ServSafe Food Managers Class 6th Ed 2024 (2)

Providing Safe Food

• A foodborne illness is an outbreak when:
  • Two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food.
  • An investigation is conducted by state and local regulatory authorities.
  • The outbreak is confirmed by a laboratory analysis.
• Unsafe food is the result of contamination by:
  • Biological hazards (pathogens - living micro-organisms).
  • Chemical hazards (cleaners, polishes, toxic metals that leach).
  • Physical hazards (foreign objects).
• Biological contaminants:
  • Bacteria.
  • Viruses.
  • Parasites.
  • Fungi.
  • Toxins.
• Examples of chemical contaminants:
  • Cleaners.
  • Sanitizers.
  • Polishes.
• Examples of physical contaminants:
  • Metal shavings.
  • Staples.
  • Bandages.
  • Glass.
  • Dirt.
  • Natural objects such as fish bones in a fillet.
• Five CDC risk factors for foodborne illness:
  • Purchasing food from unsafe sources.
  • Failing to cook food correctly.
  • Holding food at incorrect temperatures.
  • Using contaminated equipment.
  • Practicing poor personal hygiene.
• Four ways that food becomes unsafe:
  • Time-temperature abuse.
  • Cross-contamination.
  • Poor personal hygiene.
  • Poor cleaning and sanitizing.
• Time-temperature abuse: Food has stayed too long at temperatures good for pathogen growth.
• Food is time-temperature abused when:
  • It has not been held or stored at correct temperatures.
  • It is not cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens.
  • It is not cooled correctly.
• Cross-contamination: Microorganisms are transferred from one surface or food to another.
• Cross contamination can result in a foodborne illness when:
  • Contaminated ingredients are added to foods that receive no further cooking.
  • Ready-to-eat (RTE) food touches contaminated surfaces.
  • A food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food.
  • Contaminated cleaning cloths touch food-contact surfaces.
• Poor personal hygiene can cause foodborne illness when food handlers:
  • Fail to wash their hands correctly after using the restroom.
  • Cough or sneeze on food.
  • Touch or scratch wounds and then touch food.
  • Work while sick.
• Poor cleaning and sanitizing is most often the result of:
  • Equipment and utensils that are not washed, rinsed, and sanitized between uses.
  • Food contact surfaces that are ”wiped” clean instead of being washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
  • Wiping cloths that are not stored in a sanitizer solution between uses.
  • Sanitizer solution that is not prepared correctly.
• Time-temperature abuse: Food that has remained in the temperature danger zone, allowing for the growth of pathogens – usually during holding, storing, cooking, reheating, and/or cooling the food.
• Food that requires time and temperature control for safety (TCS food): Food that is most likely to become unsafe due to time and temperature abuse. TCS food includes:
  • Milk and dairy products.
  • Meat (beef, pork, and lamb).
  • Fish.
  • Poultry.
  • Eggs.
  • Baked potatoes.
  • Tofu and other soy protein products.
  • Sliced melons and cut tomatoes and leafy greens.
  • Shellfish and crustaceans.
  • Sprouts and sprout seeds.
  • Untreated garlic and oil mixtures.
  • Heat treated plants food such as cooked rice, vegetables, and beans.
• RTE – Ready-to-eat food: Food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking. It includes:
  • Cooked food.
  • Washed fruit and vegetables.
  • Deli meat.
  • Bakery items.
  • Sugar.
  • Spices.
  • Seasonings.
• High Risk Populations include:
  • Elderly people
  • Infants and pre-school age children
  • People with a compromised immune system such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and open heart surgery
  • Transplant recipients.
• To keep food safe, focus on these measures:
  • Controlling time and temperature.
  • Preventing cross-contamination.
  • Practicing good personal hygiene.
  • Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers.
  • Cleaning and sanitizing.
• A Regulatory Authority: A governmental agency responsible for regulating/inspecting a food service establishment.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates/inspects all food except meat, poultry, and eggs; also issues the FDA Model Food Code.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates/inspects meat, poultry, and eggs.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research causes of foodborne illness outbreaks.
