2012 Rhode Island Food Safety Task Force 18th Annual Food Safety Conference

Introduction

In 2007, the Universities of Rhode Island and Massachusetts were awarded a NIFSI grant (2007-5110-03816) by the USDA entitled “Food Safety Education to Assist Residential Childcare Institutions (RCCIs) in the Development and Implementation of a HACCP-based Food Safety Plan”. The goal of this project was to train and assist RCCI personnel to develop and implement a HACCP-based food safety plan as required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. This requirement includes all schools/organizations who participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs such as Residential Childcare Facilities.

Food Safety Education to Residential Childcare Institutions (RCCIs): Food Safety Basics Training

The materials and resources developed during the project were pilot tested, reviewed and revised in an effort to reflect the needs of smaller RCCI facilities (20 residents or less); but larger facilities will also find the resources very helpful. The program includes a curriculum with “hands-on” activities for personnel that are designed to assist the RCCIs developing and implementing a food a implement a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) based food safety program. The curriculum focuses on staff training. The training is divided into three modules:

Module 1 focuses on the cause and prevention of foodborne illness using the four  Fight BAC! / Be Food Safe Principles: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.  

Module 2 focuses on the development of a food safety plan using process Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).  Participant activities, along with charts and fact sheets necessary to complete them are located in the training manual.

Module 3 focuses on the contents and development of the food safety plan. Included in this module are sample documents and data collection forms that are required for the completion and implementation of the plan.

The curriculum materials include:

1. Power Point presentations for Modules one and two
   

   Module One

   Module two

2. RCCI Staff Training Manual:  Modules 1 and 2 power point presentations note pages, participant activities and module evaluations. The appendix includes food safety data collection forms and fact sheets. The manual also includes a section on food safety education for RCCI residents using a video (See below) developed for this audience.
   RCCI Staff Training Manual
3. Instructor Training Manual: Includes an extensive teaching outline for each module, all educational resources in the staff training manual and other supporting educational      materials and certificates of completion for each module.
   Instructor Training Manual
4. Food Safety Kit Booklet A listing of suggested food safety items that could be used by RCCI facilities in implenting their food safety plan (e.g. sanitizer test strips, color cutting boards, and digital thermometer, and data collection log sheets.
   Food Safety Kit Booklet
5. Food Safety Smart Video: Food Safety Education for Residential Childcare Institutions 
   This video can be used by RCCI staff for resident food safety training. The 15 minute Food Safety Smart video is based on the USDA FIGT BAC ! Principles:    Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill. Divided into 7 chapters, it features teenagers preparing a meal.  Each chapter is illustrates poor food safety behavior and then demonstrates the        correct food safety behaviors accompanied by explanations.
   Video Download Options:  
   
6. Food Safety Plan Template:  This is a word document that may be tailored to meet the specific needs of an RCCI.  All the required forms and data collection sheets for the development and implementation of a comprehensive food safety plan are included with the template.Food Safety Plan Template

All of the curriculum resources may be downloaded free of charge on the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education Website: http://www.uri.edu/ce/ceec/foodsafety.shtml.

Printed copies of the curriculium and video as well as a flash drive with all resources are also available for $65.00 by completing the order form below.  For more information contact:  Dr Lori Pivarnik, PhD, Coordinator of Food Safety Outreach and Research at pivarnik@uri.edu
Download RCCI Curriculum Package Order Form

To provide information on:

• A definition of Standard Operating Procedures(SOP)
• What should be included in an SOP
• Examples of SOP’s
  

What are SOP’s?

Standard Operating Procedures are written instructions, which describe procedures designed to work towards maintaining an environment, which promotes the reduction of risk of foodborne illness.

It is very important that the food service manager is able to demonstrate that they took prudent and reasonable precautions to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in the foodservice environment. SOP’s will:

• Document the food safety program
• Communicate the food safety program to employees
• Provides an opportunity to review current food safety practices
• Make modifications/improvements

Developing SOP’s

• Based on specific food handling and sanitation practices established in the current Rhode Island Food Code and established organizational policies and procedures
• Focus on preventing foodborne illness by focusing on the major causes including:
  • Lack of temperature control
  • Personal hygiene
  • Cross Contamination
  • Contaminated ingredients
  • Sanitation
• Include all aspects of the operation from receiving to serving
• Are very specific — who, what, when, how
• Useful in training employees correct methods/procedures
  

Examples of SOP’s

• Calibrating thermometers
• Cleaning and sanitizing equipment, work surfaces and facility
• Cooking PHF
• Cooling PHF procedures based upon charting
• Hot and cold holding including recording food temperatures
• Personal hygiene issues including handwashing, employee attire
• Preparation
• Receiving

Revised 6/00
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education

To provide information on the food safety principles included in the 1994 Rhode Island Food Code that are of critical importance to the Certified Food Safety Manager

Introduction:

August of 1994, Rhode Island adopted a new model food code which replaces the Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Food Establishments and Regulations Relating to the Sanitation of Food Businesses. Rhode Island’s new code is based on the Food and Drug Administration’s 1993 Food Code.The requirements contained in the code for foodservice establishments, retail, vending operations and processors emphasize preventing foodborne illness problems rather than detecting them in food.

