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How ServSafe Food Managers Thaw Frozen Foods

How ServSafe Food Managers Can Thaw Frozen Foods Safely and Preserve Quality

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As the year wears on into winter, ServSafe food managers are often forced to bring in frozen product that is no longer freshly available, and considering the reduction of business due to COVID-19 restaurant restrictions, many restaurants are relying on frozen ingredients to keep costs down and reduce waste. If you’re finding yourself thawing more product than normal, it may be time for a quick review for ServSafe Food Managers on methods to thaw frozen foods properly to reduce foodborne-illness risks and preserve quality.

How ServSafe Food Managers Can Thaw Frozen Foods Safely and Preserve Quality
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ServSafe Food Manager Guide to Thawing Foods

According to the Minnesota Food Code there are several ways to safely thaw frozen product:

  • Under Refrigeration
  • Submerged Under Running Water
  • As Part of the Cooking Process
  • In a Microwave

All four of these methods have their merits and drawbacks, so ServSafe food managers should consider the types of foods they are thawing before choosing a method in order to maintain food quality. No matter which method you choose, be aware that Minnesota food safety standards do not allow for product to be stored at over 41 degrees for more than four hours.

Thawing frozen product under refrigeration is probably the best way to thaw product safely and ensure that it will maintain its quality, especially when you’re thawing large items. Whole fish, roasts and other large items will take considerably time to thaw, and since your refrigeration units are kept below 41 degrees you don’t have to be concerned about the four hour window.

If you need product sooner, you can thaw under cold running water. If you choose this method, be sure to seal your frozen product in some way. A large water bath can spread pathogens and damage sensitive ingredients such as seafood. The last thing a guest will want to see is a jumbled pile of mush on their plate.

If you’ve frozen casseroles or soups, they can be cooked from frozen as long as they reach servable temperature in as short amount of time as possible.

While it’s acceptable from a food safety standpoint to use the digital chef to thaw product, a microwave really should be the last resort. With the exception of product designed to be cooked from frozen in the microwave, you’ll notice a steep decline in quality when thawing in the microwave versus other options. If you do thaw product in the microwave, it must be cooked immediately following the thawing process.

Are you a ServSafe food manager relying on frozen product during the winter months?

How Strict New Romaine Growing Standards Help CFPMs

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Over the course of the past several years, we’ve seen numerous recalls on romaine lettuce and other leafy greens due to foodborne illness outbreaks. These recalls have caused headaches for Certified Food Protection Managers (CFPMs) as they’ve had to pull popular items like Caesar salads off of menus and scramble for replacement greens with every recall. The good news for CFPMs, the romaine lettuce growing industry is adapting and large growing regions in California and Arizona are adopting stricter regulations to prevent contaminated greens from being shipped to restaurants and grocery stores around the country.

Strict New Romaine Growing Standards Help CFPMs
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CFPMs Benefit FromTougher Romaine Growing Standards

CFPMs should be able to rely on the quality of produce they receive in order to keep their customers safe. When they receive romaine or other greens that are tainted with E.coli, salmonella, listeria or other bacteria, there is often little they can do to prevent this contamination from spreading to their guests. In many cases, even rinsed and cleaned lettuce still contains traces of contaminates that are only killed at high temperatures.

The instability of the safety of the greens for major growing regions has forced CFPMs to reconsider where they source their produce. Some source it from outside California and Arizona, and others rely on indoor hydroponic farms to ensure the safety of their fresh greens. This has put pressure on major growers to adopt new standards to keep their greens safe. Some new rules going into effect in Arizona and California growing regions include:

  • Stringent treatment of water sources to remove pathogens
  • Enhanced water testing methods
  • Rewritten protocols to prevent groundwater from contacting edible parts of plants
  • Updated regulations for equipment storage and sanitation
  • Outlined practices to prevent the edible portion of greens from contacting soil during harvest

As you can see, the studies that have linked contaminated water and pathogens in Romaine lettuce have led to changes in the testing and treatment of water. Growers are also recognizing the connection between soil contact and contamination and taking steps to prevent contamination through contact with the ground, tools that have touched the soil and other possible contacts that could contaminate lettuce during harvesting.

While there’s very little CFPMs can do with some contaminates, it’s important to be aware of changes in the lettuce growing industry that could make volatile ingredients such as leafy greens safer to consumers.

Do you feel large growers are doing enough to keep the greens they ship safe for consumption?

Certified Food Protection Managers and Recalled Peaches

Certified Food Protection Managers and Recall of Peaches

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In a recent recall announcement, the FDA has notified consumers that a large number of peaches may be contaminated with salmonella. These peaches have been shipped by a major fruit producer and could have found their way into the supply chain for restaurants and other food producers. According to the CDC, there have been at least 23 cases of the strain in Minnesota, the most of any state thus far. How should certified food managers react to this outbreak?

Certified Food Protection Managers and Recall of Peaches
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Recall of Tainted Fresh Peaches and Certified Food Protection Managers

First, if certified food protection managers have any peaches that can be traced back to the recalled Wawona brand peaches or Wegman Food Markets, dispose of them immediately. The highest-risk establishments for this outbreak are grocery stores, but many restaurants supplement their fresh fruit supply in small batched from local markets. This means there may be a chance food-producing businesses may have them in their inventory.

If you have already processed these peaches into baked goods or other prepared items, you must dispose of any potentially contaminated product. According to the FDA, these peaches could have been on the market as early as June 1, so make sure you check your dates on any frozen items you have produced that contain peaches.

As always with such a widespread recall, if you have any doubts as to the safety of your produce or items made from potentially contaminated fruit, you should err on the side of caution.

Have you checked the FDA’s recent recall alerts or the embedded CDC Recall widget on the sidebar of this Safe Food For Thought Blog site to make sure you’re not using contaminated ingredients?

food managers creating stay safe mn preparedness plan

Creating An Easy “Stay Safe MN” Preparedness Plan For Food Managers

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Towards the end of July, Governor Walz updated and released a new COVID-19 preparedness template that business owners are required to complete according to current reopening regulations. We know every business varies, so we’d like to take a closer look at what this Stay Safe MN preparedness plan means for food managers who run restaurants and other food-related businesses.

Stay Safe MN Preparedness Plan For Food Managers
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How Minnesota Food Managers Should Build their COVID-19 “Stay Safe MN” Preparedness Plan

While we’ve already covered quite a number of the procedures required in the Stay Safe MN plan, it’s important to have your entire plan outlined in one single document for a couple of reasons. First, it’s required as part of Governor Walz’s guidance for reopening, but beyond that, safe reopening plans can tend to be convoluted, so it’s vital to have all of your facilities procedures in one easily accessible document. This will aid in training, enforcement and providing up-to-date information to guests and employees alike.

The benefit of having an official template is that you don’t have to take the time to create one yourself, and you don’t have to worry about overlooking certain protocols. Let’s take a quick look at some of the protocols Minnesota food managers are required to have outlined to stay compliant with Stay Safe MN:

It may seem like a mighty list and a daunting task, but filling out this template is a must for every business. The good news is that the template is fairly easy to follow, and it goes a long way towards tracking your adherence to current reopening procedures.

Have you filled out your COVID-19 reopening plan yet?