Your customer’s health is in your hands!

This Section deals with all aspects of Food Safety and gives tips on Safety Measures in your Restaurant .

Index Of Safety Articles:

• Cold Foods
• Cooking Temperature Monitoring Chart
• Cooling chart
• Direct Hand Contact with Ready to Eat Foods
• Disposable Gloves
• Do & Don't
• Food Borne Illness
• Flies
• Garbage Area Maintenance
• Hand Washing
• Hand Washing Pledge
• Wash Your Hands
• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
• Hot food Temperatures
• Hot tips on Temperature
• Integrated Pest Management Control
• Methods for Quick Chilling
• No Smoking
• Potentially Hazardous Foods
• Time Date Labeling
• Weekly Thermometer Calibration chart

Cold Foods:

Why Are Food Temperatures Important?

The major causes of food borne illness are improper cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding temperatures. That is why during handling of cold foods they must be maintained out of the temperature danger zone which is between 41°F and 140°F.

What Is The Required Temperature?

Cold foods need to be held at 41°F or less to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria and to preserve freshness and quality.

What To Do?

Keep all cold foods under refrigeration or store properly on ice. Check temperatures of the equipment and of the food stored in cold holding units frequently. Maintaining a temperature log is a good monitoring tool.

To thaw frozen foods use:

• the refrigerator
• cold running water
• the microwave oven as part of the cooking process

Never thaw foods at room temperature.

COOKING TEMPERATURE MONITORING CHART

Restaurant Name: __________  Date: __________

COOLING CHART

Corrective action taken: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Direct Hand Contact With Ready To Eat Foods

Employees should avoid direct hand contact (using bare hands) with ready- to- eat (RTE) foods whenever possible.

• Ready-to-eat food means food that is an edible form without further washing, cooking or additional preparation and or food that the consumer would reasonably expect to consume in that form. Ready-to-eat food includes: raw, washed cut and whole fruits & vegetables, deli meats and cheeses, baked goods and food that has been previously cooked to required temperatures.
• Whenever possible, employees must avoid direct hand contact with RTE food by using a suitable utensil such as deli tissue, spatula, tongs or single use gloves. Utensils must be stored properly.
• Employees must wear gloves only if a safety hazard is not created. Gloves should not be worn by employees using mechanical equipment, or while working at a hot grill or carrying hot containers.
• Employees must thoroughly wash their hands before using utensils or gloves.
• If gloves are used to handle RTE food, they must be:
  • single use gloves such as vinyl or latex or the disposable plastic ones, not heavy-duty rubber gloves
  • used for only one task or procedure and for no other purpose
  • discarded when damaged or soiled
  • discarded when interruption occur in the task or operation

When direct hand contact with ready-to-eat food is considered unavoidable (i.e. safety reasons) and alternatives such as utensils can not be used, a facility must use the following procedure:

• At least annually, review its operation to identify and document procedures and workstations that require direct hand contact with RTE foods.
• Update and remove areas on the list if a suitable alternative can be developed.
• Provide focused education and training to employees involved in these procedures on proper hand washing procedures that reinforces the importance of hand washing when handling ready-to-eat foods.

Disposable Gloves:

Why Use Disposable Gloves?

The correct use of gloves can afford a measure of food protection during preparation and service. Disposable gloves should be used when food handlers have a non-infected bandaged cut, scrape or burn on their hands. The gloves can protect the injury from contamination as well as protecting the food. Also, use of the gloves may be appropriate in food assembly when manual contact is unavoidable, such as sandwich, salad, and taco preparation.

Why the Concern?

If the disposable gloves are used incorrectly, then they can be contaminated, like your hands, with bacteria that can cause food borne illness. The gloves will then become a source of food contamination.

Using disposable gloves require handlers to wash their hands more frequently. Bacteria will grow rapidly in the warm, moist environment created by the use of disposable gloves. The use of gloves should not be a substitute for proper hand washing practices.

What to do?