The numbers in parenthesis refer to the specific section in the Food Code. A copy of the Code may be obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health, Division of Food Protection, (401) 222-2750.

Chapter I-Purpose and Definitions

Are included in the Code to explain and clarify the Code’s requirements.

Comminuted
A food item that has been made smaller by chopping, grinding or mincing. This includes food items whose ingredients are changed such as gefilte fish, formed roast beef, gyros, ground beef, sausage and a mixture of two or more types of meat that have been chopped, flaked, ground or minced and mixed together such as sausages made with two or more meats. A higher cooking temperature is required for comminuted foods (See Chapter 3 for more detail).

Critical Item
A step or process in the Code, that if not followed is more likely than other steps or processes to contribute to food contamination, illness or environmental deterioration. Critical items in the Code are denoted with an asterisk *.

Food Establishment
An operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption: such as a restaurant; satellite or catered feeding location; catering operation if the operation provides food directly to the consumer or to a conveyance; institution; or food bank; a transportation vehicle or central preparation facility that supplies a vending location; a mobile, stationary, temporary or permanent facility or location; where consumption is on or off the premises; and regardless of whether there is a charge for the food.

Food Processing Plant
A commercial operation that manufactures, packages, labels or stores food for human consumption and does not provide food directly to the consumer.

HACCP Plan
A written document that includes procedures for following the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles is required for certain food preparation and processing operations.

Highly susceptible populations of people who are more likely than other groups of people to get a foodborne illness. This includes the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, the very young and pregnant women. They may live in a health care facility, assisted living situation or a custodial care facility. The Code has more stringent requirements for food served to this population because they are at greater risk of foodborne illness.

Person in charge
The person who is responsible for the operation of the food establishment at the time of inspection. The Code includes an outline for the responsibilities and knowledge requirements of the person in charge.

Potentially hazardous foods
Includes but is not limited to foods of animal origin that are raw or heat treated; a food, of plant origin that is heat treated or consists of raw seed sprouts, cut melons; garlic and oil mixtures. Potentially hazardous foods do not include: air-cooled hard boiled egg with the shell intact; a food with a water activity of 0.85 or less; a food with a pH of 4.6 or below when measured at 75 F; a food, in an unopened hermetically sealed container, that is commercially processed to achieve and maintain commercial sterility in dry storage and distribution; a food for which a variance has been granted when laboratory evidence demonstrates that rapid and progressive growth of infectious and toxigenic microoganisms or the slower growth of C. Botulinum cannot occur.

Chapter II-Management and Personnel Supervision

• There must be a person in charge in the facility during all hours of operation of the food establishment
• The person in charge must know and apply the following information listed in section 2-101.11 of the Code. (This knowledge may be demonstrated through certification as a manager certified in food safety as required under separate regulations):
  • Preventing foodborne illness
  • Application of HACCP principles including identifying critical control points in the operation from purchasing through sale or service that may contribute foodborne illness. This includes explaining and showing steps taken to assure that the points are controlled as required by the Code.
  • The RI Food Code requirements and other related subjects as requested by a RI Department of Health official.
  • The person in charge must assure that employees are implementing the following processes and procedures and monitor them daily (2-103.11):
  • Thoroughly cleaning hands.
  • Properly cooking potentially hazardous food especially those foods known to cause severe foodborne illness and death including eggs and comminuted meats, and checking routine monitoring of the cooking temperatures.
  • Using proper methods to rapidly cool potentially hazardous foods that are not held hot and are not eaten within four hours and checking routine monitoring of food temperatures during cooling.
  • Properly re-heating and hot holding potentially hazardous foods.
  • Consumers who order raw or partially cooked foods of animal origin are informed in writing (by brochures, deli case or menu advisories, label statements, table tents, placards, etc) of the significantly increased risk associated with vulnerable consumers eating certain foods raw or undercooked (3-603.11).
  • Consumers under the age of twelve may not be served raw or partially cooked comminuted foods of animal origin.
  • The establishment/facility is operating in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Employee Health
  The person in charge must require all food employees and job applicants to provide information about their health as related to certain diseases including (2-201.11):
  • Active cases of tuberculosis and measles.
  • Is diagnosed with or had a past illness due to Salmonella typhi; Shigella spp, Escherichia coli 0157:H7 or Hepatitis A viruses infection.
  • Symptoms such as abdominal cramps or discomfort; diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite for three or more consecutive days, vomiting, jaundice or open or draining wound on the hands.
  • The person in charge, may not allow an employee to work, or may restrict an employee’s job assignments in the facility depending upon the nature of their illness/symptoms (2-201-12, 2-201-13).
• Personal Cleanliness
  Food employees must wash their hands and exposed portions of their arms twice, for twenty seconds each time using hot water and soap and rinsing with hot water. They must use a nail brush during the first washing to clean fingertips, nails, and between fingers. This procedure must be followed after (2-301-13):
  • Beginning or returning to work.
  • Using the bathroom.
  • After coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or tissue.

