MN Food Code Archives

November 5, 2018November 7, 2018

Proposed Changes In The MN Food Code Will Effect Kitchen Equipment Requirements

In the coming months, the Minnesota Department of Health will be making some changes to the current food code. One of those changes deals with the types of certifications equipment in industrial kitchens must have. This week, we’ll take a look at how changes in the MN food code will effect kitchen equipment decisions and how it impacts certified food managers in Minnesota.

New Changes In The MN Food Code Will Effect Kitchen Equipment Choices

According to the new regulations, MN certified food managers will have much more freedom as to what equipment they use in their establishment. There will no longer be the requirement for all equipment to be NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) certified. This does not mean that anything goes when it comes to your equipment; certain equipment will still need to be certified for sanitation by an ANSI (American National Certification Institute) certification program. These 10 types of equipment still require sanitation certification:

Warewashing Sinks
Mechanical Warewashing Equipment
Mechanical Refrigeration Units
Walk-in Freezers
Hot-Holding Equipment
Cooking Equipment other than Microwaves and Toasters
Ice Machines
Mechanical Slicers
Mechanical Tenderizers and Grinders
Food Preparation Surfaces, including Prep Sinks

So, how does a certified food manager know whether or not their equipment is certified by the proper agency? Most industrial kitchen equipment will have a stamp, label or other markings indicating that it has been classified for sanitation. If you have a piece of equipment that is listed above without any visible markings, contacting the product manufacturer or your local health department’s office may help you find the necessary information.

With these upcoming changes to equipment sanitation classifications, now may be a good time for certified food managers to make a quick inspection of all of the equipment on the list to ensure they have the proper certification. We feel that widening the scope to any ANSI sanitation standard gives food production facilities more flexibility when it comes to equipment choices. How do you feel about changes in the MN food code will effect kitchen equipment? Will it mean more freedom or more burden?

September 24, 2018September 5, 2018

Certified Food Managers and Changes in their Title and Requirements

Certified Food Manager CFM to Certified Food Protection Manager(CFPM)

As we’ve discussed in previous articles, the Minnesota Department of Health has proposed the first major update to the food code in quite some time. One important aspect of these changes includes the altering of certain terms that are commonly used in the code. This week, we’ll break down the change in terminology as it relates to the title of Certified Food Managers.

Upcoming Changes for Certified Food Managers in the MN Food Code

We notice right away that the title of certified food managers is changing. The new language in the code will refer to the Certified Food Protection Manager. This is a slight change, but something worth taking note of. The duties and training required for the Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) will remain similar to previous requirements with a few exceptions.

One reason for this change is to clarify that the requirement for outlets to have a CFPM are based on risk rather than the type of facility where food production occurs. Under the new proposed food code, there will no longer be an exemption for mobile food units, such as food trucks or carts, temporary or seasonal facilities. These types of food producers will now be required to have a full-time CFPM based on their risk category.

The changes in the way the code deals with the certified food protection manager also clears up a few issues regarding certification and renewals. The instructor providing training and renewal courses must be certified themselves in order to provide certifications for students.

Finally, the Minnesota Department of Health is also altering the grace period allowed for renewal of certification. Rather than a full year, managers now only have a grace period of six months to complete their renewal requirements.

What do you think of the changes to the certified food protection managers in the new code? Will it affect how you go about your duties?

May 14, 2018May 2, 2018

Online ServSafe Guide to Raw Egg Handling

In the month of April, a supplier of eggs to the East Coastrecalled whole shell eggs due to a number of cases of Salmonella illnesses that may have been linked to their product. Even though it appears Minnesota escaped this risk unscathed, now would still be a good time for an online ServSafe review of raw egg handling habits.

Raw Shell Egg Handling Procedures

Many Salmonella cases result from improper cooking or handling procedures. Most outbreaks can be avoided by following a few simple steps:

Fully cook products with raw egg ingredients
Use liquid pasteurized eggs when possible
Do not pool raw shell eggs
Always wash your hands after handling raw eggs

The Minnesota Food Code states that all raw shell eggs must be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees. This does not mean that restaurants and outlets that offer breakfast service are prohibited from serving their eggs sunny side up or over easy. If you offer eggs on your menu, customers who verbally request them undercooked can receive them if the eggs are cooked and served immediately. In order to be in full compliance with the rules to serve undercooked eggs or other animal products a clearly visible warning that consuming undercooked animal product comes with health risks needs to be included on your menu.

For dishes such as omelets, scrambled eggs or any other product that does not require a whole shell egg, pasteurized liquid eggs should be used. These liquid eggs should replace any kind of egg pooling procedure. Egg pooling occurs when multiple whole raw shell eggs are cracked and stored in the same container. Putting large numbers of cracked raw eggs in one container greatly increases the risk of the spread of Salmonella.

Whether this topic is covered in online ServSafe training or one of our instructor led courses, we inevitably hear from chefs who claim that some recipes do not work with liquid eggs. In these cases, you may wish to use whole pasteurized shell eggs or consult your local health department to discuss solutions and alternatives for your ingredients.