• Hands must be thoroughly washed before applying gloves.
• Change the gloves frequently when the gloves become soiled, torn or the task changes. At that point, remove and discard the gloves and then wash your hands.
• Gloves must never be re-used or washed.

When stocking gloves in the facility, we recommend placing dispensers at hand sinks only. This will encourage food service workers to wash their hands prior to the use of gloves.

"Do's and Don'ts" for Managers

The following "Do's and Don'ts" should receive your special and frequent attention. This is not only a matter of sanitation, but also of good business. You owe it to your customers to serve them clean, wholesome food. Most people do not complain to

you about unsanitary conditions or other dislikes, but they do tell their friends, and may never return. You owe it to your

employees to provide them with information regarding sanitation and good food service. If you don't know and practice good

principles of food service, you employees can't be expected to either. 

Do: Provide adequate, convenient hand washing

facilities for your employees and customers. These

should include hot and cold running water, hand

cleanser, and individual towels. At least one

hand washing sink should be located in the food

preparation area.

Do: Have screens, air screens, or other

equipment to keep flies out of your establishment.

Promptly kill any insects which might get in.

Do: Have adequately protected display and/or

storage facilities for bread, pastry, etc.

Do: Use single-service, disposable tableware if

proper facilities are not available for cleaning

and sanitizing multi-use utensils.

Do: Keep refuse in water-tight containers with

fly-tight covers. Regular removal of refuse is

essential. Cardboard boxes are not acceptable

refuse storage containers.

Don't: Permit dry sweeping. Use brooms and a mop with disinfectant.

Don't: Allow insects or dust to contaminate your

food. Keep it protected!

Don't: Allow the use of tobacco by employees while

preparing or serving food or in food preparation

areas.

Don't: Let refrigerator temperatures get above 41°F. Be sure that an accurate thermometer is kept in a visible position in each refrigerator.

Don't: Thaw frozen foods at room temperatures.

They should be thawed at refrigerator temperatures,

or under cool, potable running water, or during cooking.

Don't: Keep foods in dirty or corroded tin cans. Food

storage containers should be easily cleanable.

Don't: Allow the use of chipped or cracked dishes as

cooking utensils.

Don't: Store foods in direct contact with shelves or ice.

Don't: Store foods on the floor.

Don't: Allow hands to be washed in utensil washing

sinks or food preparation sinks, or vice-versa.

Don't: Permit use of towels to dry cleaned and

Sanitized utensils together. This only serves to recontaminate the articles.

Don't: Store insecticides or other poisonous

compounds in any place where they may be confused

with ingredients that go into food.

Food-borne Illness

 What is Food borne Illness?

A food borne illness is a disease that is carried or transmitted to people by food. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or chemicals. Most people call this "food poisoning."

Prevention

Food borne illness is controlled by:

1. Maintaining food temperatures
2. Good personal hygiene practices
3. Frequent cleaning and sanitizing
4. Pest control
5. Avoiding chemical hazards

Proper training of all employees in the importance of these factors will go a long way in preventing a food borne illness from occurring in your Restaurant. Employees should also be informed that proper hand washing is the best defense against the spread of germs that can cause food borne illness.

What to do?

If a customer complains of illness that implicates food from your Restaurant, you should notify the Health Department immediately. An investigation can determine the source of the illness. Any problems that originate in your Restaurant can be corrected immediately. 99% of the time is from incorrect safety food management control.

These steps can help you minimize economic loss and harm to your reputation. The Health Department will work with you to prevent possible outbreaks of food borne disease.

Flies

 Did you know...

Fruit flies and drain flies are little insects that seem to appear out of nowhere and though they are usually killed on sight, more appear the next day. They are attracted to ripe or rotting fruits and vegetables, vinegar, beer, and any yeast resulting from fermentation. Fruit flies and drain flies can breed anywhere; even an open bottle of empty tomato sauce will serve flies well for a home. Any rotting or fermenting material (fruits and vegetables) should be removed, so that the flies do not have a source of food.

You should know...