Chapter III-Food

• Temperature Danger Zone-41°-140° F.
• Pasteurized Eggs substituted for Shell Eggs (3-302.13) Pasteurized liquid, frozen, or dry eggs or egg products must be substituted for shell eggs in the preparation of:
• Food items in which eggs are not thoroughly cooked including: Caesar salad, hollandaise or bernaise sauce, eggnog and other egg-fortified beverages, ice cream , and noncommercial mayonnaise.
• Eggs for a high risk population that are combined and not cooked and eaten right away.
• Preventing Contamination from Hands
• Employees may not touch ready-to-eat food with their bare hands. They must use utensils ie: deli tissue, spatulas, tongs or single use gloves (3-301.11).
• Single-use gloves are used for only one task, such as working with ready-to-eat food or raw poultry and not used for other purposes. Cooking Final End Cooking Temperatures (3-401.11 to 3-401.14)
• Poultry and stuffed meats -165° F for 15 seconds.
• Ground pork and ground beef and -155° F for 15 seconds.
• Most other potentially hazardous foods-145° F for 15 seconds.
• Beef roasts- 140° F (temperature to be maintained for 12 minutes) or 130° F (temperature to be maintained for 121 minutes) or as otherwise specified in sections 3-401.11 to 3-401-15 of the Code.
• Establishments serving a highly susceptible population (ie hospital, nursing home) cannot be exempt from the above listed cooking temperatures (3-401-11 B)
• Microwaved Food Temperatures (3-401.15)
• Heating an additional 25° F or higher than conventional end oven product temperature. *Rotated and stirred during cooking.
• Covered to retain surface moisture.
• Allowed to stand covered for two minutes after cooking to obtain an even temperature.
• Cooling (3-501.14)
  Cooked potentially hazardous must be cooled:
  • From 140° F to 70° F within two hours; and from 7O° F to 41° F or below within four hours.
  • Potentially hazardous food must be cooled to 41° F or below within four hours if prepared from ingredients at room temperature, such as canned tuna.

• Ready to Eat Potentially Hazardous Food, Date Marking
  • Refrigerated ready to eat potentially hazardous food prepared and held for more than 24 hours must be marked with the date of preparation.
  • A container of ready to eat potentially hazardous food prepared and packaged elsewhere must be marked with the manufacturer’s “sell-by” or “use by date”. If the product is not sold or served within ten days, it must be thrown out.
• Time as a Public Health Control (3-501.19)

• Food must be served or thrown out within four hours from the time it is removed from temperature control and the total time, including cooling time (time the food was between 45° and 140° F) cannot be more than four hours. Approved written procedures must be kept at the food establishment.
• Variance and HACCP Plans Required for Food Processing and Food Manufacturing operations at Retail (3-502.11)
• Before smoking or curing food; brewing alcoholic beverages; using food additives as a method of preservation; using reduced oxygen method of packaging food as specified in 3-501-12.
• Custom processing animals that are for personal use as food and not for sale or service in a food establishment; or preparing food by another method that is determined by the regulatory authority to require a variance.
• Packaged Food Labels (3-602-11)
  *Foods packaged in a food establishment shall be labeling according to law including 21 CFR 101 Food Labeling, 9 CFR 317 Labeling, Marking Devices and Containers and 9 CFR 317 Subpart N.

Chapter IV-Equipment, Utensils, and Linens

• Equipment, Food Contact Surfaces, and Utensils (4-602.11) shall be cleaned:
  • Before each use with a different type of raw animal food including beef, fish, lamb, pork or poultry.
  • Each time there is a change from working with raw foods to working with ready-to eat foods.
  • Between uses with raw fruits or vegetables and with potentially hazardous food.
  • Before using or storing a food temperature measuring device.
  • Any time during the operation when contamination could have occurred.
  • Food contact surfaces and equipment used for potentially hazardous foods should be cleaned as needed throughout the day, but must be cleaned no less than every 4 hours.
• Sanitation of food contact surfaces and utensils (4-703.11)
  After being cleaned, equipment food contact surfaces and utensils must be sanitized by:
  • Minimum ten second contact time for chlorine sanitizes.
  • Minimum thirty second contact time for all other approved sanitizers

Chapter VIII-Compliance and Enforcement

• When a HACCP Plan is Required (8-201.13)
  • The permit holder must submit to the RI Department of Health for approval a HACCP Plan for approval if a variance is required.
  • A variance is required for: smoking or curing food; brewing alcoholic beverages; using food additives as a method of preservation; using reduced oxygen method of packaging food; custom processing animals that are for personal use as food and not for sale or service in a food establishment; or preparing food by another method that is determined by the regulatory authority to require a variance. (see 3-502-11).
• Contents of the HACCP Plan (8-201-14)
  • Listing of the potentially hazardous foods by categories that are being prepared/ processed.
  • Flow diagram for each category of food identifying critical control points and providing information on: ingredients, materials and equipment used in preparation.
  • Recipes that include methods and control measures that address food safety concerns.
  • Employee training plan
  • Statement of standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for the plan that include: each critical control point and its critical limits; method and frequency of monitoring and controlling each critical control point; corrective action to be taken; records to be maintained that demonstrate that the HACCP plan is operational.
  • Scientific data or information which will validate that food safety is not being compromised by the proposed plan.