  • The U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) researches the causes of foodborne illness outbreaks.
  • State and local regulatory authorities (the Health Department) regulate/inspect retail and foodservice operations.

Forms of Contamination

• Contaminants come from a variety of places:
  • From the animals that we use for food.
  • From the air we breathe.
  • From contaminated water.
  • From dirt.
  • From people, either deliberately or accidentally.
• People can contaminate food when:
  • They don’t wash their hands after using the restroom.
  • They are in contact with a person who is sick.
  • They sneeze or vomit onto food or food-contact surfaces.
  • When they touch dirty food-contact surfaces and equipment and then touch food.
• Pathogens: Biological contaminants – harmful microorganisms that can be seen only with a microscope. They make people sick when eaten, and/or they may produce toxins (poisons) that cause illness.
• Four types of pathogens that can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness are: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
• The most common symptoms of foodborne illness are diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps, and jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes). Their onset times depend upon the type of foodborne illness obtained and can range from 30 minutes to 6 weeks.
• Bacteria are found almost everywhere and can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted. They will grow rapidly if FAT TOM conditions are correct. To prevent bacteria: control time and temperature.
• FAT TOM is an acronym that represents the conditions which favor the growth of most foodborne pathogens.
  • Food
    • To grow, pathogens need an “energy source,” such as carbohydrates or proteins.
    • TCS food supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food.
  • Acidity
    • pH: The measure of a food’s acidity or alkalinity.
    • pH above 7.0 is alkaline.
    • pH below 7.0 is acidic.
    • pH of 7.0 is neutral.
    • Pathogenic bacteria grow well in food with a pH between 4.6 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral).
    • Pathogens do NOT grow best in food that is highly acidic or highly alkaline.
    • Pathogens grow best in food between 4.6 to 7.5 of the pH scale.
    • pH Scale: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  • Temperature
    • Ideal temperature for pathogens to grow: 41°F to 135°F, also known as the temperature danger zone.
  • Time
    • After 4 hours in the temperature danger zone, pathogens will grow to high enough levels to cause illness.
  • Oxygen
    • Some pathogens need oxygen to grow while others don’t.
    • Rice, garlic-and-oil mixtures, and temperature-abused baked potatoes are examples of food without oxygen where pathogens can grow.
  • Moisture
    • Water activity (aw) is measured on a scale of 0 to 1.0, with water having (aw) of 1.0.
    • Food with (a_w) of .85 or higher is ideal for the growth of pathogens
• The FAT TOM conditions you can control are time and temperature:
  • Keep TCS food out of the temperature danger zone and limit how long TCS food spends in the temperature danger zone.
• The FDA has identified three types of BACTERIA that cause severe illness and are highly contagious: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., and Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.
• Illness: Salmonellosis.
  • Bacteria: Salmonella Typhi – found in people with Salmonella Typhi.
  • Food linked with the bacteria: Ready-to-eat food and beverages
  • Prevention measures: Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea or have been diagnosed with Salmonella Typhi from the operation, wash hands, and cook food to minimum internal temperatures.
• Illness: Shigellosis.
  • Bacteria: Shigella spp. – found in the feces of humans with Shigellosis.
  • Food linked with the bacteria: Food easily contaminated by hands, such as salads containing TCS food (potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni, chicken), and food that has made contact with contaminated water, such as produce.
  • Prevention measures: Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea or have been diagnosed with an illness caused by Shigella spp. from the operation, wash hands, and control flies inside and outside the operation.
• Illness: Hemorrhagic colitis.
  • Bacteria: Enterohemorrhagic and shiga-toxin producing Eschurichia coli (E. coli) – found in intestines of cattle and infected people.
  • Food linked with the bacteria: Ground beef (raw and undercooked), and contaminated produce.
  • Prevention measures: Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea of have been diagnosed with E. coli from the operation; cook food, especially ground beef, to minimum internal temperatures; purchase produce from approved, reputable suppliers; and prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food.
• Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness. They’re carried by human beings and animals and require a living host to grow. They do not grow in food but can be transferred through food and remain infectious in food. They’re found in food, water, or any contaminated surface and typically occur through fecal-oral routes.
• Viruses are not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures. Good personal hygiene must be practiced when handling food and food-contact surfaces to prevent foodborne illness due to viruses. The quick removal and cleanup of vomit it important.
• The FDA has identified two VIRUSES that are highly contagious and can cause severe illness: Hepatitis A and Norovirus.
• Illness: Hepatitis A.
  • Virus: Hepatitis A – found in human feces.
  • Food linked with the virus: Ready-to-eat food and shellfish from contaminated water
  • Prevention measures: Exclude staff who have jaundice or have been diagnosed with hepatitis A from the operation, wash hands, avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, and purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers.
• Illness: Norovirus gastroenteritis.
  • Virus: Norovirus – found in human feces.
  • Food linked with the virus: Ready-to-eat food and shellfish from contaminated water
  • Prevention measures: Exclude staff who have diarrhea and vomiting or have been diagnosed with Norovirus from the operation, wash hands, avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, and purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers.
• PARASITES require a host to live and produce. They’re found on seafood, wild game, and food processed with contaminated water, such as produce. To prevent parasites: purchase food from approved, reputable suppliers, cook food to required minimum internal temperatures, and fish that will be served raw or undercooked must be frozen correctly by the manufacturer.
• Some FUNGI such as molds and mushrooms produce toxins. Throw out moldy food, unless mold is a natural part of the food. Purchase mushrooms from approved, reputable suppliers.
• Biological TOXINS occur naturally in certain plants, mushrooms, and seafood.
• Illness: Scombroid poisoning
  • Toxin: Histamine – also known as histamine poisoning, it is caused by eating high levels of histamine in scombroid and other species of fish. When the fish are time/temp abused, bacteria on the fish make the toxin. It can’t be destroyed by cooking, freezing, smoking or curing.
  • Food linked with the toxin: tuna, bonito, mackerel, and mahi-mahi
  • Prevention measures: prevent time/temp abuse during storage and preparation
• Illness: Ciguatera fish poisoning
  • Toxin: Ciguatoxin – found in certain marine algae, the toxin builds up in certain fish when they eat smaller fish that consumed the toxic algae.
  • Food linked with the toxin: barracuda, grouper, jacks and snapper
  • Prevention measures: prevent time/temp abuse during storage and preparation.
• General symptoms of biological toxin illnesses are diarrhea or vomiting, and neurological symptoms such as tingling in extremities, reversal of hot and cold sensations, flushing of the face and/or hives, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations. Symptoms and onset times vary with illness, and people can experience illness within minutes.
• Food can become unsafe when contaminated by chemicals and cause toxic-metal poisoning.
• Sources of toxic-metal poisoning include:
  • Certain types of kitchenware and equipment (items made from pewter, copper, zinc, and some types of painted pottery).
  • Cleaners, sanitizers, polishes, machine lubricants, and pesticides.
  • Deodorizers, first-aid products, and health and beauty products (hand lotions, hairsprays, etc.).
• Symptoms of illness due to toxic-metal poisoning occur within minutes, and vomiting and diarrhea are typical. Proper response if someone gets sick; call the emergency number in your area and the Poison Control number. Also, consult the chemical’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which contains important safety information about the chemical.
• To prevent chemical contamination, chemicals must be:
  • Approved for use in foodservice operations.
  • Purchased from approved, reputable suppliers.
  • Stored away from prep areas, food-storage areas, and service areas (must be separated from food and food-contact surfaces by spacing and partitioning).
  • Used only as intended (follow manufacturer’s directions).
  • NEVER store chemicals above food or food-contact surfaces.
• To prevent chemical contamination:
  • Only handle food with equipment and utensils approved for foodservice use.
  • Make sure the manufacturer’s labels on original chemical containers are readable.
  • Keep MSDS current, and make sure they are accessible to staff at all times.
  • Follow the manufacturers’ directions and local regulatory requirements when throwing out chemicals.
