Christine Dantz, Author at Safe Food For Thought

March 4, 2019February 13, 2019

Online Food Safety Training Update on Non-Continuous Cooking

Back in November, we covered an interesting addition to the Minnesota Food Code revision; non-continuous cooking- the ability to halt the cooking process and resume at a later time. At the time, we only had some basic information and a rough draft of the new food code, but now that the code is in effect, the Department of Health has released fact sheets and more detailed information about this procedure.

Non-Continuous Cooking Procedures

The procedure for non-continuous cooking can be broken down into five steps:

Cook product for 60 minutes or less
Cool food properly within two hours
Store product below 41 degrees
Cook food completely when reheating
Serve immediately, hot-hold or cool properly for later use

This process offers a solution for certified food managers who wish to partially cook raw animal product or other sensitive items and reserve under refrigeration or in the freezer until the time comes to cook and serve. Along with these five steps, the health department requires documentation for this process which must be reviewed and approved by the proper regulatory official, namely your health inspector.

Include the following vital information in your documentation and proposal to be reviewed:

The monitoring and implementation process of the five required steps
Corrective actions if the five steps are not met properly
How partially cooked product will be labeled or identified
Steps taken to prevent cross contamination with ready-to-eat foods

We have a few quick notes concerning these new rules. You may wish to review your online food safety training concerning cooling and temperature control and proper cooking temperatures. Remember, all product must reach the correct temperature before serving. The non-continuous cooking method should never be used for product that may be served undercooked at customer request. Undercooking previously partially cooked meats presents an increased food-borne illness risk.

We’ve found local health inspectors are more willing to work with food producers to ensure that these new rules are followed correctly. Feel free to contact your health department if you’re ready to have your proposal reviewed or if you have any questions.

February 25, 2019February 18, 2019

How CFPMs Use Freezing to Slow Bacteria

In one of our Certified Food Protection Manager training classes during our recent record breaking cold snap, a student asked “whether CFPMs use freezing or refreezing foods to kill bacteria in meat products and ready-to-eat foods? If we store our product outside in the snow at negative 30 degrees, it should be too cold for bacteria to survive, right?”

Freezing product properly does in fact promote food safety and reduce the risk of food-borne illness, but simply freezing everything potentially increases the risk of food-borne illness and gives a false sense of security as to how safe the food we serve really is.

CFPMs Use Freezing for Food Safety

Before we get into our discussion, it’s important to answer the question, “Does freezing proteins kill bacteria?”

There’s a lot of misinformation out there concerning how germs and bacteria react to sub-zero temperatures, but we learn in online Certified Food Protection Manager training, freezing food does not kill bacteria. Freezing food stops the growth of germs and bacteria, so effective use of your freezer to store product that isn’t intended for immediate use keeps bacteria at bay while preserving food for later use. Cooking meats, ready-to-eat foods and other products to the proper temperatures is the only way to actually kill bacteria. Freezing solidly for at least a week will kill parasites but not bacteria.

So, when can CFPMs use freezing to safely store product?

If you don’t plan on using incoming product soon, freeze it as soon as possible. This will add life to your product, and prevent the slow growth of bacteria. Letting your meats sit under refrigeration for a few days and then deciding you’re not going to use it can pose a bacteria risk, depending on what type of product it is. Fish and seafood have a limited shelf life, so while freezing it will slow the growth of contaminates, it will still contain those harmful bacteria when thawed.

Cooked foods need to be cooled properly before freezing them. Cooked product must be chilled in an ice bath or in small portions. For example, a large, warm pot of soup cannot be simply put into a freezer in a large bucket. Bacteria will grow as the soup sits in the danger zone while freezing and wake up when the soup is eventually thawed. The same goes for cooked roasts and large amounts of meat.

Finally, a caution against freezing thawed product. Product thawed in the microwave or under running water cannot be re-frozen. Food properly thawed under refrigeration may be re-frozen if done so in a reasonable time frame, but we recommend against this as thawing and re-freezing can cause quality issues with your product.

Do you have a regulated method to control freezing and thawing of your product?

February 18, 2019February 18, 2019

A Guide to the Proper Use of MN Food Code Fact Sheets

The MN Food Code Fact sheets provided by the health department are a free and easy-to-use guide to nearly any food safety issue. The ServSafe Food Manager controls food safety in their establishment, but there are many training tools available to help them educate their staff, monitor procedures and go the extra mile to keep their guests safe.

Using MN Fact Sheets to Promote Food Safety

Fact sheets should be readily accessible to all employees. Our best suggestion is to have them posted visibly in stations where they are relevant. For example, a fact sheet on cooling should be posted near sinks used for ice baths, cooking temperatures should be kept on the line and proper handwashing signage should be posted at all handwashing stations.

There are many different fact sheets, and some of them may be important for your day-to-day operations, but some only need referencing occasionally. For example, a fact sheet on equipment guidelines may be useless posted in your facility, but it’s still valuable information. We recommend keeping an accessible binder with all fact sheets relevant to your operation whether you post them visibly or not. This resource gives ServSafe food managers easy access for training and review of information that isn’t required on a daily basis.

Finally, many of the fact sheets have changed with the recent update of the Minnesota Food Code, we strongly urge you to remove any fact sheets dated before January 1, 2019, and replace them with the m ost recent updates.

Have you taken the time to review the newest MN food code fact sheets available and print out and post ones that help keep your employees informed on the latest food-safety rules?

February 11, 2019January 10, 2019

MN Food Safety Managers and Fish Labeling Fraud

According to a recent report out of New York state, fish labeling fraud is becoming fairly rampant, with many species of fish being substituted with cheaper, lower quality seafood. If this is such a widespread problem, how can MN food safety managers actually know if their seafood is actually what the supplier says it is?

How to Avoid Becoming a Fish Labeling Fraud Victim

While this study concerned fish sold in New York state, we can assume that seafood sold in Minnesota at least has the potential of being mislabeled. Here’s a few ideas that we’ve come up with to help you avoid bringing in mislabeled fish:

Use reputable seafood suppliers rather than large restaurant supply services
Ask your supplier for a precise label that includes your seafood’s source
If you order wild fish, reject any shipment that is not labeled as wild caught
If a supplier’s cost is much lower than market price, be wary

Large food suppliers are great for basic items, but the seafood market is so specialized that it’s probably a good idea to find a supplier that specializes in seafood, especially ocean caught fish. With our state far away from both oceans, food safety managers should put their trust in companies with seafood shipping experience to ensure freshness, quality and authenticity.

Most seafood, especially wild caught species such as salmon, should be labeled accordingly. Look out for generic labels on fish species such as salmon, cod or snapper. These three species of fish are susceptible to labeling fraud, especially if you are expecting wild caught or a specific variety of these popular seafood items. Ask your supplier for an accurate and specific label that includes a harvest location.

Finally, be wary of deals that look too good to be true, because they probably are. It’s not uncommon for more disreputable suppliers to mask a cheap, low quality fish as a desirable product and advertise an unbelievable price. Once cleaned and fileted, a generic white fish may resemble cod, but your customers will taste the difference.

Do you take steps to make sure that you’re receiving the seafood that you actually ordered?