Prepared by: Martha Smith Patnoad, MS, CFSP, Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education Specialist, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Rhode Island.

Reviewed by: Ernest Julian, PhD, Chief, Division of Food Protection, Rhode Island Department of Health Dr Lori Pivarnik, Research Associate IV, Food Science Specialist, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Rhode Island 9/95, 12/99

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a system which provides the framework for monitoring the total food system, from harvesting to consumption, to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. The system is designed to identify and control potential problems before they occur. In its Model Food Code, the Food and Drug Administration has recommended the HACCP system “because it is a system of preventive controls that is the most effective and efficient way to assure that food products are safe ” (1999 FDA Model Food Code) . The application of HACCP is based on technical and scientific principles that assure safe food.

Currently, the food industry, including foodservice, supports the use of HACCP and its principles as the best system currently available to reduce and prevent foodborne illness. HACCP was first developed and used by the Pillsbury Company in the late 1950′s to provide safe food for America’s space program.
Federal and state regulatory agencies have adopted the HACCP approach. Beginning in January of 1998, all seafood processors who ship their product across state lines will be required to have HACCP plans in place. Also in 1998, USDA began to require that meat and poultry processing plants have HACCP plans in place. Many state and local food regulatory agencies base their inspections on HACCP principles and may, in certain instances, require HACCP plans for specific food items. Food safety educators now use the principles of HACCP as the basis for their educational programs.

HACCP consists of seven steps used to monitor food as it flows through the establishment, whether it be a food processing plant or foodservice operation. The seven steps of the HACCP system address the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards.

In August of 1997, the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods adopted new recommendations on “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and Application Guidelines.” These guidelines are designed to facilitate the development and implementation of effective HACCP plans. The new recommendations are reflected in this document. For more information on HACCP principles, in particular formal HACCP, contact your local extension educator. Also, the reference list includes several excellent resources on HACCP.

HACCP Terminology

Critical Control Point (CCP) - A procedure/practice (control) in food handling/preparation that will reduce, eliminate or prevent hazards. It is a “kill” step that kills microorganisms or a control step that prevents or slows their growth.

Hazard - Unacceptable contamination, microbial growth, persistence of toxins or survival of microorganisms that are of a concern to food safety.

Monitoring - Checking to determine if the criteria established by the critical control point(s) (CCP) have been achieved.

Risk - Probability that a condition(s) will lead to a hazard.

Severity - Seriousness of the consequences of the results of a hazard.

Practical HACCP Principles

Practical HACCP principles adapt the seven HACCP steps into a form that is easily applied in a non commercial setting. The seven steps deal with the issues of thorough cooking and cooling which are the major causes of foodborne illness.

In order for this simplified, focused application of HACCP principles to be effective in reducing the risk of foodborne illness, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) of personal hygiene, basic sanitation and food storage must be developed and adhered to. The SOP’s should be developed, taking into consideration the types of foods that will be prepared during the foods labs, the number of students involved in the food preparation activity and the type of equipment to be used. The SOP’s can be listed in the form of a checklist, which can be checked off as each item is accomplished.

Formal HACCP Seven Steps

1. Conduct a hazardous analysis.
The purpose of a hazardous analysis is to develop a list of hazards which are likely to cause injury or illness if they are not controlled. Points to be considered in this analysis can include: skill level of employees; transport of food; serving elderly, sick, very young children, immune-compromised; volume cooling; thawing of potentially hazardous foods; high degree of food handling and contact; adequacy of preparation and holding equipment available; storage, and method of preparation. The next step is to determine if the factors may influence the likely occurrence and severity of the hazard being controlled. Finally, the hazards associated with each step in the flow of food should be listed along with the measures necessary to control the hazard.

2. Determine Critical Control Points (CCP’s)
A critical control point is any step in which hazards can be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels. CCP’s are usually practices/procedures which, when not done correctly, are the leading causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Examples of critical control points include: cooking, cooling, re-heating, holding. To determine CCP’s ask the following questions:

• At this step in preparation can food become contaminated and/or can contamination increase?
• Can this hazard be prevented through corrective action(s)?
• Can this hazard be prevented, eliminated or reduced by steps taken later in the preparation process?
• Can you monitor the CCP?
• How will you measure the CCP?
• Can you document the CCP

3. Establish Critical Limits
A critical limit ensures that a biological, chemical or physical hazard is controlled by a CCP. Each CCP should have at least one critical limit. Critical limits must be something that can be monitored by measurement or observation. They must be scientifically and/or regulatory based. Examples include: temperature, time, pH, water activity or available chlorine.