• Symptoms of illness caused by physical contaminants such as fingernails, jewelry, staples, etc.:
  • Mild to fatal injuries are possible; cuts, dental damage, and choking; and bleeding and pain.
  • Prevention measures: purchasing food from approved, reputable suppliers; closely inspecting food received; taking steps to prevent physical contamination, including practicing good personal hygiene.
• An FDA defense tool to use in response to deliberate contamination of food by terrorists/activists/disgruntled current or former staff/vendors/competitors is ALERT:
  • Assure: Make sure products received are from safe sources
  • Look: Monitor the security of products in the facility
  • Employees: Know who is in your facility
  • Reports: Keep information related to food defense accessible
  • Threat: Develop a plan for responding to suspicious activity or a threat to the operation
• When responding to a food-borne illness outbreak:
  • Gather information.
  • Notify authorities.
  • Segregate product.
  • Document information.
  • Identify staff present when illness occurred.
  • Cooperate with authorities.
  • Review procedures.
• A food allergen is a reaction to a particular protein. For example, peanus or tree nuts.
• Symptoms most commonly associated with an allergic reaction to food: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hives, wheezing and difficulty breathing, and swelling of the body.
• Examples of common food allergens include: milk and dairy products, eggs and egg products, fish and shellfish, wheat, soy and soy products, and peanuts and tree nuts.
• Service staff must:
  • Describe how the dish ordered is prepared.
  • Identify ingredients.
  • Suggest simple menu items.
  • Hand-deliver food to customers with food allergies.
• Kitchen staff must:
  • Avoid cross-contact (when allergens are transferred from food containing an allergen to the food served to the customer).
  • Keep from cooking different types of food in the same fryer oil and putting food on surfaces that have touched common food allergens.
• To avoid cross-contact, kitchen staff must:
  • Wash, rinse, and sanitize cookware, utensils, and equipment after handling an allergen.
  • Wash their hands and change gloves before prepping food.
  • Use separate fryers and cooking oils when frying food for customers with food allergies.
  • Prep food for customers with food allergies in a separate area from other food.
  • Label food packaged on-site for retail use with list of allergens.

The Safe Food Handler

• Food handlers can contaminate food when they:
  • Have a foodborne illness.
  • Have wounds that contain a pathogen.
  • Sneeze or cough.
  • Have contact with a person who is sick.
  • Touch anything that may contaminate their hands and then don’t wash them.
  • Have symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, or jaundice.
• Hand washing: takes 20 seconds to complete thoroughly.
• Use running water as hot as 100°F for hand washing.
• Scrub hands vigorously for 10 – 15 seconds, cleaning between fingernails and between fingers, rinse hands and arms; dry them with a single use paper towel or hand blow dryer. Use paper towel to turn off faucet and open restroom door.
• Food handlers must wash their hands before they start work and after:
  • Using the restroom.
  • Touching the hair, face or body.
  • Sneezing, coughing, or using a tissue.
  • Eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum or tobacco.
  • Handling chemicals that might affect food safety.
  • Before and after handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Food handlers must also wash their hands after:
  • Taking out garbage.
  • Clearing tables or busing dirty dishes.
  • Touching clothing or aprons.
  • Handling money.
  • Leaving and returning to the kitchen/prep area.
  • Handling service animals or aquatic animals.
  • Touching anything else that may contaminate hands.
• Hand antiseptics are liquids or gels that are used to lower the number of pathogens on skin, and should only be used after hand washing, not in place of it. They should be allowed to dry before touching food or equipment, and they must comply with the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) and FDA Standards.
• Do not wear false fingernails or use nail polish.
• Cover hand wounds with a leak-proof bandage or finger cot and then a single use glove. Cover wounds on arms with a leak-proof bandage.
• Single-use gloves:
  • Should be used when handling ready-to-eat food (except when washing produce or when handling ready-to-eat ingredients for a dish that will be cooked).
  • Must NEVER be used in place of hand washing.
  • Must NEVER be washed and reused.
  • Must fit correctly.
• How to use gloves:
  • Wash and dry hands before putting them on.
