Health Inspection Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing health inspection lecture notes.

Sanitary Facilities and Equipment

Basic and fundamental for food safety; without them, all other food safety practices are undermined.

Sanitary Equipment and Facilities Importance

Prevents food contamination and prevents pests from thriving.

Sanitary Equipment and Facilities

Term for equipment and facilities; understand and plan the process of cleaning and sanitizing; know about integrated pest management.

Well-Designed Facility

Planned so that both the building and all the equipment can be kept clean and in good repair. This makes it easier to keep food safe.

Efficient Kitchen Design

A more sanitary facility that will address lots of factors, including personal hygiene, workflow, contamination, and equipment accessibility.

Workflow Plan Considerations

Two key points: minimize the amount of time food spends in the temperature danger zone; minimize the risk of cross-contamination.

Workflow Plan: Minimizing Time in Temperature Danger Zone

Storage areas should be located near the receiving areas; prep tables should be located near refrigerators and freezers.

Workflow Plan: Minimizing Cross-Contamination

Never set up prep areas in a way that would allow dirty equipment to touch clean equipment or food.

Equipment Accessibility

A well-planned layout ensures equipment is easily accessible for cleaning. Make sure your equipment has been set up so it's easy to disassemble and clean around.

Sanitary Equipment and Facilities Considerations

Plan review, materials for interior flooring, guidelines for handwashing stations, sanitation standards for equipment surfaces.

Plan Review

Usually required anytime you have new construction or extensive remodeling.

Appropriate Interior Materials

Most important consideration is how easy the establishment will be to clean and maintain.

Appropriate Flooring Materials

Should be made of a smooth, non-absorbent material that is durable and easy to clean, and this flooring should be used in food prep and storage areas, dishwashing areas, walk-in coolers, dressing and locker rooms, and restrooms.

Cove Base

A curved, sealed edge placed between the floor and the wall to eliminate sharp corners or gaps that would be impossible to clean.

Appropriate Wall and Ceiling Materials

Must be smooth, non-absorbent, durable, and easy to clean, light colors should be chosen, and walls should withstand repeated washing.

Importance of Handwashing Stations

Required in restrooms and need to be located in food preparation, service, and dishwashing areas.

Properly Equipped Handwashing Station

Hot and cold running water (at least 100°F/38°C), liquid soap, disposable paper towels (preferred), waste container, and signs requiring employees to wash hands.

Sanitary Equipment

All equipment with food contact surfaces must be safe, durable, corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, sufficient in weight and thickness to withstand repeated cleaning, and smooth and easy to clean; resistant to pitting, chipping, decomposition, scratching, scoring, distortion, and crazing.

Equipment Safe for Splashing

Any equipment that's exposed to splashing, spillage, or other food soiling needs to be constructed of smooth, non-absorbent, corrosion-resistant material, and the same goes for any surface that would require frequent cleaning.

Equipment Surfaces Characteristics

Surface of the equipment should be free of unnecessary ledges, projections, and crevices. It should also be designed and constructed to allow easy cleaning and maintenance.

NSF International Mark or the UL Environmental and Public Health Product Mark

Means the equipment has met sanitary standards and is acceptable for food service use.

Dishwashing Machines Installation

The machine must be raised at least 6 inches (15 cm) off the floor so you can clean underneath them easily; key information about using the machine should be posted on the dishwasher.

Kitchen Equipment Installation

Should be installed so that both the equipment and the areas surrounding it are easy to clean. Everything should also be serviced regularly to keep it in good working order.

Stationary Equipment Mounting

Mounted on legs at least 6 inches (15 cm) off the floor, or sealed to a masonry base. Stationary tabletop equipment should be mounted on legs that provide a minimum clearance of 4 inches (10 cm) between the base of the equipment and the tabletop. Otherwise, the equipment should be sealed to the tabletop, and any gaps between equipment and surrounding countertops and walls must also be sealed.

Potable Water

Water that is safe to drink, used for cooking, cleaning, and handwashing.

Cross-Connection

A physical link through which contaminants from drains, sewers, or other wastewater sources can enter the water supply.

Backflow

The unwanted reverse flow of contaminants into a potable water system.

Air Gap

An airspace that separates a water supply outlet from any potentially contaminated source used to prevent backflow.

Grease Traps

Installed to prevent grease buildup from creating a drain blockage; should be regularly maintained.

Raw Sewage

If it backs up in your operation, close the affected area right away, then fix the problem and thoroughly clean the area.

