Safety Modernization Act -Maintain established sanitization and safety standards Situations that are dangerous to the public health include fires, floods, sewage back-ups, or chemical spills. Each of these are considered to be extremely dangerous and the Certified Food Protection Manager should immediately report the incident to the appropriate city or county agency and stop all business operations until you are told that your establishment is safe to reopen.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces

In order to remove biological pathogens that cause food borne illness, surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitized. Which surfaces need to be cleaned? Food prep areas, food serving areas, steam tables, warming drawers, shelves, walls, counters, floors, ceilings, vents, and any other surface where dirt, dust, and debris can potentially lead to biological or physical contamination of food that is being received, stored, prepared or sold in a food establishment. It is also important to clean tables, chairs, self-service counters, self-service equipment, and the floors in any customer access area of the establishment. The goal of cleaning and sanitizing in a food service environment is removing the visible dirt, dust, and debris and removing any unseen biological pathogens and chemical residues that may cause an outbreak of food borne illness. There are two separate procedures that need to be considered. First how to correctly clean food contact surfaces and second how to correctly sanitize food contact surfaces. Although these are two separate process, the effectiveness of one depends on the thoroughness of the other. In other words, the effectiveness of the sanitization process is entirely dependent on the thoughtless of the cleaning. When cleaning in a food service establishment, the goal is the removal of organic matter, using appropriate detergent chemicals under recommended conditions. Organic matter from food residues such as oils, grease, and protein not only harbors bacteria but can actually prevent sanitizers from coming into physical contact with the surface to be sanitized. It is important to choose the right tool for the job; like a mechanic's tool box, there are many different types of tools that can be chosen to do a job. In order to correctly clean a surface, it is important to use the right cleanser for the job.

Fish and Shellfish

In order to safety serve fish and shellfish, it must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F for less than a second (instantaneous). This includes stuffed fish or stuffing containing fish. Since most food establishments have a variety of foods on the menu, it is recommended that easy reference guides are available to kitchen staff. The temperature guidelines listed above are the minimum acceptable standards. Some states, counties or cities may have standards that are higher then the USDA and FDA recommendations. As a food handler, it is your responsibility to ensure the establishment follows the guideline that is used by regulatory authority to avoid problems and confusion. Human beings like choices and variety. this is clearly evident in the foods that we eat. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware that cooking method, type of meat cooked, and recipe may also impact the internal temperature that must be used. When it doubt, look up the standard in local food code and refer to posted temperature guides in the establishment. Additionally, make sure that your have assigned specific food production in the kitchen. Make sure you are coordinating and supervising the set-up of these stations and the food production in these areas to make sure employees are avoiding cross-contamination and following proper guidelines for glove use as well as maintaining proper time and temperature controls.

Storing Food Properly

In the food service establishment, proper food storage is a crucial part of protecting food from pathogens. Proper food storage helps maintain food quality by retaining flavor, color, texture and nutrients, while reducing the chance of contracting a food-borne illness. Foods can be classified into three groups: -Perishable foods including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and many raw fruits and vegetables. -Semi-perishable foods including flour, grain products, dried fruits and dry mixes are considered semi-perishable. If properly stored and handled, they may remain unspoiled for six months to about one year. -Non-perishable or staple foods like sugar, dried beans, spices and canned goods do not spoil unless they are handled carelessly. These foods will lose quality, however, if stored over a long time, even if stored under ideal conditions.

Biological contamination

Involves contamination of foods by other living organisms. When pathogens such as viruses, parasites, pathogenic bacteria, and spoilage are present in foods, the food becomes biologically contaminated. Biological contaminants are living contaminants and they need water, nutrients, and the right temperature to survive. By reducing or eliminating the things that biological contaminants need to live, it as far easier to reduce or eliminate them from food in your establishment. Conditions such as dehydration and overheating that are deadly to other living things can be used to reduce pathogenic contaminants. -Biological contaminants can come from many places and can move between different foods easily. The way that a biological contaminant moves from one place to another is called a "vehicle of contamination." Although the food that we eat contains bacteria, additional bacteria may be spread by these "vehicles." Your hands are vehicles of contamination, which is why hand washing is mentioned so often as a preventative measure. Another common vehicle of transmission that is easily preventable is cross-contamination. Your role in stopping cross-contamination is to be mindful of how and where raw meats are stored, how and where raw vegetables are stored, and how and where meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables are prepared. -Exposure to biological contamination doesn't happen just inside a food establishment. Food can become contaminated at a number of different points in the food growing, processing, and distribution chain. Here are some other places that food may be exposed to biologic contamination: growing/raising, harvesting, catching, or slaughtering, processing, packing, transporting, storing or holding, preparing, displaying, selling, serving.

Shigella

Is a strain of bacteria found in the digestive tract of humans and is transmitted by touching the feces of an infected person, swimming in a water where the bacteria is present or drinking water that is contaminated by the bacteria. Symptoms of a shigella infection usually develop within two to three days of exposure but can occur in as little as a day or as late as a week after infection. While the infection may "go away on its own" after a few days, diarrhea may persist for up to a week or more and may be spread to others through contaminated stool up to four weeks after symptoms have passed. Mild cases of Shigella may be confined to lose, watery stool. In severe cases, the infected person may develop dysentery and need to be hospitalized. In very rare cases, Shigella bacteria may impact other organs outside the digestive system leading to rashes, arthritis, kidney failure, and even neurological problems. -Many foods can transmit Shigella from person to person and many of them are favorites on food buffets and backyard barbecues. Here are some examples of foods at risk for Shigella contamination: - Salads with mayonnaise-based like potato salad, macaroni salad, fruit salad and green salad. -Minced shrimp salad, tuna, chicken and turkey salad, raw oysters - Rice balls, cooked beans and refried beans - Banana or rice pudding, sliced strawberries Shigella is easily transmitted from an infected person to others. The best defenses against this food borne disease are: hand washing, change gloves frequently, sanitizing work surfaces, sanitizing multiuser tools and flatware, do not work if you have been exposed to shigella.

Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)

Is a viral infection of the liver; anyone that was not immunized against Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) is a risk of infection. Once a person is exposed to HAV an incubation period of 15 to 50 days is needed before the viral load is high enough for symptoms to be easily recognized as HVA. The symptoms are - diarrhea, dark urine, jaundice, fever, headache, nausea and abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. -HAV symptoms are usually prevent for less than two months, but in a small percentage of cases, symptoms of the virus linger and lead to relapses for up ti six months. The HAV can and does live outside of the human body for months. Since it is virus, it can be killed. -Transmitted through undercooked shellfish harvested from polluted waters. -Ready to eat foods when handled by an infected individual Cold cuts and sandwiches -Fresh squeezed juices, raw vegetables and fruits, salads -Water contaminated with sewage and the bodily fluids of a person infected with Hepatitis A. -As a waterborne disease, HAV that is present in the water supply can be killed by sufficient chlorination. The virus also can be killed by heating it to 185F (85c) for one minute, It is important for food handlers to know that virus still can be spread if cooked food is contaminated after cooking. The spread of HAV between people can be prevented with proper sanitation and good personal hygiene, including washing hands. Remember, someone can carry the virus for up to two weeks before any symptoms are noticed. In the event that an employee has HAV or is suspected of having HAV that employee must not work until he has been cleared to return to work by a medical professional.

Displaying Food

It has been said that people eat with their eyes That is the reason that food displays are appealing. The purpose of the display case is that customers will find it appealing and choose to purchase from it. Since the food is available for purchase in a food establishment, it must comply with safe food practices and all reasonable efforts to protect it from contamination should be taken. It is the responsibility of the establishment t make sure that foods are wrapped properly and packaged securely. Open foods like olive bars or cookie displays must be protected with a cover, a case, or a sneeze guard. Proper holding temperature must be maintained to prevent spoilage and contamination. In self-service areas, like a salad bar or food buffet, utensils like spoons, ladles, and tongs must be available to customers do not touch the food by hand. the utensils should be replaced regularly by clean ones. Every effort must be made to prevent cross-contamination for safety foods with the handles above the top of the foods and their containers, in running water, or in properly cleaned and sanitized food preparation areas or cooking equipment.

Detergents

It is important to change out dirty water for clean water when sanitizing because dirty water, or water soiled with organic matter, can decrease the effectiveness of sanitizers. The act of cleaning items Lancôme in several forms. Machines such as dishwashers may be used in place to manual labor. the temperature of the fresh hot water sanitizing rinse in a dishwasher must be between 180F - 194F. It is important that you maintain minimum hot water temperatures as a part of regular plumbing maintenance and monitoring. Some larger and heavier pieces of equipment like margarita machines, juice machines, and slush or ice cream machines cannot be moved easily and must be cleaned where the equipment is located. It is important to develop procedures for these items that are considered clean-in-place systems (CIPs). As part of the cleaning and sanitizing process, any internal or external parts that can be removed should be removed and cleaned.sanitized using the process outlined above. The remaining portions of the piece of equipment should be cleaned with the appropriate detergent, in water as hot as the employee can tolerate. The equipment needs to be thoroughly rinsed to remove any detergent and loosened debris. Then the equipment needs to be sanitized and allowed to completely dry before being reassembled. The maximum temperature of 194F does not apply to wand-type, hand-held, or other spraying devices used for clean-in-place cleaning and sanitizing. Sanitizing is defined in the Food Code as applying cumulative heat or chemicals to cleaned food contract areas to create a 99.999% reduction of pathogens of public health importance. Sanitization can be accomplished by using chemicals, heat, or stream used at a temperature of 200F for at least 5 minutes. Sanitization and sterilization are not the same. Sterilization involves the destruction of all microorganisms.

Storage

It is important to use storage space in your establishment correctly. in order to eliminate cross-contamination, storage areas need to be neat, clean, sanitized, and organized in order to reduce the likelihood of contamination from biological, physical contamination or chemical sources. Here are some factors to keep mind about organizing each type of storage in your establishment: Walk in cooler and freezer organization 1. Keep meats stored not he lowest shelves -Keep meats that are thawing in a container large enough to contain the meat and any blood, water, or juice that may contain biological pathogens. 2. Leave space between items -Leave three to six inches between items to allow cold air to circulate -Over packing the cooler or freezer causes warm spots that allow biological pathogens to grow 3. Keep all foods off the cooler floor -Space in a walk-in freezer or cooler is prime real estate; fo not allow meat or poultry, fruit or vegetables, dairy items, or eggs to come into direct contact with the floor. -Item on the floor are easily contaminated by items on the shoes and pants of employees, biological pathogens in spills, and soap in mop water used to mop clean the floor. -Food on the floor create a date hazard tat employees or delivery people can trip on. 4. Keep delicate items away from fans and blowers -Berries, salad greens, and herbs need to be kept out of quickly moving air because they are easily damaged. -Food near blowers and fans is exposed to cooler air that may affect the quality of the food. -Food stored near fans in the freezer may get freezer burn, which will affect the quality of the food 5. First in/First out FIFO -Rotating stock so the items being used first are those that have been in stock the longest -Teach employees to read use by dates or best by dates to ensure product rotation -Remind employees to use open packages before getting another item to use 6. Label Everything -Label shelf space to help employees remember where to put things -Label products with the date made or received and the date the item needs to be used by -Keep a good supply of markers and labels that employees can locate -Make and enforce a rule about unmarked foods in the cooler or freezer and hold employees accountable to the standard