4. Establish Monitoring Procedures
Monitoring is a plan which includes observations or measurements to assess whether the CCP is being met. It provides a record of the “flow of food” through the establishment. If monitoring indicates that the critical limits are not being met, then an action must be taken to bring the process back into control. The monitoring system should be easy to use and meet the needs of the food establishment, as well as the regulatory authority. It is important that the job of monitoring be assigned to a specific individual and they be trained on the monitoring technique.

5. Establish Corrective Actions
If the criteria for a CCP is not being met, some type of corrective action must be taken. They must meet the standards established in Step 3, must be based on facts for normal working conditions and be measurable. Corrective actions may range, for example, from “continue cooking until the established temperature is reached” to “throw out the product,” depending on the severity of the situation.

HACCP plans should include the following: who is responsible for implementing the corrective action and what corrective action was taken. They should be established in advance as part of the HACCP plan.

6. Establish verification procedures
These procedures are activities, other than monitoring, that determine the validity of the HACCP plan and that the system is operating according to the plan. An important aspect of verification is to determine if the plan is scientifically and technically sound. Also, that all the hazards have been identified and that, if the HACCP plan is properly implemented, these hazards can be effectively controlled. Verification can be accomplished by expert advice and scientific studies and observations of the flow of food, measurements and evaluations. Another means of verification is an on site review of the established critical limits. Each CCP will have one independent authority. This verification step provides an opportunity to make modifications to the plan if necessary.

7. Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures
Record-keeping and documentation procedures should be simple to complete and include information that illustrates that the established standards are being met. Employees need to be trained on the record-keeping procedures and why it is a critical part of their job. Examples of records include time/temperature logs, checklists, forms, flowcharts, employee training records, and SOP’s.

(“Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Principles and Application Guidelines”, Adopted August 14, 1997, National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods)

Practical HACCP Seven Steps

1. Review menu and highlight potentially hazardous foods

2. Review recipes that include potentially hazardous foods and highlight problem ingredients.

3. Include critical temperatures and times in the recipes/procedures.
Use critical temperatures established by USDA for consumer use. (Note critical temperatures may be somewhat different for the food industry and are based on state/federal regulations.)

4. Check food temperatures during preparation, holding, cooking and cooling.
Food temperatures should be checked using a bi-metallic food thermometer. Remember, when cooling food, time is critical. The food needs to be cooled to 40° F in no more than two hours.

5. Correct if required temperatures are not being met.
Specific steps to be taken should be previously established and could be included in SOP’s. For example, when roasting a chicken, if at the end of the prescribed cooking time, if the temperature has not reached 180°F, the correction is to continue cooking until that temperature is reached. However, in some cases, the “correction” may involve throwing the food item away because throughout the preparation process, the food may have been mishandled.

6. Verify that the previous steps are being followed.

• Review plan
• Review deviations and corrections
• Visual inspection

7. Record time and temperatures.
A system for recording temperatures should be developed. This system can be in the form of a notebook or charts that includes the intervals at which the temperatures should be taken and recorded.

Revised 5/00
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education

• Food Manager Certification/Re-certification
  Copies of current Food Safety Manager Certification and Re-certification certificates issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health
• Current Menu
  Highlight the following:
  • PHF items prepared a day ahead of service.
  • PHF items hot held for more than 4 hours. Place an H in front of the menu item.
  • PHF items that are served raw such as sushi, little necks, oysters on the half shell. Place an R next to the menu item.
  • PHF cooked to customer’s specifications. Place an R next to the menu item.
    
• Consumer Advisory
  Is required if PHF are served raw or cooked to the customer’s specifications
  
• Employee Training
  Documentation including date, time, length, outline of content of training. List of attendees.
• Highlights of 1994 Rhode Island Food Code
• Personnel Records
  • Employee schedules including absences due to the illnesses listed on the Illness Reporting Agreement
  • Signed Illness Reporting Agreements.
• Recipes
  Includes critical cooking temperatures
• Standard Operating Procedures
  o Cleaning and Sanitizing equipment, utensils, dishware, etc.
  o Personal hygiene practices including hand-washing, attire, use of single use plastic gloves
  o Cooling PHF
  o Hot holding PHF
• Temperature Control Documentation
  
  • Cooling Graphs. Charts documenting time and temperature throughout the cooling process of hot PHF prepared a day ahead of service. This documentation must be verified every six months or if there is a change in the ingredients or cooling method.
    
  • Temperature Log(s)
    + Hot Holding Temperatures. Record temperatures of PHF held form more than four hours every two hours.*
    + Refrigeration Unit(s). Check and record temperatures of all refrigeration units twice a day, at opening in the morning and mid-afternoon and/ or mid-evening.*
    
    *Log sheets must be kept for 30 days.