  • Select the correct glove size.
  • Hold gloves by the edge when putting them on.
  • Once gloves are on, check for rips or tears.
  • NEVER blow into gloves.
  • NEVER roll gloves to make them easier to put on.
  • Avoid contaminating gloves when putting them on.
• When to change gloves:
  • As soon as they become dirty or torn.
  • Before beginning a different task.
  • After an interruption, such as taking a phone call.
  • After handling raw meat, seafood, or poultry and before handling ready-to-eat food.
• Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food must be avoided:
  • Some jurisdictions allow it (but require policies on staff health and training in hand washing and personal hygiene practices).
  • NEVER handle ready-to-eat food with bare hands when you primarily serve a high-risk population.
• Food handlers must:
  • Wear a clean hat or other hair restraint.
  • Wear clean clothing daily.
  • Remove aprons when leaving food-preparation areas (don’t wipe hands on aprons).
  • Remove jewelry, including rings (except for a plain band), bracelets (including medical bracelets), and watches from hands and arms before prepping food or when working around food prep areas.
• Food handlers must NOT eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum or tobacco when:
  • Prepping or serving food.
  • Working in food prep areas.
  • Working in areas used to clean utensils and equipment.
  • Some regulatory authorities allow food handlers to drink from a covered container while in food prep and dishwashing areas.
• Food handlers diagnosed with a foodborne illness caused by any of the pathogens listed must be excluded from the food service operation, and the local regulatory authority notified:
  • Salmonella Typhi.
  • Shigella spp.
  • Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
  • Hepatitis A.
  • Norovirus.
    • Work with the food handler’s medical practicioner and/or the local regulatory authority to decide when the person can go back to work.
• When to restrict or exclude a person who is ill from working in the food service operation:
  • The food handler has a sore throat with a fever:
    • Restrict the person from working with or around food.
    • Exclude the person from the operation if you primarily serve a high-risk population.
    • A written release from a medical practitioner is required before returning to work.
  • The food handler has at least one of these symptoms:
    • Vomiting
    • Diarrhea
      • Exclude the person from the operation.
      • Before returning to work, food handlers who vomited or had diarrhea must meet one of these requirements:
        • Have had no symptoms for at least 24 hours
        • Have a written release from a medical practitioner
  • The food handler has jaundice:
    • Exclude food handlers who have had jaundice for less than 7 days from the operation.
    • Food handlers with jaundice must have a written release from a medical practitioner and a note from the local regulatory authority before they can go back to work.
  • The food handler has been diagnosed with a foodborne illness caused by one of these pathogens:
    • Salmonella Typhi
    • Shiga toxin-producing E. coli
    • Hepatitis A
    • Norovirus
    • Shigella spp.
      • Exclude the person from the food operation.
      • Notify the local regulatory authority.
      • Work with the person’s medical practitioner and/or the local regulatory authority to decide when the person can return to work.

The Flow of Food: An Introduction

• To prevent cross contamination, use separate equipment, such as colored cutting boards and utensil handles, for each type of food. Clean and sanitize all work surfaces, equipment, and utensils after each task.
• To prevent cross contamination, prep food at different times: prepare raw meat, fish, and poultry at different times than ready-to-eat food (when using the same prep table), or buy prepared food that don’t require much prepping or handling.
• Holding food in the range of 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C) results in time-temperature abuse. Food is also time-temperature abused whenever it is cooked to the wrong internal temperature and cooled or reheated incorrectly.
• To avoid time-temperature abuse:
  • Monitor time and temperature.
  • Make sure the correct kinds of thermometers are available.
  • Regularly record temperatures and the times they are taken.
  • Minimize the time that food spends in the temperature danger zone.
  • Take corrective actions if time-temperature standards are not met.
• Monitoring Time and Temperature:
  • Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometer: scaled to measure temps from 0°F – 220°F; sensing area to +/- - 2°F.
  • Thermocouples and Thermistors: have a sensing area on the tip of their probe. This means you don’t have to insert them into the food as far as a bimetallic stemmed thermometer to get a correct reading. They come with different types of probes.