Lighting, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

Lighting levels should be suitable for working conditions without causing a glare. The light intensity shall be at least 108 lux (10 foot candles) at a distance of 30 inches above the floor. This lighting level applies to walk in refrigeration and freezer units as well as dry food storage areas. Dining rooms and other rooms in the establishment are also required to have lights that can be adjusted to the standard specified above so that they may be properly cleaned and sanitized. The type of lighting is as important as the light level. The light bulbs in walk-in coolers and freezers should be made of shatterproof glass and covered with a guard to keep broken bulbs form falling into food and causing physical contamination. Other lighting options for storage areas and food prep areas should be carefully considered and need to comply with all local and state codes. The ventilation and air conditioning systems should be large enough to handle the demands of the establishment and installed and regularly maintained by qualified technicians. The purpose of the ventilation and air conditioning system goes beyond keeping customers and employees cool. Other roles of the air handling system include: -Prevent high temperatures and humidity -Prevent steam and condensation from collecting -Remove contaminated air, grease, and unpleasant smells. You must ensure the ventilation system is properly cleaned and maintained, including cleaning and changing filters to prevent grease from dripping from ventilation hoods and cleaning intake and exhaustion ducts and changing the filters of air ducts to prevent dust and dirt contamination.

Importance of Food Safety to Customers

Maintaining high food safety standards helps to keep customers comfortable in your establishment. When you buy products from trusted and reputable wholesalers, you take the first step to set and maintain high standards. Good planning, consistent management, and thorough communication with your employees are crucial to maintaining the important food safety practices that will keep food safe and customers confident in the quality of the food they are buying. Remember, customers notice everything, so keeping your kitchen and food prep areas clean is as important as making sure that your dining room and restrooms are spotless. All of your efforts will go to waste if your employees are not wearing clean uniforms, have dirty hands, or appear to be sick-customers will notice. However, when you set and maintain high food safety standards, you will make customers fell confident that the food they are eating has been handled safe, sanitary, and proper manner. Remember, happy customers are loyal customers and loyal customers help make your business profitable. When employees are taught food safety, they understand the need to handle food correctly and keep their workspaces neat, clean, and sanitized. As your employees come better informed, they are less resistant to making the extra effort to maintain high food safety standards. Good training, clear standards, and consistent communication all contribute to your employees feeling more comfortable and safer at work and more likely to feel like a valued part of your team. Making sure that employees feel valued and are well trained has a direct impact on quality of the food products an establishment puts on the shelves, brings to a customer's table or delivers a customer's home. Investing in your employees will lower employee turnover and save you more money.

Management in Food Safety

Management should understand the following -The manner in which personal hygiene and food borne illness relate -How to prevent infected employees from contaminating foods -Symptoms of food borne illness -Time and temperature control of hazardous foods -How to identify critical control points -How to maintain a safe and sanitary establishment -The responsibilities of other food employees Management should ensure that: -Employees practice good personal hygiene -Employees handle, transport, cook, and store food properly -Employees understand food safety -Consumers are informed of the hazards of raw or partially cooked foods -Consumers are informed to use clean tableware when returning to self-service areas. -Specified illness and infections are reported to the proper authority -Anything that poses an imminent health hazard (Food code 8-404.11) is dealt with accordingly

Dry Good Storage

Many items such as canned goods, baking supplies, grains, and cereals may be held safety in dry storage areas. The guidelines below should be followed: -Keep dry storage areas clean with good ventilation to control humidity and prevent the growth of mold and bacteria -Store dry foods at 50F for maximum shelf life. However, 70F is adequate for dry storage of most products. -Place a thermometer on the wall in the dry storage area -Check the temperature of the storeroom daily -Store foods away from sources of heat and light, which decrease shelf life -Store foods off the floor and away from walls to allow adequate air circulation

Storage (biological)

Most foods already have biological contaminants within them, and proper storage can reduce the growth of these organisms. Keeping foods at cold temperatures will slow or stop growth of bacteria. Storing foods correctly will also reduce the potential for cross contamination. For example if raw meats is stored improperly above foods, the meat juices may drip into those other foods and contaminate them.

Regulatory Compliance for Raw Beef Grinding

Outbreak investigations difficult when retail stores produce ground beef by rising product from various sources. Therefore, it is very important for stores to keep clear records that allow investigators to determine which supplier produced the unsafe beef. Under 9 CFR part 320, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has amended its record keeping regulations to require that all official establishments and retail stores that grind raw beef products for sale in commerce maintain specific records regarding the beef they grind. These regulations were effective on June 20, 2016 and the records must include the following: 1. The establishment identification code of those establishments that supply material used to prepare each lot of raw ground beed product (a "lot of ground beef" is ground beef made from the same source materials documented from the time that the equipment was last cleaned to the next time the equipment is cleaned); 2. All suppliers' lot numbers and production dates 3. The names of each of the supplied materials, including beef components and any materials that are carried over from the production lot to the next; 4. The date and time each lot of raw ground beef product is produced; and 5. The dates and times when grinding equipment and other related food-contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized. These record-keeping requirements apply to all ground beef, including: - Ground beef from trim; and - Any raw beef that is ground at a customer's individual request. Additional requirements: - For those businesses that have multiple locations, these records must be maintained at each individual establishment where the beef is ground, and should not be moved to the company's headquarters. - These records must be kept for one year after the initial grinding.

Moisture

Pathogenic bacteria need moisture to reproduce. The amount of moisture in a food is described as "available water" and is expressed as "aw" means water activity which is a measure of the free moisture in a FOOD, is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature, and is indicated by the symbol AW. In order to multiply, most pathogenic bacteria need aw to be above 0.85

Chemical Contaminants

Perfume and cleaning supplies may get into foods as well.