Revised 6/00
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education

Certified managers are responsible as stated in the current Rhode Island Food Code for the food safety training of all employees. Developing and implementing a food safety training program is critical to maintaining an environment in which all reasonable efforts are taken to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. The final report of an FDA Ad Hoc Committee on Training stated that “80% of all foodborne illness can be traced to a procedural problem due to the actions of employees who either did not know or understand the value of using designated procedures to keep food from becoming contaminated” ( McSwane, Rue, Linton, 1998).

Employees need:

• Knowledge of what is expected of them
• Motivation to do the right thing at the right time
• A work environment that encourages and rewards correct food safety behaviors

Motivating Employees

The key to motivating employees to want to learn requires an understanding of the adult learner. Adult learners, to learn, must be emotionally comfortable with the learning situation. This includes not only the physical setting (size of the room, temperature, and lighting, etc.) but also their readiness to learn. Below are listed adult education principles that can serve as a guide in developing and implementing training programs:

• Motivation to learn is critical. Adult learners need to feel they will benefit from the training.
• Adults retain what is relevant to them and what they need to do their job. If they see where they will apply the information, they will be motivated and learn better.
• People learn in different ways and at different speeds.
• People learn best by doing which includes active participation in the learning process.
• Adults will learn best if a variety of training material is used. Everyone does not learn the same way. Use a variety of methods of presenting material, which provides different ways to learn.
• Reinforce learning by praise and rewards. The employee who is praised and/or rewarded for applying what they have learned may give incentives to other employees to improve their knowledge.
• Treat adult learners with respect. There is no such thing as a “dumb” question. If more information is needed, perhaps the meaning was not clear. Adults embarrass easily and need positive feedback to overcome feelings of inadequacy.
• Short sessions (15-60 minutes) are most effective. Vary the method of presentation so learners will not be bored.
• Learners like feedback on their ability to apply what they have learned. Evaluate and inform learners of their progress.
• Know the level of understanding of the adult learners and present material they can easily understand. When employees know what is expected and how to do it, the usual result is satisfactory performance.

Developing a Training/Education Plan

Training is a planned series of events including sharing information and opportunities to put shared information into practice. It usually includes five phases. In phase one the learner sees and accepts training. Phase two focuses on acquiring knowledge-learning what, how and why. In the third and fourth phases the learner learns to do, receives feedback, practices what is learned and succeeds. Phase five focuses on the learner performance on the job. He knows what is expected and how to do the job. Positive rewards and achievement, as well as reinforcement of correct performance, are also part of this phase.

The first step in the development of a training program is to determine the training needs. In order to determine the training needs, the manager must understand what skills and behaviors are required to perform the job. This is called a task analysis. A task analysis is simply looking at the job to be done and dividing it into small tasks. These tasks are then listed in the order that they should be performed.

All employees need to know and apply specific food safety principles in their work. They should be able to demonstrate the following food safety competencies/tasks:

• Demonstrate the double handwashing procedure and state when it must be used.
• Show how to correctly clean and sanitize a food contact surface.
• Show how to cook hamburgers, chicken, fish, turkey, etc. and verify that the end temperature and time is correct according to the Food Code.
• Show how to cool food safely.
• Describe how to make a safe salad.
• Describe how leftovers are handled.
• List the “hazards” and controls associated with her new job. Describe how to monitor each hazard control to assure that it was done correctly.
• List criteria for purchasing and handling food served as purchased.
• Show how to transport, hold and serve food hot and cold.

This list of expected behaviors/competencies now becomes the training outline. This outline should include competencies that are required of workers by the Food Code as well as those expected by the employer. The manager also needs to know the level of knowledge/practice of the expected behaviors/competencies.
Once the topics to be presented in the training sessions have been determined, the next step is to determine time, location, method, length of the training sessions and the resources to be used.

Passive learning is one of the least effective training methods. Examples of passive learning are lectures, slides, videos and flip charts. Sharing information about food safety principles does not insure that the principles will be put into practice. People most often will only remember 10% of the material that was presented through passive learning. Passive learning combined with demonstrations may insure that the principles presented are put into practice. These sessions should be short and to the point. The training will be even more effective if the employees have an opportunity to demonstrate to the manager their mastery of the food safety principles. For example if the training topic is “handwashing”, first review the steps for the double handwash using a visual to illustrate, then have the employees partner and actually observe each other washing their hands.

Today, there is a wide variety of training resources available to the manager. They include numerous books, pamphlets, videos, home study courses using CD-ROM and other computer-assisted learning programs. The training method and materials selected should be based on the literacy level of the employees. The training material should be accurate, factual and up to date. It should be attractive, using eye catching visuals, which makes the information presented memorable.

Evaluation of any training session is critical. It is important that the manager know if the method and materials chosen have had an impact on food safety behaviors. Evaluation can provide feedback to both the employee and manager as to the effectiveness of the training. It can also help determine the content of future training sessions.

Remember to keep in mind the adult education principles when planning and implementing training sessions.

Training Resources

There are numerous sources for training materials. Many national organizations offer a wide variety of resources specifically designed for the foodservice worker. The websites listed below will guide you to a variety of training materials available from government agencies and private industry and trade associations.