Fruit flies often hover or circle in one area, while drain flies do not fly in any pattern. There is usually a grouping on a wall or they may fly above rotted fruit or sewer drains. A fly problem is one that will not just go away. Females will lay up to 500 eggs, which will hatch in about one day! This will turn any small fly problem into a major fly infestation.

What should you do?

Fruit flies and drain flies are an indicator of unsanitary conditions. Any area where flies are present should be cleaned and sanitized especially areas with moisture and food (drains, spills, fruit peels, dirty dish areas, or food items under equipment). The breeding sites must be eliminated to eliminate the flies, so clean wherever you see them! Remember that good sanitation practices are the only way to eliminate these pests.

Garbage Area Maintenance

 Why is garbage area maintenance important?

Proper storage and disposal of garbage and refuse is necessary to minimize odours, eliminate breeding places for insects and rodents, and keep food service areas clean. Improperly handled garbage creates nuisance conditions, makes housekeeping difficult, and may be a source of contamination of food, equipment, and utensils.

What to do?

1.      Keep large outside Dust Bins closed at all times. Open Dust Bin lids attract pest birds, insects, animals, and creates an odour problem.

2.      Don't set garbage outside the back door on the ground. Garbage on the ground attracts pest birds, insects, and animals, and can lead to pest problem in the building.

3.      Break down cardboard boxes. Boxes that are not flattened before being placed in the outside Dust Bin take up space needed for garbage disposal.

4.      Bag all garbage/food waste in plastic garbage bags. Garbage not placed in tightly sealed plastic bags cause odours and attract pests.

Hand Washing:

Why wash your hands?

A major cause of food borne illness is the lack of proper hand washing.

Soiled hands will contaminate food. The germs that cause illness are too small to see. Your hands may look clean, however, there could be millions of bacteria and other germs on them. For this reason, you need to wash your hands frequently.

What to do?

When to wash your hands?

1. Before handling, preparing food or serving food.
2. Before handling clean utensils or dishware.
3. After using the restroom.
4. After touching your face, cuts or sores.
5. After smoking/eating/drinking.
6. After handling raw meat - especially poultry.
7. After touching unclean equipment, working surfaces, soiled clothing, soiled wiping cloths, etc.
8. After collecting and taking out the garbage.
9.  

Wash your hands

All employees must wash their hands thoroughly before beginning work and after using the restroom. Employees must use soap, warm water, and disposable towels to wash their hands.

 Where?

Only use sinks designated for hand washing. Never wash hands in sinks where food is prepared or pots, pans, utensils, or equipment are washed.

When?

You should always wash your hands after:

·         Using the restroom.

·         Touching your face or hair, especially if you wear makeup or hair ointments.

·         Using a handkerchief or tissue.

·         Touching unclean equipment, work surfaces, soiled clothing, etc.

·         Handling raw food, especially meat and poultry.

·         Smoking eating and drinking.

·         Clearing away dirty dishes, utensils, etc.

·         When hands become visibly soiled.

·         Handling money.

·         Touching infected parts of the body.

 Why?

Our customer’s health is in your hands! Hands are probably the most common vehicle for the transmission of contamination to food and food contact surfaces. Good hand washing procedures are essential to the prevention of E-coli, hepatitis, salmonella, and staph.

Remember: cuts and open wounds must always be covered with clean bandages and the bandages should be covered with plastic gloves or finger plasters.

Use of a common towel is prohibited- for hygiene purposes.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point

Hot Foods Temperatures:

Why Are Food Temperatures Important?

The major causes of food borne illness are improper cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding temperatures.

What Are The Required Temperatures?

Proper cooking temperatures vary according to the food being cooked.

What to do?

Cook foods to the proper temperatures and take the temperature with a probe thermometer. Reheat foods in the oven and check temperatures before placing on a steam table or hot holding unit. Never use the steam table to reheat foods. Hold all hot foods at 140°F and check temperatures frequently.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

 What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

IPM is a system that uses physical, biological, and only as a last resort, chemical means to maintain, control or eliminate unwanted insects and vermin.