Physical contamination

Physical contaminants are those that are not caused by other living organisms and are not considered chemical. Physical contaminants can be introduced at any time from harvesting of food to its consumption. An example would be paint-chip from an old wall that has fallen into soup. -Physical contaminants can consist of any number of items including: paint, packaging materials, pest droppings, food waste (including feathers and bones), employee jewelry, fingernails, hair, bandages, etc., glass, metal, and wood.

Storage (physical)

Physical contaminants can be any number of things, such as pests and dirt. Physical contaminants in storage may also come by way of poorly maintained storage facilities. If the facility is deteriorating, paints chips or packaging materials such as staples or cardboard may fall directly into stored foods; so all foods should kept covered properly.

Reheating Foods

Reheating foods that were properly cooled is also important. Although all possible precautions to keep food out of the danger zone have been taken, reheating and serving previously prepared foods requires special attention. According to the food code (3-403.11), cooked foods that have been cooled and will be reheated need to be heated to at least 165F for 15 seconds or more seconds. Also, reheat food only once and discard leftovers to avoid food borne illnesses. Food not intended for immediate consumption must be held at 135F or above. If the food has been prepared and then needs to be stored; it must be rapidly cooled and refrigerated to 41F or lower and it must be reheated to at least 165F for 15 seconds before serving.

Maintaining Toilet and Hand Washing Facilities

Restaurants are required to have adequate, accessible hand washing facilities and supplies. Those inspected and found to have inadequate or inaccessible hand washing facilities and supplies can receive a violation of health and safety codes. Your restrooms and their fixtures must be cleaned daily. Other required maintenance of toilet and hand washing equipment and facilities include: -You must make hot water available at all times in the toilet facility -Your toilet facilities must be well maintained, kept clean, and kept in good working order -You must maintain hand washing supplies and supply single-service soap or hand washing cleanser and towel dispensers or hot air blowers above all hand washing sinks and keep them in operable and full conditions -You must keep the toilet tissue dispensers full and sanitary for each separate toilet -You must offer and keep self-closing doors in toilet and dressing rooms and keep them working properly -You must post legible hand washing signs as appropriate -You must ensure that ventilation be supplied for each restroom and that it is in suitable working condition

Storing seafood

Seafood storage requires caution and attention. Employees should know the basics of storing seafood such as storing it in the coldest part of the refrigerator if it's to be used in two days; or avoid packing it in tightly with other items and allowing air to circulate freely around the package. Employees should also ensure that shellfish, such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams, and mussels are immediately discarded if they die during storage, or if their shells crack or break. Live shellfish close up when the shell is tapped. The benefits of correctly storing foods are the same as those for preservation, which include: -Prevent food borne illness -Avoiding spoilage and waste -Saving money by buying larger amounts and reducing waste -Maintaining food quality -Out of season food availability Storage should provide protection from contamination and should keep foods in their best possible condition.

Food Safety Modernization Act

The FDA Food safety Modernization Act (FSMA) establishes a framework that involves multiple layers of protection and recognizes the important role we all play in protecting consumers from unsafe food. At its core, however, FSMA makes it clear that the food industry has the primary responsibility for food safety. FDA role is to establish strong, risk-biased food safety standards and to oversee industry to help ensure that it is meeting these standards. Independent of FDA's oversight role, FSMA also puts an obligation on certain entities in the food industry to verify that their suppliers are meeting FDA food safety standards. The agency contemplates a role for reliable, third-party audits, whether they're conducted by a government agency or a private concern.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

The FDA recommends, and some local food administrations require, food establishments to use the HACCP system. This system examines and manages the way in which food is handled in a food establishment. HACCP establishes Critical Control Points that are the points of food handling when the food is most likely to be exposed to hazards. The most common CCPs are exposure to pests, time and temperature abuse, cross contamination, cleaning and sanitization, and personal hygiene. Some other critical control points include: -Receiving food from a vendor -Storing food in your coolers or freezers -Thawing food correctly -Cooking food completely -Hot holding of cooked foods -Cooling of extra food that can be used again -Reheating previously cooked food

Mandatory Recalls

The FDA works with companies on voluntary recalls to get a potentially dangerous food product out of the marketplace as quickly as possible. However, the FSMA now gives the FDA the authority to enforce a mandatory recall when a company does not voluntarily recall a potentially dangerous food product. Under the provisions of FSMA when the FDA wants to issue a mandatory recall order, it must first provide the responsible party with the opportunity to stop distribution and do a voluntary recall of the food in question. If that responsible party doesn't stop distribution or recall the food within the time and in the way the FDA has required, then the FDA may proceed with a mandatory recall. The FDA anticipates that mandatory recall authority will only be used in rare instances.

Prevention

The best prevention for pest infestations is cleanliness and vigilant monitoring and correction. If at all possible, before beginning operations it is best to correct anything that would promote pest infestation, such as sealing off pest access points and rooting out any pests already taking up residence. Keeping things clean is the most important part of prevention. Denying pests access to food water, a nice place to sleep, and safety from predators and the weather will stop them from coming in and multiplying. Employees should be trained to clean properly and promptly and never to leave foods out overnight. Garbage should be disposed of properly outside of food prep and storage areas. Areas where garbage is kept are prone to infestation and should be cleaned as often as possible.