Books

Jones, Julie Miller. Food Safety. St. Paul, MN, Eagan Press, 1992

Loken, Joan, K. The HACCP Food Safety Manual. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1995.

McSwane, David, Nancy Rue, Richard Linton. Essentials of Food Safety and Sanitation.Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1998.

ServSafe Coursebook, First Edition. Chicago, IL, Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association, 1999.

Web Sites

http://www.foodsafety.org is a compilation of food safety database information from government, consumer and public health organizations.

http://www.usda.gov is a site that includes current food safety information from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and listings of food safety curricula available through the USDA Agricultural Library.

http://www.foodinsight.org/ is the site for the International Food Information Council which provides information on a variety of current food safety issues.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/ is the site for the FDA. This includes information like the most current model food code and the “Bad Bug Book”.

Works Cited
1. Daves, William. How to Teach Adults. Manhattan, KS, The Learning Resources Network. 1984.
2. McSwane, David, Nancy Rue, Richard Linton. Essentials of Food Safety and Sanitation. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1998.
3. ServSafe Coursebook, First Edition. Chicago, IL, Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association, 1999.

Revised 6/00
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education

• Never taste raw or partially cooked meat, poultry, eggs, or fish.
• Always thaw or marinate raw meats or poultry in the refrigerator. Never reuse marinade.
• Cooking temperatures in conventional ovens should be at least 350° F. Partial or interrupted cooking often produces conditions that encourage bacterial growth.
• Cooking food to an internal temperature of 160° F usually protects against foodborne illness. To make sure meat or poultry over two inches thick is cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer. Insert the tip into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding fat, bone or gristle. For poultry, insert the tip into the thick part of the thigh next to the body. For meat and poultry less than two inches thick, look for clear juices and lack of pink in the center as signs of “doneness”.
• Cook frozen meat or poultry about one and one half times the length required for the same cut when thawed.
• Never make recipes in which eggs remain raw or partially cooked. Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning can grow inside fresh, unbroken eggs. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Scramble eggs to a firm texture.
• Stir and rotate your food for even cooking in the microwave. The Microwave cooking process sometimes leaves cold spots in foods. Bacteria can survive in these spots. Observe the standing time called for in a recipe or package directions. During the standing time, food finishes cooking. Insert the oven temperature probe or a meat thermometer to check that food is done.

Revised 6/00
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education

HACCP (pronounced “has-sip”) is an acronym for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. It’s an effective way of ensuring the safety of food. It works by preventing food safety problems from developing rather than testing food after production to see if it’s safe.

HAACP was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a way to assure that the food produced for the space program was safe. The Pillsbury Company, in cooperation with NASA, worked out this method of controlling food safety problems.

There are two parts to HACCP. Part one includes making a list of things that can cause the food to be unsafe—we call this hazard analysis. Part two is deciding at which place in the production of the food the hazards can best be controlled—we call this the critical control point for that hazard.

How does HACCP Make Seafood Safe?

All parts of the seafood processing operation are examined for hazards including raw materials, ingredients, processing steps, storage, and distribution. Hazards include disease-causing organisms, toxins, environmental contaminants (like pesticides), chemicals (cleaners, sanitizers, lubricants, etc.), and physical hazards (wood, metal, and glass). For each hazard, a critical control point is identified where the potential food safety problem is controlled.

Records are kept at each critical point so inspection agencies can be certain the HACCP system is operating to provide safe food. As an extra measure of safety, certain sanitation activities also must be conducted and documented.

Under the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, all seafood processors will be required to operate under the HACCP program. All imported seafood also will be covered.

What do Consumers Need to Do to Keep Seafood Safe?

The most important considerations in safe handling of seafood at home are cleanliness, temperature, and time. Keep your hands, preparation area, and utensils clean. Never let raw seafood come in contact with cooked seafood or other raw (or cooked) foods.

Seafood is highly perishable. If you are buying seafood at the supermarket, make it one of your last purchases. Use your eyes, hands, and nose when selecting fresh fish or shellfish. Your purchase should feel cold to the touch. And it shouldn’t smell “fishy.” The odor should be similar to that of a sea breeze.

Be aware of temperatures—of the air, of your refrigerator and freezer, of cooking. Keep foods out of the danger zone (40 degrees F- 140 degrees F). Be aware of time—limit how long the fish and shellfish are refrigerated.
Finally, to help keep your seafood safe, keep it clean, keep it cool, and keep it moving! By abiding by these rules and adopting the following guidelines, you can be confident that your efforts and the HACCP program are working together to keep seafood safe.

What’s the Right Way to Handle and Store Seafood?

The storage life of seafood depends on how well you take care of it, whether a whole fish or a live oyster. When your seafood purchase arrives home, store it immediately in your refrigerator or bury it in ice. When purchasing fresh-frozen seafood, place it in the freezer immediately.

