Alesia was recently hired as foodservice director for an assisted living senior-care facility. Her first task was to take a close look at the foodservice practices at the facility.
First, Alesia noticed that residents were fed in a common dining room.
Each caregiver was assigned to feed two residents. During the hectic lunch hour, Alesia witnessed caregivers taking residents to the restroom; wiping spilled food from residents; cleaning chairs, tables, and floors; and cleaning up vomit.
The caregiver’s primary concern was the safety of each resident, as well as overseeing residents’ nutritional needs and daily food intake.
However, in their haste to return to the care of a resident, caregivers often failed to wash their hands correctly.
Next, Alesia spent time in the kitchen to watch meals being prepared by the cooks and prep workers. She noted that they carefully portioned food and checked and rechecked each resident’s individual dietary needs against the doctor’s prescribed meal type.
However, she did not see final temperatures being taken before the food was portioned onto trays and loaded onto hot- and cold-holding carts.
Each plate, dish, cup, or glass was covered with plastic wrap or a
cover. Alesia noted that the food handlers and caretakers did wear disposable gloves. However, they did not always wash their hands prior to putting on new gloves when changing tasks.
Alesia knew that even with the demands of their jobs, most of these employees genuinely cared about the well-being of each resident.
She also recognized that their practices must reflect the best practices in food safety when it comes to preparation, handling, service, and personal hygiene.
1. What areas do you see as critical and requiring immediate attention?
2. What practices would you add to the orientation of new food service staff members who will work in this operation?
Objectives
Identify the following:
7-2
Requirements for labeling and date marking food
How to rotate food using first-in, first-out (FIFO)
Temperature requirements for food in storage
Practices that can prevent temperature abuse during storage
Practices that can prevent cross-contamination during storage
Guidelines for storing specific types of food including meat, poultry, fish,
shellfish, eggs, produce, and dry food
Labeling
Labeling food for use on-site:
7-3
All 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.
It is not necessary to label food if it clearly will
not be mistaken for another item.
Labeling
Labeling food packaged on-site for retail sale:
7-4
Common name of the food or a statement clearly identifying it.
Quantity of the food.
If the item contains two or more ingredients, list the ingredients and
subingredients in descending order by weight.
List of artificial colors and flavors and chemical preservatives.
Name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer,
or distributor.
Source of each major food allergen contained in the food.
Date Marking
Date marking:
Ready-to-eat TCS food must be marked if held
for longer than 24 hours.
o
7-5
Date mark must indicate when the food must be
sold, eaten, or thrown out.
Ready-to-eat TCS food can be stored for only
seven days if it is held at 41˚F (5˚C)
or lower.
o
The count begins on the day that the food was
prepared or a commercial container
was opened.
o
For example, potato salad prepared and stored
on October 1 would have a discard date of
October 7 on the label.
Date Marking
Date marking:
7-6
Operations use different systems for date
marking:
o
Some write the day or date the food was
prepared on the label.
o
Others write the use-by day or date on the label.
Date Marking
Commercially processed food:
If
A commercially processed food has a use-by date that is less
than seven days from the date the container was opened
Then
7-7
The container should be marked with this use-by date
as long as the date is based on food safety
Storage
Date marking:
7-8
When combining food with different
use-by dates in a dish, base the discard
date of the dish on the earliest use-by date
of ingredients.
Consider a shrimp and sausage jambalaya
prepared on December 4:
o
The shrimp has a use-by date of
December 8.
o
The sausage has a use-by date of
December 10.
o
The use-by date of the jambalaya is
December 8.
Rotation
Rotate food to use the oldest inventory first:
One way to rotate products is to follow FIFO:
1. Identify the food item’s use-by or expiration date.
2. Store items with the earliest use-by or expiration
dates in front of items with later dates.
3. Once shelved, use those items stored in front first.
4. Throw out food that has passed its manufacturer’s
use-by or expiration date.
7-9
Temperatures
Temperature guidelines:
Store TCS food at an internal temperature
of 41˚F (5˚C) or lower, or 135˚F (57˚C)
or higher.
Store meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy items in
the coldest part of the unit away from the door.
Store frozen food at temperatures that keep it
frozen.
Make sure storage units have at least one air
temperature measuring device.
7-10
o
It must be accurate to +/- 3˚F or +/- 1.5˚C.
o
Put it in the warmest part of refrigerated units
and the coldest part of hot-holding units.
Temperatures
Temperatures guidelines:
Do NOT overload coolers or freezers.
Avoid frequent opening of the cooler.
Use cold curtains in walk-in coolers and
freezers.
Use open shelving.
Monitor food temperatures regularly.
7-11
o
Randomly sample food temperatures.
o
If the food is not at the correct temperature,
throw it out.
Defrost freezers regularly.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Storage location:
7-12
Store food in a clean, dry location away from dust and other contaminants.
NEVER store food in these areas:
o
Locker rooms or dressing rooms
o
Restrooms or garbage rooms
o
Mechanical rooms
o
Under unshielded sewer lines or leaking water lines
o
Under stairwells
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Damaged, spoiled, or incorrectly stored
food:
7-13
Discard unsafe food:
o
Damaged
o
Spoiled
o
Incorrectly stored
o
Missing its date mark
o
Past its date mark
o
Exceeded time/temperature requirements
If returning unsafe food:
o
Store it away from other food and equipment.
o
Label it so it is not used.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Supplies:
Store all items in designated storage areas.
o
o
7-14
Store items away from walls and at least
six inches (15 centimeters) off the floor.
Store single-use items (e.g., sleeve of
single-use cups, single-use gloves) in
original packaging.