Looking for Evidence of Pests (continued)

The best way to manage pests is to hire qualified pest control specialists. Specialists should inspect the property often, and thorough records of their visits should be kept by management. Establishments should monitor fo common pests such as rats, mice, weevils, flies, roaches, and ants and should take immediate action if any of these contamination pests are found in food storage areas, food prep areas, dish rooms, trash barrels, and dumpster corrals. Any employee concerns need to be taken seriously and investigated. Establishments and permit holders may be required to sign contracts with pest removal companies to regularly inspect and treat the facility as part of an integrated pest management program (IPM). The control of pests begins with the design of the building. Ideally, building should be constructed with pest-resistant materials, have minimal access points, and provide few hiding places for pests. However, most buildings lack one or more of these ideals.

Basic Considerations for Food Establishments (continued)

The considerations above are related only to the location and use of the facility. There are some factors that must be considered when opening a food establishment. These basic are basic guidelines. Each city may have statues or health codes that are different from the provisions listed below: -Adequate and suitable storage for food, chemicals, cleaning materials, and trash and other waste. -Appropriate lighting, ventilation and fire suppression or sprinkler systems. -Suitable facilities for washing food, preparing food and cooking food -Suitable facilities for cleaning and sanitizing utensils, dishes, equipment -Employee restrooms and customer use restrooms. -Easy access to all parts of the facility so that effective cleaning and sanitizing can be carried out. -Preventive measures against pest infestation -Devices for controlling the temperatures of TCS at all stages of the food flow -The ability to prevent biological hazards and food borne illnesses, policies to prevent physical hazards from entering food, and methods to reduce the likelihood of chemical hazards entering food -The supply of potable water and safe drainage systems

Pest Control

The food code (6-501.111) requires establishments to be kept free of all pests, especially insects and rodents. Pest control to get rid of pests may be accomplished using the following practices: -Maintenance of proper solid waste removal practices. -Regular inspections of incoming shipments of food and suppliers -Regular inspections of the building or site for evidence by a qualified pest removal technician -Removal/disposal of conditions that hide, conceal, or shelter pests by maintaining the exterior and interior of the establishment. -If pests are found, use peat control methods, i.e., trapping devices, identified in the Food Code.

Required Consumer Advisory Information

The food code 3-603.11, "Consumption of Animal Foods that are Raw, Undercooked or Not otherwise Processed to Eliminate Pathogens" requires that permit holders post consumer advisories that must include information about the dangers of these specified foods. Unless otherwise specified, if an animal food-including eggs, beef, fish, milk, lamb, pork, shellfish, or poultry-is served or sold raw, under cooked, or in another unprocessed way that doesn't eliminate potential pathogens, then consumers must be warned/reminded that there is a significant increase in the risk of consuming such foods. These consumer advisories must disclose this information using the following: - Brochures, - Deli case advisories, - Menu advisories, - Label statements, - Table tents, - Placards; or, - Through other effective written means.

Food Contact Materials (continued)

The food code is very specific about the types of wood that may be used. The wood must be hardwood with a closed grain. Here are examples of hardwoods that can be used: maple, oak, walnut, cherry. The remaining food contact surface that needs to be considered is tableware. Tableware, dishes, cups, glasses, sandwich plates, and soup cups or crocks must also be easily cleaned and sanitized and must be non-porous. Tableware gets used often, frequently bumped and often dropped. Employees must make every reasonable effort to keep tableware free of and chips or cracks. When chips or cracks are noticed, the item should be removed from service and thrown away to prevent the potential spread of physical or biologic contamination.

Principle 5: Establish Corrective Actions

The goal of a HACCP system is to identify health hazards and establish strategies to prevent, eliminate, or reduce their occurrence. However, deviations from established processes can occur. The fifth principle is to establish corrective actions for any deviation from established critical limits to prevent foods which may be hazardous from reaching consumers. Therefore, corrective actions should include the following elements: - Determine and correct the cause of non-compliance. - Determine the disposition of non-compliant product. -Record the corrective actions that have been taken. Specific corrective actions should be developed in advance for each CCP and included in the HACCP plan. As a minimum, the HACCP plan should specify what is done when a deviation occurs, who is responsible for implementing the corrective actions, and that a record will be developed and maintained of the actions taken. Individuals who have a thorough understanding of the process, product, and HACCP plan should be assigned the responsibility for oversight of corrective actions. Experts may be consulted to assist in determining disposition of non-compliant product.

Foodborne Hazards

The goal of every food safety program is to protect food from food borne hazards. Food an be subjected to many potential hazards, including physical contamination, biological contamination, and chemical contamination. Limiting food borne hazards starts when a business chooses wholesalers. Food suppliers should be purchased from reliable sources that have a good reputation and who are committed to providing high quality products to businesses. In addition to buying from reputable sources, business owners and managers must develop effective cleaning, sanitizing, chemical control, pest control, and trash/garbage removal. All employees mist be trained on the proper handling methods for raw foods and for cooked foods. They should also be committed to demonstrating the highest possible standards of personal hygiene.

Regulations

The goal of food safety is to provide safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented food to consumers. Regulation and legislation of food safety standards come from three levels. Federal: The most important federal agency regarding food safety is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regulates most food processing, regulates shipping and manufacturing, issues recalls of potentially dangerous foods, sets labeling standards, and publishes and updates the Food Code. The FDA Food Code sets the nationwide standard for food safety, and most state and local requirements are based on the the recommendations of this publication. State & Local: these agencies conduct inspections, give advice, enforce food safety laws, and issue permits. Every food establishment should have a good understanding of state and local codes. Other organization, such as professional and scientific bodies, provides voluntary standards and controls as well.

