Development of a food safety manual for food service workers

Food Safety Manual

Food Safety

Purpose and Scope of Manual

Foundations for Use

Safe Food Handling

The Flow of Food

Purchasing and Receiving

Storage

Preparation

Service

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

Employee Food Safety Training

Food Safety Manual

Nearly 1 in 6 Americans will become sick due to foodborne illness each year and of these, 3,000 will die (CDC, 2011). Since 1997 the number of Escherichia coli has been cut in half, but the prevalence of Salmonella infections has remained stable. Salmonella infections are estimated to be responsible for $365 million in direct medical care costs each year, thus foodborne illness continues to represent a significant medical and economic burden in the U.S. Government agencies therefore continue to investigate and promote greater compliance with food safety practices.

Purpose and Scope of Manual

The apparent success in reducing E. coli infections due to food contamination is proof that foodborne illness is a preventable condition (CDC, 2011). Towards the goal of further reducing food contamination and illness, this manual on food safety will present what is known about the causes of foodborne illness and how it can be prevented (FDA, 2009a).

Food service workers play an essential role in food safety because they are the last line of defense before the food reaches the consumer (FDA, 2009a). Everyone, from farmers to food manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products they produce in terms of food safety, but the greatest responsibility rests with food handlers and their supervisors. While health inspectors can play an important food safety role by ensuring food service establishments meet basic standards, their ability to prevent illness is limited because they cannot remain within an establishment to oversee all food handling activity.

Safe Food Handling

Based on the evidence, food handlers make the biggest contribution to foodborne illness by storing the food at the wrong temperature, undercooking the food prior to serving it, using unclean food preparation equipment, obtaining food from an unsafe source, and improper personal hygiene (FDA, 2009b).

The guidelines for food safety will include the following (FDA, 2009b):

1. Food handlers will not be allowed to handle food if they appear to be sick in any way, this includes workers with a common cold, allergies, or a cough.

2. Food handlers are required to be properly groomed and wearing clean clothing.

3. Prior to beginning work, all food handlers will cover their clean street clothing with a clean outer garment provided by management and wash their hands and arms.

4. Food handlers involved in food preparation or serving will be required to wear a hair restraint, such as a hair net or hat. This does not apply to prepackaged food items.

5. Fingernails must be kept trimmed and clean. Workers who wear polish or nail extensions are required to wear gloves in good condition.

6. Eating, drinking, or smoking will not be permitted in the food preparation areas.

7. The wearing of jewelry on the hands and arms is not permitted, except for plain wedding bands.

8. Before entering or reentering the food preparation or serving areas, all employees must wash hands and arms. Hand washing is also required after handling body parts, raw food, contaminated utensils and equipment, and before using gloves. The technique to be followed is the following:

a. Hand washing must not be done using a sink that is used for food preparation.

b. Using warm water, completely rinse hands and arms.

c. Apply a sufficient amount of detergent to hands and arms to cover the entire surface and then rub vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds, paying attention to fingernails and the area between the fingers.

d. Rinse thoroughly.

e. Dry hands and arms with paper towels or another approved method. When it is necessary to touch a door handle or other device to exit the cleaning facility, the use of a paper towel to maintain a clean barrier is required.

The Flow of Food

One of the more important aspects of food safety is the proper handling of food during receipt, storage, preparation, and serving. The following sections review the food safety requirements with respect to these different tasks.

Purchasing and Receiving

All food must be purchased from sources that comply with applicable laws (FDA, 2009b). Milk, raw meats, and seafood, for example, represent potential sources of contaminated food that can cause serious health problems or even death. Foods that are intended to be eaten raw, such as seafood and other meats, must arrive packaged and labeled in a manner consistent with applicable laws.

Upon arrival, all refrigerated perishables must be at a temperature of 5? F. Or lower (FDA, 2009b). Raw eggs are the only exception to this requirement and can arrive at 7? F. Or lower. Frozen food should arrive frozen and all precooked foods should be at or above 135? F. All food should be inspected for signs of temperature abuse and rejected when discovered.

Storage

All foods will be stored at the recommended temperature (FDA, 2009b). Food items stored in generic containers must be clearly labeled if the identity of the food is not obvious. An example of an obvious food is dry pasta, but non-obvious foods include cooking oil, sugar, or salt. The containers should be clean when the food is placed in them, as should the utensil used to place the food in the container. In most cases, food items should not be handled with bare hands. The exceptions would be raw fruits and vegetables. Prepackaged and unpackaged food should be stored separately.

Preparation

The preparation of foods requires that all surfaces, utensils, and equipment be properly cleaned and disinfected before use (FDA, 2009b). All raw fruits and vegetables will be washed before preparation. Tasting can be done using a clean utensil if it is used only once before it is cleaned again. The storage of utensils during food preparation without cleaning is appropriate if the handle sticks above the food, is placed on a clean portion of the preparation surface or equipment and this surface is cleaned frequently, kept under running water when handling moist foods, or placed in a container of clean water that is maintained at 57? F. All unpackaged foods should be protected from contamination during the storage and preparation process. All potentially hazardous foods should be cooked and maintained at the appropriate temperature, or kept refrigerated, unless a customer has specifically requested a raw portion. In the latter case, the customer should be warned that food safety cannot be guaranteed.

Service

Prior to serving food to customers, all food handlers will wash their hands and put on single use gloves (FDA, 2009b). Food will be served with utensils when possible and stored when not in use as described above. Bare hands can only be used to directly handle food during serving if prior approval is obtained from management. Second servings require clean plates or bowls, but drinks can be refilled if the dispenser never touches the drink container. All foods being served must be maintained at the appropriate temperature.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

The hazard analysis for a HACCP plan in a restaurant is grouped by whether and how the food is cooked (FDA, 2006). The food in the first group is served without being cooked and the second group involves food that is cooked and immediately served. The third group encompasses food that is served before being stored again. Third group foods can then be reheated and served or served directly, but the important point with the third group is that it transitions through the temperature danger zone of 41 to 135? F. more than once.

An example would be raw chicken, which is a favorable host for Salmonella and Camylobacter, among others (FDA, 2006). If the chicken is to be used in a cold salad, then it must be cooked and then cooled for storage. The critical control points and critical limits in this process would be (1) cooking the chicken to a final temperature of 165? F. For 15 seconds and then (2) quickly cooling the chicken to a temperature below 41? F. These critical control points should be monitored and if the correct limits are not achieved, then the chicken should be discarded. Critical control point process should be verified using evidence-based guidelines and records kept to ensure that the critical limits are achieved in a timely fashion.

Employee Food Safety Training

An FDA panel recommended that all food handlers receive training in personal hygiene, health, food hygiene, and food protection (FDA, 2005). Educating food handlers about the eight major food allergens was also considered a priority, but could be adapted to the specific needs of a particular establishment. The primary responsibility for providing this training rests on the shoulders of management and food preparation supervisors. Task-specific training will be provided by supervisors. Supervisors in turn will be required to have the proper combination of experience and education to ensure food safety guidelines are followed. In addition, all new employees will be required to obtain food handler certification prior to handling food. The training requirements and retraining schedules are established by the respective state and local authorities.