    • Immersion probe – used to check liquids (sauces).
    • Surface probe – check flat cooking equipment.
    • Penetration probe – check internal temperature of thin food, such as hamburger patties or fish fillets.
    • Air probe – check temperature inside refrigerators and ovens.
  • Infrared: measures the surface of food and equipment but cannot measure air temperature or the internal temperature of food. Hold as close to the food or equipment as possible, and remove anything between the thermometer and the food, food package, or equipment.
  • Time-Temperature Indicator (TTI): these are attached to packaging by the supplier. A color appears in the window if the food has been time-temperature abused during shipment or storage.
  • Maximum Registering Tape: indicates the highest temperature reached during use. Tape is used where temperature readings cannot be continuously observed, such as the final rinse temperature in dishwashing machines.
• When using thermometers:
  • Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry them before and after use.
  • Calibrate (adjust) them before each shift and when they fall onto the floor to ensure accuracy.
  • Make sure thermometers used to measure the temperature of food are accurate to +/-2°F or +/-1°C.
  • Only use glass thermometers if they are enclosed in a shatterproof casing.
• To calibrate a bi-metallic stemmed thermometer using the ice point method:
  • Fill a glass with ice and water.
  • Insert the thermometer into the water.
  • The temperature must read 32F when steady.
  • If it doesn’t, then adjust the probe from the nut until it reads 32°F. Then it is properly calibrated.
• When using thermometers:
  • Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the thickest part of the product (usually the center).
  • Take more than one reading in different spots.
  • Wait for the thermometer reading to steady before recording the temperature.

The Flow of Food: Purchasing, Receiving, and Storage

• An approved, reputable supplier is one that has been inspected, meets all applicable local, state, and federal laws, and has documentation of a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and/or a Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) program.
• Arrange deliveries so they arrive when staff has enough time to do inspections and they can be correctly received.
• Receiving principles:
  • Make specific staff responsible for receiving (train them to follow food safety guidelines and provide them with the right tools – purchase orders, thermometers, scales, etc.).
  • Have enough trained staff available to receive food promptly (inspect delivery trucks for signs of contamination and visually check food items and check temperatures).
  • Store items promptly after receiving.
• In key drop deliveries:
  • The supplier is given after-hour access to the operation to make deliveries.
  • Deliveries must meet the following criteria:
    • Must be inspected upon arrival at the operation.
    • Must be from an approved source.
    • Must have been placed in the correct storage location to maintain the required temperature.
    • Must have been protected from contamination in storage.
    • Is NOT contaminated.
    • Must be honestly presented.
• To reject deliveries:
  • Separate rejected items from accepted items.
  • Tell the delivery person what is wrong with the item.
  • Get a signed adjustment or credit slip before giving the rejected item to the delivery person.
  • Log the incident on the invoice or receiving document.
• For food items recalled by the manufacturer:
  • Identify the recalled food items.
  • Remove the item from inventory, and place it in a secure and appropriate location (such as a cooler or dry storage).
  • Store the item separately from food, utensils, equipment, linens, and single-use items.
  • Label the item in a way that will prevent it from being placed back in inventory.
  • Inform staff not to use the product.
  • Refer to the vendor’s notification or recall notice to determine what to do with the item.
• To check the temperature of Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP) food (*MAP, vacuum-packed, and **sous vide food):
  • Insert the thermometer stem or probe between two packages. As an alternative, fold packaging around the thermometer stem or probe; avoid puncturing the package.
    *
    R O P = Reduced-Oxygen Packaging
    *
    M A P = Modified Atmosphere Packaging (oxygen is replaced with other gases)
    *
    *
    s o u s vide food is vacuum sealed and cooked in a water bath.
• To check the temperature of other packaged food: open the package and insert the thermometer stem or probe into the food (stem/probe must not touch package).
• Temperature criteria for deliveries: reject frozen food if there is evidence of thawing and refreezing (time-temperature abuse); fluids or water stains in case bottoms or on packaging; and ice crystals or frozen liquids on the food or packaging.