Sources of contamination

The largest single factor in protecting food from biological contamination is educating and training people. The people who work in the fields, in the transportation terminal, in the processing plant, in the warehouse, in the distribution process, and ultimately the people that work inside your establishment are the cause of and solution to much of the biological contamination that happens to our food. People contaminate food by touching it with unclean hands. Unwashed hands can transfer such bacteria as Salmonella, E. Coli, and Staphylococci from open areas of the body such as the nose, mouth, and skin sores. People subject food to time and temperature abuse. People try to buy food at lower cost to save money. Alternatively, people also play key role in protecting our food. When people wash their hands frequently, follow time and temperature guidelines or purchase food from reputable vendors, they are taking steps to ensure that our food is as safe as possible when it reaches the customer.

Best practices

The need to protect customers from harm is incredibly important. Many times, potential allergens hide in plain sight. Therefore, it is critical that your employees handle food of someone with an allergy with the utmost care and treat the situation as through they are protecting their own family members' health and wellbeing. -The most powerful tool that your employees, cooks and servers, cashiers and managers can have access to is information. It is your responsibility to provide easily accessible information so that customers can make informed choices about the foods that they eating. Here are some best practices to consider adding to your establishment: -Print your recipes and make them available to staff so everyone knows what ingredients are in tour dishes and what needs to be changed to accommodate diners with allergies. You should maintain ingredient list for all recipes. Make sure everyone knows the alternate names for the big eight allergens. -Create policy for both your front-and back-of-house employees. This policy should reflect how each person should handle and react to questions about allergen-free menu items. -Have a disclaimer up in your restaurant that explains to customers the need to alert their server if someone has food allergy. -Wipe down every surface first with soapy water and a clean cloth. Afterward, use sanitized cloths to wipe the surfaces again. -Identify special dietary meals such as allergen free dishes, and highlight them on your menus and menu boards. You can do this through the use of a special icon next to those dishes. -Use specially marked tools and plates in the kitchen that are reserved for allergen free dishes.

Workflow (continued)

The preceding items are all facets that a business owner needs to consider when selecting a facility or constructing a facility that will be used as a food service establishment. When each of these items are considered alone, it isn't easy to see how these all fit together to make a functional food service establishment. However, the design of a facility is an integral portion of reducing the likelihood of an outbreak of food borne illness or developing a pest infestation. Building design should make food processing as easy as possible. The design of the facility should aid in the simple and efficient flow foods from receiving to serving. The easier it is fir find ti move through the system, the more efficient the establishment will work. Here are some features that a well designed food service establishment will include: -Be easy to navigate and easy to clean -Have labeled, easy to find exits that are not hindered or blocked in any way. -Have hallways that are not cluttered -Have restrooms and locker areas that are easy to reach with adequate equipment and personal cleaning areas -Have doors that are self-closing and screen doors that prevent pest entry -Have any area that is designated as "food prep or storage" marked with signs to direct away unauthorized personnel, e.g., customers, to prevent contamination.

Poor Standards in Food Safety (continued)

The role that management plays in high food safety standards cannot be downplayed. Members of management are responsible for ensuring that a food safety plan is developed, implemented, and followed. Managers are responsible for ensuring that all employees are correctly trained or retrained, if the need arises. Managers must ensure that employees have the equipment needed to follow safe food handling practices. Managers must ensure that employees have the supplies needed for proper cleaning and sanitizing, and that equipment is working properly. Training employees will help you to implement your food safety plan. When employees know the correct way to store foods in walk-in coolers and refrigerators, the risk of cross-contamination is reduced. When employees prepare foods to the correct temperature and hold foods at the correct temperature less food is wasted. Employees who wash their hands frequently are less likely to spread viruses to coworkers or customers. A clean apron, a neat uniform or a hairnet instills a sense of confidence in your customer base and help to attract new customers and increase loyal customers. A few extra hours of employee training and education can reduce employee turnover and save countless hours searching for new employees. Employees, working with managers, ensure food safety standards are followed and reduce food code violations and poor inspection results. Each of these helps to preserve your business and reduce the likelihood of costly lawsuits or business closure.

Principle 2: Determine critical control points (CCPs)

The second principle addressed in developing the HACCP Plan is to determine the Critical Control Points (CCPs). CCPs are located at any step where food safety hazards can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels. At each CCP, a control measure is applied to prevent or eliminate the hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. CCPs must be carefully developed and documented. Different facilities preparing similar foods items can vary in the hazards identified in their related CCPs. This can be due to differences in each facility's layout, equipment, selection of ingredients, and processes. Examples of possible CCPs include: - A particular heat process used to destroy a specific microbiological pathogen at a set time and temperature. - Refrigeration of a precooked food to prevent hazardous microorganisms from multiplying. - Adjustment of a food to a pH necessary to prevent toxin formation. - Thermal processing - Chilling - Testing ingredients for chemical residues - Product formulation control - Testing product for metal contaminants

Principle 7: Establish procedures for record keeping and documentation

The seventh principle requires that the HACCP plan establish procedures for record-keeping and documentation. Records maintained for the HACCP system should include the flowing four components: 1. Summary of the hazard analysis, including the rationale for determining hazards and control measures. 2. The HACCP plan: a. Listing of the HACCP team and assigned responsibilities. b. Description of the food, its distribution, intended use, and consumer. c. Verified flow diagram. d. HACP plan summary table includes information for : i. steps in the process that are CCPs. ii. The hazards of concern. iii. critical limits. iv. monitoring. v. corrective actions. vi. verification procedures and schedule. vii. record-keeping procedures. 3. Support documentation such as validation records 4. Records that are generated during the operation of the plan.

