ServSafe Parts 10-12
ServSafe Part 10: Food Safety Management Systems
Topic 10.1: Food Safety Management Systems
A food safety management system is a group of practices and procedures intended to prevent foodborne illness
These programs include:
Personal hygiene program
Supplier selection and specification
Quality control and assurance program
Facility design and equipment maintenance program
Cleaning and sanitizing program
Pest control
Topic 10.2: Active Managerial Control
A food safety management system designed to actively prevent foodborne illness by Focusing on the most common five risk factors for foodborne illness
Steps to implement:
1. Identify risks - document risks and ways to control or eliminate them
2. Monitor critical activities - note where employees MUST monitor food safety requirements (when to check food temps, how often sanitizer concentrations should be tested, etc)
3. Take corrective action - correct improper procedures and behaviors
4. Oversee policies and procedures - verify that all policies, procedures, and corrective actions are followed
5. Train and re-train employees
6. Re-evaluate the system periodically - make sure the system in place is working correctly and effectively
The FDA’s Public Health Intervention
The FDA Food Code provides five specific recommendations for controlling the common risk factors for foodborne illness:
Demonstration of knowledge - example: be servsafe certified
Staff health controls
Controlling hands as a vehicle of contamination
Time and temperature parameters for controlling pathogens
Consumer advisories - example: statements regarding raw or undercooked menu items and risks for consumption
The Seven HACCP Principles
A HACCP system is designed to identify and reduce hazards within the flow of food
These systems identify significant biological, chemical, or physical hazards at specific points within a product’s flow through an operation
How to prevent, eliminate, or reduce these hazards to safe levels
HACCP plans MUST be written and be specific to each facility’s menu, customers, equipment, processes and operations
HACCP = Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
Follow these seven principles:
1. Conduct a hazard analysis
Identify and assess potential hazards by looking at how the food is processed
Identify TCS food items and where hazards are likely to occur for each one (look for biological, chemical, and physical contaminants)
2. Determine critical control points (CCPs)
Find points in the process where the identified hazards can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels - these are the critical control points
There may be more than one CCP depending on the process
3. Establish critical limits
For each CCP, establish minimum or maximum limits
These limits must be met to prevent or eliminate the hazard, or reduce it to a safe level
4. Establish monitoring procedures
Determine the best way to check critical limits, make sure they are consistently met, and identify who will monitor them and how often
5. Identify corrective actions
Identify steps that must be taken when a critical limit is not met and determine these steps in advance
6. Verity the system works
Determine if the plan is working as intended
Evaluate the plan on a regular basis using monitoring charts, records, hazard analysis, etc
Determine if your plan prevents, reduces, or eliminates identified hazards
7. Establish procedures for record keeping and documentation
Maintain your HACCP plan and keep all documentation created when developing it
Keep records for:
Monitoring activities
Corrective actions
Validating equipment (checking for good working condition)
Working with suppliers (invoices & specifications)
Each principle builds on the information gained from the previous principle
Principles 1 & 2 help you identify and evaluate your hazards
Principles 3, 4, & 5 help you establish ways for controlling those hazards
Principles 6 & 7 help you maintain the HACCP plan and system and verify its effectiveness
YOU MUST CONSIDER THEM IN ORDER WHEN DEVELOPING A HACCP PLAN
Topic 10.3: Crisis Management
Prepare a crisis management program
Preparation, response, recovery
Ensure your plan works by testing it once it is complete
A written plan that focuses on 3 phases:
1. Preparation
2. Response
3. Recovery
First: Create a crisis management team
Team size depends on the operation
Next: Prepare for a crisis
Create an emergency contact list and post it by phones
Develop a crisis-communication plan
Media Q&As, sample press release, media contacts, plan for communicating with staff during crisis
Appoint a single spokesperson to handle all media questions and communications (should have good interviewing skills)
Assemble a crisis kit
Prepare for a foodborne-illness outbreak
Crisis Response Guidelines
Manage a crisis effectively by:
Gather crisis management team
Implement your plan - collect information, plan course of action, manage events as they unfold
Working with the media - contact them before they contact you
Communicating information directly to your key audiences
Finding a solution and communicating it
Responding quickly in the event of a foodborne-illness outbreak
Example: if someone calls to complain about an illness, DO NOT APOLOGIZE. Ask when they ate there, what they ate, who their server was, gather as much info as possible
If there are similar customer complaints of foodborne illness, contact the crisis management team, identify common food items to determine the potential source of the complaint
If the suspected food is still in the operation, then set aside the suspected product and identify it to prevent further sale → label the product with “Do not Use” and “Do not Discard”
Log information about the product, including a description, product date, lot number, sell-by date, pack size, etc