6″ (15 cm)
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Containers:
7-15
Store food in containers intended for food.
Use containers that are durable, leakproof, and
able to be sealed or covered.
NEVER use empty food containers to store
chemicals.
NEVER put food in empty chemical containers.
Wrap or cover all food correctly.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Cleaning:
7-16
Keep all storage areas clean and dry.
Clean up spills and leaks immediately.
Clean dollies, carts, transporters, and trays
often.
Store food in containers that have been
cleaned and sanitized.
Store dirty linens in clean, nonabsorbent
containers or washable laundry bags.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Storage order:
7-17
Wrap or cover food.
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood
separately from ready-to-eat food.
o
If this is not possible, store ready-to-eat food
above raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
o
This will prevent juices from raw food from
dripping onto ready-to-eat food.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Storage order:
Store food items in the following
top-to-bottom order:
A.
Ready-to-eat food
B.
Seafood
C. Whole cuts of beef and pork
D. Ground meat and ground fish
E.
7-18
Whole and ground poultry
This storage order is based on the minimum
internal cooking temperature of each food.
A
B
C
D
E
Storing Specific Food
Meat:
Temperature
Containers
and location
7-19
Fresh meat—internal temperature of
41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Frozen meat—a temperature that
keeps it frozen
Separate storage unit or coldest part of
the cooler
Airtight, moisture-proof material, or
clean and sanitized containers, hooks,
or racks
NOT stored above other food
Storing Specific Food
Eggs:
Temperature
Shell eggs—air temperature of 45ºF
(7ºC) or lower
Frozen egg items—a temperature that
keeps them frozen
Liquid eggs—according to
manufacturer’s recommendations
Dried egg items—in a cool dry-storage
area
o
7-20
Once reconstituted (mixed with water),
store them at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower.
Storing Specific Food
Eggs:
Guidelines
7-21
Do NOT wash shell eggs before
storing.
Plan to use all shell eggs within four
to five weeks of the packing date.
Keep shell eggs in cold storage
until used.
Do NOT reconstitute more dried
egg items than needed for
immediate use.
Storing Specific Food
Fish:
Temperature
Containers
7-22
Fresh fish—internal temperature of
41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Frozen fish—a temperature that keeps
it frozen
Keep fillets and steaks in original
packaging, or tightly wrap them in
moisture-proof materials.
Fresh, whole fish can be packed in
flaked or crushed ice:
o
Ice beds should be self-draining.
o
Change the ice, and clean and sanitize
the container often.
Storing Specific Food
Shellfish:
Temperature
Containers
Shucked shellfish —internal
temperature of 41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Live shellfish—in its original container
at an air temperature of 45ºF (7ºC) or
lower
Do NOT remove the shellstock tag
from the container until the last
shellfish has been used.
o
7-23
Keep it on file for 90 days after sale or
service.
A display tank may be used under
certain conditions.
Storing Specific Food
Fresh produce:
Temperature
TCS food items—41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Whole citrus fruit, hard-rind squash,
eggplant, and root vegetables—in a
cool dry-storage area
o
7-24
60ºF to 70ºF (16ºC to 21ºC) is best
Other fruits and vegetables—
requirements vary
Storing Specific Food
Fresh produce:
Containers
and location
7-25
Raw, whole produce and raw, cut
vegetables delivered packed in ice
can be stored as they are.
o
Make sure containers are self-draining.
o
Change the ice regularly.
Make sure containers for whole citrus
fruit, hard-rind squash, eggplant, and root
vegetables are well ventilated.
Store onions away from other vegetables
that might absorb odor.
Storing Specific Food
Fresh produce:
Guidelines
Keep the relative humidity of coolers
at 85 to 95 percent.
Some produce ripens best at room
temperature.
o
7-26
Avocados, bananas, pears, and
tomatoes
Wash most produce just before
prepping or serving.
Do NOT mix different items or multiple
batches of the same item in standing
water or an ice-water slurry.
Storing Specific Food
Poultry:
Temperature
Containers
7-27
Raw poultry—internal temperature of
41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Frozen poultry—a temperature that
keeps it frozen
If removed from its original packaging,
place the poultry in an airtight container
or wrap it in airtight material.
Ice-packed poultry can be stored in a
cooler as is.
o
Make sure containers are self-draining.
o
Change the ice and sanitize the
container often.
Storing Specific Food
ROP food:
Temperature
Guidelines
Store at temperatures recommended
by the manufacturer or at 41ºF (5ºC)
or lower.
Frozen ROP food—a temperature
that keeps it frozen
Throw the item away if the:
7-28
o
Package is torn or slimy or contains
excessive liquid.
o
Food item bubbles.
Check the expiration date
before using.
Storing Specific Food
UHT and aseptically packaged food:
Temperature
7-29
UHT-pasteurized food in aseptic
packaging
o
Unopened—room temperature
o
Opened—41ºF (5ºC) or lower
UHT-pasteurized food not in aseptic
packaging—internal temperature of
41ºF (5ºC) or lower
Storing Specific Food
Canned goods:
7-30
Temperature
Higher storage temperatures may
shorten shelf life.
Guidelines
Acidic food does not last as long as
food low in acid.
Discard damaged cans.
Keep dry-storage areas dry.
Wipe cans clean with a sanitized
cloth before opening them.
Storing Specific Food
Dry food:
7-31
Temperature
Higher storage temperatures may
shorten shelf life.
Guidelines
Check containers or packages for
damage from insects or rodents
before use.
If stored correctly, salt and sugar can
be held almost indefinitely.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