Implementing and maintaining the HACCP plan

The successful implementation of a HACCP plan depends on the commitment from top management. The plan describes all of the individual responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the HACCP system. To complete the plan, the HACCP team and coordinator are selected and trained. The HACCP team then develops and coordinates the implementation of the initial plan. Product teams may also be used to develop HACCP plans for specific products. Once the HACCP plan is completed and validated, the various procedures and forms used for monitoring and corrective action are developed. All team members and workers who are responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the plan must receive the appropriate training. The HACCP team often will develop a timeline for the initial implementation of the plan. This involves the continued use of monitoring, record-keeping, corrective action procedures, and other activities as described in the HACCP plan. Maintaining an effective HACCP system requires regularly scheduled verification. The HACCP plan should be updated and revised as needed. An important aspect of maintaining the HACCP system is to assure that all individuals involved are properly trained so they understand their role and can affectively fulfill their responsibilities.

Thawing (continued)

The walk in cooler is already full to capacity and most of the other methods do not make any sense because the entire brisket needs to go into the smoker. Seeing no other alternative, the thawing method chosen is to submerge the brisket in running drinking water below 70F. After a coupe of hours, the meat is thawed completely and while the young prep cook has been busy helping, none of the meat has been exposed to the temperature danger zone and the meat can be used. Once some lessons are learned, they are not soon forgotten. For reduced oxygen packaged fish that is to be kept frozen until it is ready for use, there are some additional thawing requirements. It should only be removed from its reduced oxygen environment prior to being thawed in a refrigerated unit or prior to or immediately after completing thawing under running water.

Receiving (continued part 2)

There are penalties for violating regulations related to the proper receiving of food products and for accepting adulterated or misbranded food additives. However, there are some steps you can take to protect your establishment from these penalties. Letters of guarantee are often supplied by many manufacturers to their clients. If you dealing with a high risk supplier, make sure you have an updated letter of guarantee on file. Under section 303 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, persons will NOT be subjected to penalties for having "received, or proffered delivery of adulterated or misbranded food additives," if said person has established a good faith guarantee from the company from whom the products are being received from.

Temperature control

There are recommended methods for each of the temperature controls listed. Several of these control point are the responsibility of the manufacturer and the wholesaler while others are the responsibility of the food service establishment. -Food service establishments receive food that is already processed in some way. From flour to dry beans, deli meats to prime rib, and vegetables to egg - each one has already passed through several sets of hands before reaching your receiving door. That is why it is crucial that foods are checked in and inspected thoroughly. Meat that looks off color or is over 40F should be rejected. Vegetables that have signs of bruising, cracked eggs, frozen items that are thawed, and fish that looks dull or has a strong odor should also be rejected. Once the items are checked in, they must be stored correctly to prevent further time and temperature abuse. As items are stored, make sure that existing stock is rotated. Remember first in/first out. - Beef brisket is properly handled and thawed in a food establishment - a young prep cook accidentally put case of beef brisket into your walk in freezer, which holds the temperature at 20F.

Principle 2 (continued)

To control food safety hazards, it is essential to identify complete and accurate CCPs. In addition to identifying the CCP, the critical limit, method and frequency of monitoring and verification, actions to be taken when critical limits are not met, and the records that need to be maintained should be identified. The HACCP team uses the hazard analysis information to identify the steps in the process that are CCPs. It should be noted that a food employee or the Certified Food Protection Manager may monitor CCPs and for taking corrective actions. One way to identify each CCP is the use of a decision tree. Although a decision tree is a useful tool to help identify CCPs, it is not a mandatory element of a HACCP plan. A CCP decision tree is not a substitute for expert knowledge.

Separating Raw Animal Foods

To protect foods from cross contamination as required by the Food Safety Code, raw meats such as beef, poultry, pork, fish, and lamb must kept separate from each other during storage, preparation, and display unless you are combining them as ingredients. You can use use the following methods to keep raw meats separate: -Use separate equipment for each type of meat -Prepare each type of meat in separate areas or at different times -Arrange meats in equipment so that cross contamination does not occur, with raw meats stored beneath other products

Gloves

To satisfy proper food hygiene requirements, food workers should wear clean gloves when handling food. Food workers should change their gloves whenever they would end to wash their hands, particularly whenever the gloves becomes contaminated, ripped or torn. If a food worker's gloves become contaminated, the worker should: 1. Remove the gloves 2. Throw them away 3. Wash her or his hands 4. Put on new gloves

Raw meats

Touching various raw meats with the same unwashed hands can spread contaminants to multiple places such as other foods, tables, door handles, and equipment. When handling raw meats, raw poultry or raw fish, wash your hands frequently and change gloves often. Keep raw meat separate from other foods as much as possible. Raw material foods must also be separated from unwashed plant foods (fruits and vegetables) during storage, preparation, holding, and display. Some food establishments create different prep areas for vegetables to ensure the the potential for cross contamination is kept to a minimum. Other food establishments use color coding to ensure cross contamination is kept to a minimum. It is a good habit to clean and sanitize any area that comes in contact with raw meat immediately after it is used. This reduces the likelihood that the surface or tool is accidently used by another employee.

Principle 4: Establish monitoring procedures

Using the fourth principle, the HACCP team establishes monitoring procedures to: 1. Track the operation to ensure food safety and identify if there is a trend toward loss of control. 2. Determine if there is loss of control and if a deviation occurs at a CCP. 3. Provide written documentation for use during verification. During monitoring, workers follow a planned sequence of observation or measurements to assess if a CCP is under control and to produce an accurate record for verification. If monitoring reveals a trend toward loss of control, action can be taken to bring the process back into control before a deviation from a critical limit occurs and results in an unsafe food. Due to the potentially serious consequences of a critical limit deviation, monitoring procedures must be effective, Ideally monitoring should be done continuously. This is possible with many types of physical and chemical methods. In addition, monitoring equipment must be calibrated for accuracy.

Principle 6: Establish Verification Procedures

Using the sixth principle, the HACCP plan will identify the verification activities, other than monitoring, used to validate that the plan is accurate and the system operates according to the plan. Validating a HACCP system includes the proper identification of the hazards, critical control points, and critical limits, and instituting proper verification procedures. These procedures should take place during the development and implementation of the HACCP plan and maintenance of the HACCP system.