Fish. The shelf life of fish depends on the variety and its quality at the time of purchase. In general, you should use fish quickly—within one to two days.

Shellfish. Buy live shellfish from reputable dealers, or ask to see the certification tags that indicated the shellfish were harvested from safe waters.

Store live shellfish, such as oysters and mussels in the shell, in a shallow dish covered with damp towels or moistened paper towels. Never put live shellfish in water or in an airtight container. Scrub shells with a stiff brush just prior to shucking or cooking.

Mussels live in the shell should be used within two to three days; clams and oysters in the shell, within seven to ten days. If some shells open during storage, tap them. They will close if alive; if not, discard them.

Store shrimp, squid, and shucked shellfish in a leak-proof bag or container. Squid and freshly shucked clams have a shelf life of one to two days. Shrimp and scallops have a shelf life of about two to three days. And freshly shucked oysters have a shelf life of five to seven days.

Live lobsters and crabs should be cooked the day they are purchased. Store cooked, whole lobsters or crabs in a rigid airtight container and use them within two to three days. Cooked, picked lobster or crab meat may be stored in a sealed moisture-proof container or bag for three to four days. Pasteurized crab meat can be refrigerated for up to six months before opening; use it within three to five days after opening. Follow the “use by” dates on the package.

Guidelines for Keeping Seafood Safe to Eat

Freezing. After shopping, immediately store commercially wrapped frozen seafood in your freezer. Put it in the coldest part of the freezer, at a temperature as close to –20 degrees F as possible. As with other frozen foods, avoid prolonged storage by planning your purchases, keeping in mind “first in, first out.” Commercially frozen seafood can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.

Thawing. Plan ahead; defrost fish overnight in the refrigerator. This is the best way to thaw fish to minimize loss of moisture. A one-pound package will defrost within twenty-four hours. Never defrost seafood at room temperature or with hot or warm water as bacteria on the surface will begin to multiply. If you forget to take the seafood out of the freezer in time, place it in the sink (still in the package) under cold, running water. A one-pound package will defrost in about an hour.

You can use your microwave oven to partially defrost fish. Use the lowest defrost setting (10% to 30% power). A pound of fillets defrosts in five to six minutes. The fish should feel cool, pliable, and slightly icy. Be careful not to overheat it and begin the cooking process. Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing.

Preparation. Be sure all surfaces and utensils that will touch the food are clean.

Always wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds before starting food preparation, before working with a new food or utensil, after finishing food preparation, before serving, and after going to the bathroom.

Don’t let juices from raw seafood, meat, or poultry come into contact with other food.

Wash cutting board, utensils, counter, sink, and hands with hot, soapy water immediately after preparing raw seafood, meat, or poultry.

Cooking. Cook fish and shellfish thoroughly. Fish is cooked when it begins to flake and loses its translucent (raw) appearance. Cook fish until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for at least 15 seconds.

Seafood is usually cooked under moderate to high heat (425 degrees F). You need a reliable, continuous heat source. So don’t cook it on a hot plate. Avoid interrupted cooking—completely cook the seafood at one time.

If you’re microwaving fish, you need to compensate for uneven heating and shorter cooking times. Be sure to rotate or stir halfway through the cooking process, cover to retain moisture, heat to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F for fifteen seconds, and allow to stand covered for two minutes after cooking.

Scallops and shrimp turn firm and opaque when cooked. It takes three to five minutes to boil or steam one pound of medium-sized shrimp, and three to four minutes to cook scallops.

Shucked shellfish, such as clams, mussels, and oysters, become plump and opaque when cooked. The FDA recommends that shucked oysters be boiled or simmered for at least three minutes, fried in oil for at least ten minutes at 375 degrees F, or baked at 450 degrees F for at least ten minutes. Steam clams, mussels, and oysters in the shell for four to nine minutes after water reaches a full boil. Use small pots to steam shellfish. If too many shells are cooking at once, the centers may not cook thoroughly. Discard clams, mussels, or oysters that don’t open during cooking. They may not have received adequate heating.

When cooking frozen clams, mussels, or oysters in the shell, follow the directions on the package.

Marinades. Marinate seafood in the refrigerator in a glass or plastic container; avoid metal. Avoid cross-contaminating other foods by cleaning all utensils, bowls, or surfaces the marinade comes in contact with after it has been combined with raw seafood. Don’t save marinades that have been combined with raw seafood unless they are immediately cooked in a sauce. Bring the marinade to a rolling boil before adding other ingredients. Then cook the sauce to at least 160 degree F.

If fish is to be consumed raw, use only previously frozen fish. Do not consume raw or undercooked fish or shellfish if your immune system is compromised in any way.

Serving. Never put cooked seafood back on the plate that held the raw product. Place leftovers in smaller containers and refrigerate them within two hours when the temperature of the food serving area is below 90 degrees F and within one hour when the air temperature is 90 degrees F or above.

By Doris Hicks,University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program
Don Kramer,University of Alaska Sea Grant College Program

This publication was produced by the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program and the National Seafood HACCP Alliance.