Shattered Light Bulbs

Can contaminate food and food contact surfaces; use shatter-resistant light bulbs or protective covers made of metal mesh or plastic over your fixtures to prevent contamination.

Lighting Levels Measurement

Measured in units called foot candles or lux.

Lighting Requirements Example: Prep Areas

Lighting must be at least 50 foot candles (540 lux).

Ventilation

Ventilation hoods, fans, guards, and ductwork shouldn't ever drip onto food or equipment; hood filters or grease extractors have to be tight-fitting and easy to remove, and they should be cleaned on a regular basis.

Garbage handling

Remove garbage from food preparation areas as quickly as possible to prevent odors, pests, and possible contamination.

Garbage Containers

Leak-proof, waterproof, and pest-proof, and line them with either plastic bags or wet-strength paper bags.

Cleaning

The process of removing food and other types of soil from a surface, such as a prep table or plate.

Sanitizing

The process of reducing the number of pathogens on a clean surface to safe levels.

Effective Cleaning and Sanitizing

A two-step process: surfaces have got to first be cleaned and rinsed before being sanitized.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces

Must be washed, then rinsed, and then sanitized, and you have to do it after each use, anytime you begin working with another type of food, anytime you're interrupted during a task, and the tools or items you've been working with may have been contaminated, and at four-hour intervals if items are constantly used.

Cleaning Agents

Chemical compounds that remove food, soil, rust, stains, minerals, and other deposits.

General-Purpose Detergents

Remove fresh dirt from floors, walls, ceilings, prep surfaces, and most equipment and utensils.

Heavy-Duty Detergents

Remove wax, aged or dried dirt, and baked-on grease; dishwasher detergents are an example.

Solvent Cleaners

Often called degreasers; alkaline detergents containing a grease-dissolving agent.

Acid Cleaners

Also called delimers; are used on mineral deposits and other soils that alkaline cleaners can't remove.

Abrasive Cleaners

Contain a scouring agent that helps scrub out hard-to-remove soil.

Heat Sanitizing Methods

Immersion in hot water or high-temperature dishwashing machine.

Heat Sanitizing by Immersion

The water must be at least 171°F (77°C), and the items have to be immersed for 30 seconds.

Three Most Common Chemical Sanitizers

Chlorine, iodine, and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats).

Chemical Sanitizers Standards

Regulated by state and federal Environmental Protection agencies; work with your chemical supplier to choose the right sanitizers for your place.

Chemical Sanitizers Concentration

Measured using a sanitizer test kit in parts per million (PPM).

Factors Influencing Effectiveness of Chemical Sanitizers

Concentration, temperature, contact time, pH, and hardness of water.

High-Temperature Dishwashing Machines

Rely on hot water to clean and sanitize, so the water temperature is critical.

Chemical Sanitizing Machines

Can clean and sanitize items at much lower temperatures. Since different sanitizers require different rinse water temperatures, it's important to follow the dishwashing temperature guidelines provided by the manufacturer.

General Procedures for Cleaning and Sanitizing Tableware

Check the machine for cleanliness at least once a day and clean it whenever it's needed; clear detergent trays and spray nozzles of food and foreign objects; remove mineral deposits caused by hard water. Make sure the detergent and sanitizer dispensers are properly filled before you send the soiled items through. You need to scrape, rinse, or soak items before washing and pre-soak items with dried-on food.

Three-Compartment Sink Basic Maintenance

Rinsing area, washing area, and santization area using the proper temperatures

Five Steps for Cleaning and Sanitizing Tableware

Step one: rinse, scrape, or soak all items before washing. Step two: wash items in the first sink in a detergent solution that's at least 110°F (43°C). Step three: immerse or spray rinse items in the second sink. You have to remove all traces of food and detergent. Step four: sanitize the rinsed items in the third sink by immersing them in a chemical sanitizing solution. Step five: air dry all items. Don't use a towel.

Utensils, Tableware, and Equipment Storage

Store tableware and utensils at least 6 inches (15 cm) off the floor, keeping everything covered or otherwise protected from dirt and condensation, and cleaning drawers and shelves before clean items are stored.

Non-Food Contact Surfaces Cleaning

Clean regularly to keep dust and dirt, food residue, and other debris from building up.

Cleaning Supplies and Maintenance

replace any cleaning tools that are worn and by cleaning the tools before putting them away. Assigning tools for specific tasks will also help. Storing them in a sanitizer solution between uses.

Appropriate Cleaning Solution

Choosing approved chemicals