The IPM approach involves both the food service manager and the licensed pest control operator working together.

Three steps to IPM are:

·         Clean the entire facility and remove any unnecessary/unusable items. Eliminate any unused equipment, shipping containers, and miscellaneous items. Clean all surfaces including casters, legs, undersides of equipment, and areas subject to food and mop splatter.

·         Caulk all cracks and crevices, especially around plumbing lines and wall trim. Repair damaged walls, floors, fixtures, and structural material to enhance area cleaning and eliminate possible areas for pests to hide.

·         Chemical controls applied only used by a Licensed Pest Control Operator. A Pest Control Operator can apply residual chemical barriers into cracks and crevices in areas where pests live and breed.

Why use Integrated Pest Management?

·         You can decrease the chances of pest infestations by maintaining a clean, well constructed facility.

·         You can save money through decreased use of expensive and potentially dangerous chemicals.

·         You can decrease losses of products and stock due to pest contamination. 

Methods for Quick-Chilling Foods

Why Quick-Chill Foods?

One of the major causes of food borne illness is improper cooling of foods.

Why the Concern?

The longer food remains in the Temperature Danger Zone (140°- 41°F), the greater the chance there is for bacteria to grow. Cooked food must be cooled to prevent the growth of bacteria. Food must cool from 140°F to 70°F in two hours then from 70°F to 41°F in four hours.

What to Do?

Place large containers in an ice water bath and stir the food every 15 minutes until it reaches 41°F. Change the water and ice frequently.

Divide large quantities of food into smaller portions. Use shallow pans and leave uncovered until food reaches 41°F. Stir the food if possible. Place pans in the cooler in an area of good air circulation.

Use ice as a substitute for water in the recipe. This method is very effective in soups and other liquid foods.

Use a probe thermometer to check food temperatures during the cooling process.

Reminder: Never cool foods at room temperature.

No Smoking:

Why Not Smoke?

Employees shall not use tobacco in any form while engaged in food preparation of food service, or in utensil washing or in food preparation areas. Employees may use tobacco only in designated areas. Areas shall not be designated if the use of tobacco might result in the contamination of food, equipment, utensils or other items needing protection.

Why the Concern?

Smoking is not allowed by employees anywhere but in designated areas because of the probability of contamination of food and food-contact surfaces. Smoking causes employees to touch their hands to their mouth which can lead to contamination of anything they touch.

Employers must also observe the no smoking law in various countries, eg. South Africa and New Zealand, which prohibits smoking in specific areas of the work place, including common workspaces.

If employees must smoke, an area (break-room, office, outside) must be designated and used. When establishing an area as a smoking area, existing physical barriers, ventilation systems and other physical elements of the facility shall be used to minimize the intrusion of smoke into areas where smoking is not permitted.

What to do?

Employees are to thoroughly wash their hands after smoking.

Potentially hazardous foods

What Are They?

Potentially hazardous foods (PHF) need extra care in handling. These are foods that spoil easily, and if not handled properly can cause food borne illness. Common foods that are considered to be potentially hazardous are:

Some other foods that are potentially hazardous are:

What to do?

Keep all potentially hazardous foods out of the temperature DANGER ZONE (140° - 41°F) by keeping hot foods at 140°F or above and cold foods at 41°F or below. Check temperatures of the food with a probe thermometer frequently in where foods are stored in:

Time-Date Labeling:

 Why Time-Date Label Foods?

Cooked foods must be rapidly cooled from 140°F to 70°F in two hours or less and 70°F to 41°F in four hours or less to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria. In order to monitor the cooling process, and also to help in inventory control, foods must be labeled.

What to do?

Write the time and date of preparation on a label and place on the container.

OR

Write the time and date of preparation directly on the container with a grease or wax pencil. These wash off easily.

Label foods that have been cooked and are to be cooled such as:

WEEKLY THERMOMETER CALIBRATION CHART