If possible obtain samples of suspected food from the customer
If the outbreak is caused by a sick staff member, then maintain a list of food handlers scheduled at the time of the suspected contamination → interview them about their health status, and exclude people as necessary
If the regulatory authority confirms your operation is the source of the outbreak, then cooperate with the regulatory authorities to resolve the crisis and provide appropriate documentation, including temperatures logs, HACCP documents, staff files, etc
Crisis Recovery and Assessment
To respond to a foodborne-illness outbreak:
Work with the regulatory authority
Clean and sanitize all areas
Throw out suspected food if directed
Review food handling procedures
Develop a plan to reassure customers that the food served in your operation is safe
Imminent Health Hazards
An imminent health hazard is a significant threat or danger to health that requires immediate correction or closure to prevent injury (these are non foodborne illness related)
How to respond:
Stop service
Notify regulatory authority
Throw out spoiled or contaminated food
Water Service Interruption
Create a plan in case of water service interruption
Keep a supply of single-use items and bottled water
Have a supplier who can provide ice in an emergency
Having emergency contact information available
Develop emergency handwashing procedures
Take action after water is restored
Power Outage
Create a plan in case of a power outage
Arrange access to an electrical generator and a refrigerated truck that can be used in an emergency
Prepare a menu with items that do not require cooking
Develop a policy for when cooler doors should be opened during a power outage
Throw out TCS foods that were in the temperature danger zone for more than 4 hours
Fires and Floods
Fire
Have emergency contact information
Post fire department phone number by all phones
Flood
Have a plan to monitor and maintain flood control equipment
Have emergency contact information
Keep a supply of bottled water
ServSafe Part 11: Safe Facilities and Equipment
Topic 11.1: Designing a Safe Operation
Construction Plan Review
Construction plans require approval from the regulatory authority
Ensures design meets requirements
Ensures the safe flow of food
May save time and money
Assures contractors are constructing the facility correctly
Assures approved equipment is being used
Layout:
A well-designed kitchen:
Has a workflow that minimizes the time food is in the temperature danger zone and how often it is handled
Positions equipment to minimize opportunities for cross-contamination
Makes equipment accessible for regular cleaning
Flooring:
Must be smooth, durable, nonabsorbent/nonporous
Porosity - the extent to which a material will absorb liquids
Nonabsorbent flooring must be in:
Walk-in coolers
Prep and food storage
Dishwashing
Restrooms
Dressing and locker rooms
Easy to clean
Wear-resistant
Slip-resistant
Special Flooring Needs:
Use non slip surfaces in traffic areas (ideal for entire kitchen)
Rubber mats can be used where standing near water heavy areas
Coving - is required for resilient or hardware surface materials
Curved, sealed edge between floor and wall to eliminate sharp corner that are impossible to clean
Walls and Ceilings:
Must be smooth, durable, nonabsorbent, and easy to clean
Light in color to distribute light and make it easier to spot dirt while cleaning
The best wall finish in cooking areas is ceramic tile; stainless steel is used occasionally
Topic 11.2: Considerations for Other Areas
Dry Storage
Construct with easy-to-clean materials
Avoid direct sunlight
Eliminate steam pipes, water lines, or other conduits
Keep pests out by sealing cracks and installing mesh screens
Use self-closing doors
Use screens on windows and door that are 16 mesh to the inch
This will reduce pests
Handwashing Stations
Handwashing stations are required in or next to restrooms; in food prep, service, and dishwashing areas
Use each sink for its intended purpose to prevent cross-Contamination
Must be conveniently placed, and are ONLY used for handwashing
5 Hand Washing Requirements from Health Inspection
1. Hot and cold running water that must be drinkable and meet temperature and pressure requirements
2. Must have soap - can be liquid, bar, or powder
3. A way to dry hands - paper towels or a system that supplies clean towels, or a hand dryer that meets requirements
4. Garbage container to dispose paper towels
5. Signage that indicates that staff must wash hands before returning to work
To prevent cross contaminations, use any sinks ONLY for their intended purpose
Handwashing sink, prep sink, three-compartment sink, service sink, curbed floor drain
At least 1 service sink of curbed drain area is required for disposing of dirty water
Restrooms
Separate for staff and guests when possible
If restrooms are shared, operations must be designed so guests do not pass through prep areas
Convenient, sanitary, equipped with self-closing doors, adequately stocked
Dressing Rooms or Lockers
DO NOT use dressing rooms for food prep, storage, or utensil washing
Locate lockers in a separate room for the food prep area
Design of Premises
Parking lots and walkways should be graded and surfaced to allow water to run
Do not allow use for living or sleeping
Topic 11.3: Equipment Selection
Foodservice Equipment
Must be smooth, durable, sanitary, etc, just like floors
When purchasing equipment, look for:
NSF mark (National Sanitation Foundation)
UL EPH Classified Mark (Environmental and Public Health)
ETL sanitation mark (Electrical Testing Laboratories)
These indicate that the equipment has been certified or classified for sanitation under an ANSI-accredited program (American National Standards Institute)
Any dishwashers that are installed must be at least 6 inches off the floor
