Food Safety, HACCP, and Food Storage Guidelines

Vocabulary practice cards reviewing HACCP principles, food handling hazards, proper storage protocols, holding temperature thresholds, and foodservice hygiene standards.

HACCP

A time-tested monitoring system originally developed in the early 1960s by the Pillsbury Company for NASA to keep food safe in outer space, used to spot potential hazards as food moves through a foodservice operation.

What should you do if you are sick or become sick at work?

Do not go into work sick or tell employer and they will send you home

As food moves through a foodservice operation, it is important to

Be able to spot potential hazards by using a time tested system called HACCP

Food can be

Monitered

Flow of Food

The path food takes from when it is received by an establishment to when it is disposed of as waste.

Why was the HACCP system originally created

To keep food safe in outer space

Eight Most Common Food Handling Hazards

Poor personal hygiene, contaminated raw foods, cross-contamination, improper cooking, improper holding, improper cooling, improper reheating, and improper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment.

Critical Control Point (CCP)

An operational step that helps prevent, reduce, or eliminate foodborne illness.

Improper Cooling

Food that was not cooled properly; identified by the CDC as the most common cause of all reported foodborne illnesses.

Temperature Danger Zone

The temperature range from $41^\beta\text{F}$ to $135^\circ\text{F}$

Hot foods must be thrown away after 4 hours if

If they are not held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius) or above minimum temperature

Four Most Used HACCP Record-Keeping Systems

Flow charts, policy and procedure manuals, written descriptions, and food temperature readings taken at different times.

Log Collection Times

The two times of day when logs are written and records are collected: at the end of each work shift or meal period throughout the day.

Verification (HACCP)

Procedures set up to prove that a system works correctly, including demonstrating standard operating procedures for a HACCP system

The flow of food should be traced at the end of the work shift by

The chef or manager

When recieving food as a worker you should

Check that the food has been kept at the proper temperatures during delivery

Five Potential Food Receiving Problems

Foods that have been thawed and refrozen, foods that have an insect infestation, damaged foods or containers, items that have been repacked or mishandled, and foods handled at incorrect temperatures.

Three Types of Food Storage

Dry, refrigerated, and frozen storage.

Dry Storage Ideal Temperature

An ideal, or perfect, temperature range of $50^\circ\text{F}\text{ to }70^\circ\text{F}$ ($10^\circ\text{C}\text{ to }21^\circ\text{C}$).

Dry Storage Floor Clearance

The standard requiring all dry storage food products to be kept at least $6\,\text{inches}$ off the floor and away from the walls

Refrigerated Storage Temperature

The requirement that foods needing refrigeration be stored at or below $41^\circ\text{F}$ ($5^\circ\text{C}$).

Refrigerated items should be

Clearly labeled and date all containers when they are first stored

FIFO

Stands for "First In, First Out"; an inventory rotation program used in storage where the first-in food products are used before newer products.

Refrigerator Storage Arrangement

The cross-contamination prevention rule requiring cooked foods to be stored above raw foods, and frozen foods being thawed to be kept below prepared foods.

Frozen Storage Temperature

The requirement to store frozen foods at $0^\circ\text{F}$ ($18^\circ\text{C}$) or below.

Hot Foods in the Freezer Rule

Hot foods must never be placed into the freezer because they affect the storage area temperature, potentially causing stored frozen items to thaw and remain in the temperature danger zone for too long.

Five Guidelines for Storing Dried Foods

Inspect packages for damage, keep dried foods in tightly sealed containers, keep containers in a dry place, watch for signs of insects and rodents, and check regularly for signs of spoilage.

Four Fresh Produce Handling Guidelines

Do not wash produce before storing (wash only just prior to preparing to prevent mold and bacterial growth from extra water), handle with care because most produce bruises easily, check for insects and insect eggs, and check for spoilage like mold, bruising, or wilting.

Four Signs of Unsafe Canned Goods

Bulging, dents, rust, or leaks, any of which require the can to be immediately thrown away.

Internal Temperature Check Frequency for Held Foods

Taking the internal temperature of held food on a regular basis at a minimum of every $2\,\text{hours}$.

Hot Holding Temperature and Reheating Rules

Hold cooked foods at $135^\circ\text{F}$ ($57^\circ\text{C}$) or above; if the temperature drops below, reheat to $165^\circ\text{F}$ ($74^\circ\text{C}$) for $15\,\text{seconds}$ within $2\,\text{hours}$. If it drops below $135^\circ\text{F}$ a second time, or has been held unmaintained for $4\,\text{hours}$, it must be discarded.

Steam Table Warming Restriction

Cold foods must never be warmed up by placing them directly into a steam table, as this can encourage bacteria to grow.

Cold Food Ice-Holding Guideline

Cold foods must not be stored directly on ice; place the food in a storage container and set it into the ice until the food and the ice reach the same level in the container.

Hand Wound Hygiene Protocol

Covering any wound on the hands with a glove before working or preparing foods to avoid spreading bacteria.