• Reject food and nonfood packaged items with:
  • Tears, holes or punctures in packaging (reject cans with swollen ends, rust, or dents).
  • Bloating or leaking ROP food.
  • Broken cartons or seals.
  • Dirty and discolored packaging.
  • Leaks, dampness, or water stains.
  • Signs of pests or pest damage.
  • Expired use-by/expiration dates.
  • Evidence of tampering.
• Required documents:
  • Shellfish must be received with shellstock identification tags (tags indicate when and where the shellfish were harvested, and must be kept on file for 90 days from the date the last shellfish was used from its delivery container).
  • For fish that will be eaten raw or partially cooked, documentation must show the fish was correctly frozen before being received; keep documents for 90 days from the sale of the fish to consumer. Farm raised fish must have documentation stating the fish was raised to FDA standards; keep documents for 90 days from the sale of the fish to consumer.
• To assess food quality for time-temperature abuse:
  • Check its appearance (reject food that is moldy or has an abnormal color).
  • Check its texture (reject meat, fish, or poultry if it is slimy, sticky, or dry, or if it has soft flesh that leaves an imprint when touched).
  • Check for odor (reject food with an abnormal or unpleasant odor).
• Labeling food for use on-site:
  • It is not necessary to label food if it clearly will not be mistaken for another item (ex: dry pasta).
  • All other items not in their original containers must be labeled.
  • Food labels should include the common name of the food or a statement that clearly and accurately identifies it.
• Labeling food packaged on-site for retail sale:
  • Use the common name of the food or a statement clearly identifying it.
  • Label with quantity of the food.
  • If the item contains two or more ingredients, list the ingredients in descending order by weight.
  • List the artificial colors and flavors in the food including chemical preservatives.
  • List name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.
  • List source of each major food allergen contained in the food.
• Date marking: ready-to-eat TCS food must be marked if held longer than 24 hours. The date mark must indicate when the food must be sold, eaten, or thrown out.
• In date marking, ready-to-eat TCS food can be stored for only seven days. If it is held at 41°F (5°C) or lower: the count beings on the day that the food was prepared or a commercial container was opened. Some operations write the day or date the food was prepared on the label; others write the use-by date or date on the label.
• In date marking, if a commercially processed food has a use-by date that is less than seven days from the date the container was opened, the container should be marked with this use-by date, as long as the date is based on food safety.
• In date marking, when combining food in a dish with different use-by dates, the discard date of the dish should be based on the earliest prepared food.
• Temperatures for food storage:
  • Store TCS food at an internal temperature of 41°F (5°C) or lower or 135°F (57°C) or higher.
  • Store frozen food at temperatures that keep it frozen.
  • Make sure storage units have at least one air temperature measuring device; it must be accurate to +/-3°F or +/-1.5°C; and place the device in the warmest part of refrigerated units, and the coldest part of hot-holding units.
• Temperatures for food storage:
  • Do NOT overload coolers or freezers (it prevents airflow and makes unit work harder; also, frequent opening of the cooler lets warm air inside, which can affect food safety).
  • Use open shelving (lined shelving restricts circulation).
  • Monitor food temperatures regularly (randomly sample food temperatures).
• First In, First Out (FIFO): method of stock rotation in which products are shelved based on their use-by or expiration dates, so oldest products are used first. Throw out food that has passed its manufacturer’s use-by or expiration date.
• Preventing cross-contamination: store all items in designated storage areas:
  • Store items away from walls and at least six inches (15 centimeters) off the floor.
  • Also store single-use items (e.g., sleeve of single-use cups, single-use gloves) in original packaging.
  • Store food in durable containers intended for food.
  • Use containers that are durable, leak proof, and able to be sealed or covered: NEVER use empty food containers to store chemicals; and NEVER put food in empty chemical containers.
  • Keep all storage areas clean and dry.
  • Clean up spills and leaks immediately.
  • Clean dollies, carts, transporters, and trays often.
  • Clean floors, walls, and shelving in coolers, freezers, dry-storage areas, and heated holding cabinets on