Employee Sickness

When employees become sick, they should notify their supervisors. If employees have symptoms of illness, they may still be able to work but in a different capacity. They may need to work away from food, or only with food that is packaged. Note: If an employee is ill or has any other symptom, Chapter 2 of the food code should be consulted as it deals with exclusions and restrictions. For example, food employees and conditional employees are informed of their responsibility to report in accordance with law, to the certified food protect manager, information about their health and activities as they relate to diseases that are transmissible through food. There has been no reported case of AIDS/HIV transmission through working with food. AIDS and HIV infected personnel are considered disabled, and through the Americans with Disabilities Act it is illegal to discriminate or to stop them from working. Overall, it is important to maintain a high degree of personal hygiene in the workplace. Supervisors should strive to set a good example, produce and maintain a hygiene standard, monitor and enforce the standard, and educate employees on goof hygiene practices.

Spoilage

When food has spoiled, it can take on a different appearance than fresh food. It is pretty easy to tell when food has spoiled because it changes color and texture. Spoiled food smells and taste bad. There are numerous factors that can affect perishable food safety and quality. Each one if those factors can and should be controlled in your food establishment. - Light, heat, humidity, oxygen, time & temperature, and food spoilage.

Water Supply Interruptions

When water service has been interrupted for at least two hours or more, you are experiencing an extended interruption of water service. Because water can act as a direct medium for contamination of food and food service contact surfaces, contamination of the water supply is an especially important concern that should be taken into consideration and be prepared for in cases of water supply interruptions. In cases of single loss water service occurrences, the person-in-charge is required to take the following actions: 1. Make note of the date and time of water loss 2. Evaluate the operations affected by the water loss 3. Inform the regulatory authority at the start of the interruption, without delay 4. Either put into action the proper emergency procedures if you have been approved to do so by the regulatory authority or remain closed until you have been approved to re-open by the regulatory authority. 5. During a general and extensive interruption of water service where contact with the regulatory agency is not possible, you should discontinue operations at once if their safe operation cannot be continued via the use of substitute measures.

Principle 6: Established Verification Procedures

With an effective HACCP system, firm can rely on frequent reviews of the HACCP plan, verification that the plan is being correctly followed, and review of CCP monitoring and corrective action records rather than using end-product testing. The initial HACCP plan must be validated to confirm that it is scientifically and technically sound, that all hazards have identified, and that its proper implementation will effectively control all hazards, Information used to validate the HACCP plan includes expert advice and scientific studies, and in-plant observations, measurements, and evaluations. For example, validating a HACCP system used for cooking beef patties should include the scientific justification of the heating times and temperature used to destroy pathogenic microorganisms (i.e., enteric pathogens). In addition, validation will confirm that the cooking process and conditions will deliver the required time and temperature to each beef patty. Subsequent validations are performed and documented by a HACCP team or an independent expert as needed. For example, validations should be conducted if there is an unexplained system failure, a significant product, process, or packaging change, or if new hazards are found. In addition, an unbiased, independent authority should conduct a periodic comprehensive validation of the HACCP system. Such experts can be internal or external to the food operation. This review should include a technical evaluation of the hazard analysis and each element of the HACCP plan, as well as on-site review of all flow diagrams and appropriate records from operation of the plan. Supporting documents should be provided such as the training plan for food employees and supervisor, copies of blank records forms, and additional scientific data or other information as required by the regulatory authority. The regulatory authority may also require other information, including general information from the permit holder or permit applicant. Individuals within a company, third party experts, and regulatory agencies carry out verification activities. Individuals performing verification must have the appropriate technical expertise.

Cooking

cooking the various items that are offered on a menu properly is key to providing a quality item that customers will enjoy and above all is safe for consumption. Most establishments offer variety of meals, most involving some type of protein that requires specific cooking standards in order for it to be safe for consumption. This section will cover the specific temperatures for meats, eggs, shellfish and fish, and ham or other cured meats. Other factors that must be considered when cooking in a food establishment may include: -When cooking large pot roasts cut them into smaller pieces to cook more effectively and evenly. -When cooking poultry and fowl, consider using inly the meatier great portions of the bird -When roasting or baking meat, poultry or fowl it is a good idea to turn the pan to ensure even cooking -When cooking sauces, stews, soups or chili stir the food regularly to ensure even cooking and heating -When using a microwave to cook foods, rotate or stir foods halfway or throughout cooking and allow the food to stand for two minutes after cooking so the heat can equalize to the required internal temperature in all parts of the foods.

Norovirus

is extremely contagious. A person with norovirus feels very sick without warning because the illness comes on suddenly. An infected person is contagious from when he or she first feels sick to a period from three days to two weeks after she recovers. The illness is brief but it can keep most people from being able to go to work or school. Since this is viral infection it cannot be treated with antibiotics, anti-viral medications, or vaccination. Most people called the Norovirus the "stomach bug" or the "stomach flu." Doctors often call it acute gastroenteritis or viral gastroenteritis. Most people will recognize norovirus by following symptoms - nausea and vomiting, stomach cramping, watery non-bloody diarrhea, headache and muscle aches, low grade fever and chills. - There are people who have the norovirus and do not have any symptoms. still contagious -This virus can be transmitted on surfaces like counter tops, drinking glasses, handrails, and trays. The best ways to combat this virus are frequent hand washing, proper cleaning and sanitizing, and staying away from the food establishment while ill. If someone becomes ill and vomits or has a diarrheal incident, you must have a written plan in place that includes instructions for the use of EPA registered disinfectants that can destroy norovirus.