They must be conveniently located, sanitary, etc
Walk-in Refrigerators and Freezers must be mounted to both the floor and wall, Reach-ins must be at least 6 inches of the floor
Topic 11.4 : Maintaining Kitchen Equipment
Floor mounted equipment must be 6 inches off the floor
Tabletop Equipment must be 4 inches off the table unless it is mounted into the counter
Topic 11.5: Utilities
What is the greatest challenge to water safety in foodservice
The greatest challenge to water safety comes from cross connections - a physical link between safe water and dirty water
We raise the spouts in sinks so that the spots do not touch any dirty water in the sink
If cross connections occur, Backflow occurs, which is the reverse flow of contaminants through a cross-connection into the drinkable water supply
To prevent this: do not attach a hose to a faucet unless a backflow prevention device is attached
Use specialized devices such as a vacuum breaker
Create an air gap - only sure way to prevent backflow
If there is a backup of sewage in the operation:
The affected area must be closed
The regulatory authority must be contacted
For lighting, the food prep areas require the most and best lighting (50 foot-candles)
Ventilation systems can improve air quality inside the operation through reducing grease condensation buildup:
Clean and maintain according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
Typically required to be cleaned at least once a year, but cleaning depends on how often usage is
Must be used in cooking, frying, and grilling areas
Garbage
Remove from prep areas quickly
Clean garbage containers frequently
Indoor containers must be leakproof, waterproof, and pest-
proof
Store water and recyclables separately from food and food-
contact surfaces
Place outdoor containers on smooth, durable, nonabsorbent
Surfaces
ServSafe Part 12: Cleaning and Sanitizing
Topic 12.1: Cleaning
Cleaning - removes food and other dirt from a surface
Factors that affect Cleaning:
Type and condition of dirt
Water hardness
Water temperature
Surface
Agitation or pressure
Length of treatment
4 Categories of Cleaning
Detergents - have ingredients that penetrate and soften dirt and removes dirt from surfaces
Degreasers - specifically designed to dissolve grease, work well on burned-on grease
Delimers - used on mineral deposits and other dirt that other cleaners can’t remove - steam tables, dishwashers
Abrasive Cleaners - have a scouring agent that helps scrub hard-to-remove dirt
Used to remove baked-on food, can scratch surfaces
Topic 12.2: Sanitizing
Sanitizing - reduces pathogens on a surface to safe levels (less than disinfection)
Food contact surfaces MUST BE sanitized after they have been cleaned and rinsed
Surfaces can be sanitized using:
Heat - as long as it is 171 degrees for 30 seconds
Chemicals - chlorine, etc
For chemical sanitizers:
Soak them in a sanitizing solution
Rinsing, swabbing, or spraying them with a sanitizing solution
For chlorine sanitizers:
The water temperature must be at or above 100 degrees
The sanitizing time is 7 seconds or more
For iodine sanitizers:
Water temperature must be 68 degrees for 30 seconds or more
For quats sanitizers:
Must be 75 degrees for 30 seconds or more
Concentration:
Sanitizers should be mixed with water to the correct concentration
The sanitizer must make contact with the item for a specific time
Minimum time differs for each sanitizer
How do we clean and sanitize?
1. Scrape or remove food bits from the surface
2. Wash the surface
3. Rinse the surface
4. Sanitize the surface
5. Allow the surface to dry
When do we clean and sanitize?
After they are used
Before working with a different type of food
After handling different raw TCS fruits and vegetables
Any time a task was interrupted and the items may have been contaminated
After 4 hours if the items are in constant use
12.3: Dishwashing
For your dishwasher, you need a way to measure the water pressure and temperature of the wash and rinse cycle
Staff needs to be trained to operate and maintain the equipment and use the correct chemicals
High-Temperature Machines - use hot water to clean and sanitize (if the water is not hot enough, items will not be sanitized)
Final sanitizing rinse must be at least 180 degrees F
If anything comes out of dishwasher, we air-dry it
3-Compartment Sink
Clean and sanitize each sink and drainboard
Fill the sinks
1st Sink: detergent and water at least 110 degrees F
2nd Sink: clean water
3rd Sink: water and sanitizer (sanitizer is typically chlorine, iodine, and quats)
Steps:
1. Scrape items
2. Wash items in the sink
3. Rinse items in the second sink
4. Sanitize items in the third sink
5. Air-dry on a clean and sanitized surface
12.4: Cleaning the Premises
Wiping Cloths
Used to wipe food spills and wipe down equipment
Two types - wet and dry
NEVER use cloths that are meant for wiping food spills for any other purpose
Wet Wiping Cloths
Store in sanitizer when not being used
Used to wipe counters from other surfaces
Dry Wiping Cloths
Used to wipe food spills from tableware
Cleaning up after people who get sick
Diarrhea and vomit need IMMEDIATE ACTION
Correct cleanup can prevent contamination of food and spreading illness to others
Operations must have written procedures for cleaning up diarrhea and vomit
Procedures must be specific
Employees must be trained to do this
12.5: Developing a Cleaning Program
Important Steps:
1. Identify cleaning needs
2. Create a master cleaning schedule
What should be cleaned
Who should clean it
When it should be cleaned
How it should be cleaned
3. Choose cleaning materials
See tasks in the master cleaning schedule
Replace worn tools
Provide staff with protective gear
4. Implement the cleaning program
Have a kickoff meeting
Schedule time for training
Motivate your staff
Monitor to ensure it’s working
Ask staff for input on program