MN Food Code Archives

May 13, 2024May 13, 2024

Genuine ServSafe Sanitizer Solutions Guide That Will Make You Safe

Your sanitizer solution is critical to ensuring food safety and preventing food-borne illness. This week, we’ll discuss how ServSafe Managers can ensure they mix and use sanitizer solutions properly for maximum effectiveness.

ServSafe MN Guide to Sanitizer Solutions

The following are the three sanitizer solutions the Minnesota Food Code approves for food preparation outlets.

Bleach or Chlorine solution at 50 ppm for 10 seconds
Iodine solution at 12.4 – 25 ppm for 30 seconds
Quaternary ammonia solution at 200 – 400 ppm for 30 seconds

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these three solutions. Bleach and quaternary ammonia solutions are currently the two most popular choices. Bleach is generally more affordable. However, it is easy to over-mix, creating the potential to remain on the surface of your utensils and surfaces. The chlorine residue will create a chemical contamination hazard. Quaternary ammonia solutions are more costly, but their safe concentration range is much broader. In addition, they are not as harsh on employee’s skin as chlorine solutions. Suppose you have questions about which solution is best for your facility. In that case, your local health department will usually be more than happy to recommend one and explain each product’s advantages.

Properly Mixing Your Solution

Unquestionably, the most accurate way to mix your solution is to have a service install a pump at a water source. These pumps will mix the solution into the water for you, creating a proper concentration. Many companies provide this service, and your health department should be able to direct you to one certified in your jurisdiction.

If you mix your sanitizer solutions manually, we strongly recommend using the proper test strip each time. A paper test strip will ensure you have not over- or under-mixed your chemical solution.

When using sanitizers, it is essential to change the solution often during heavy use to ensure it is still potent, store it below food preparation areas, and air-dry your surfaces before continuing work.

Finally, you should train your entire staff on properly sanitizing their workstations and regularly test your solutions to ensure you mix your chemicals safely. Proper use of sanitizers is a crucial element in serving and preparing safe-to-eat foods and is well worth reviewing even after you have gained your food manager certification in MN.

What is your perspective? How do you ensure proper workstation sanitation at your workplace?

March 18, 2024March 17, 2024

Setting Up a Prep Station to Proven ServSafe Standards

Keeping your workstation clean and organized can lead to more efficient production and help increase food safety. Properly setting up and utilizing your workspace to ServSafe standards can also help keep your food free from potential contaminants.

ServSafe MN Guide to a Safe Prep Station

Before you begin setting up your workstation, it’s essential to ensure it’s clean and sanitized. This simple step can prevent leftover food particles from a previous project from contacting your clean utensils, cutting boards, and ingredients.

Secondly, you should ensure that your ServSafe stocked prep station has the necessary supplies to keep your space clean. According to ServSafe MN, these supplies may vary by job, but here are a few essentials:

Clean, dry towels
Properly mixed sanitizer solution
Readily available garbage receptacle

Your dry towel should be easily accessible at your workstation and stored away from food product until you need it. Remember to store your sanitizer solution and garbage receptacle away from food and below your workstation when placing your sanitizer solution and garbage receptacle. Storing these at counter height or above your workspace dramatically increases the risk of garbage or sanitation chemicals coming into contact with food product.

Proper chemical sanitizer mixing is essential. We will examine the different approved sanitation methods in more detail in the future, but for now, you may wish to review the Minnesota Food Code sanitizer fact sheet quickly.

Now that you have your workstation set up, we have four suggestions for keeping it safe and sanitary throughout the day.

Exchange soiled towels frequently.
Wash utensils between tasks.
Sanitize your workspace between each task
Prepare raw meats and seafood last

Being diligent in these areas will greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness. We must take care of our everyday habits to ensure that all products produced are safe, healthy, and free of contamination.

November 8, 2023November 8, 2023

It’s Here: The Final CFPM Installment On Under Cooked Proteins

In the final installment of our series on serving under cooked animal product, we will discuss the protein that is almost always ordered under cooked by CFPMs. Breakfast customers rarely order eggs well done. They are critical elements in many sauces and give custards rich textures. Looking at the Minnesota food code temperature rules, we can see that eggs cooked for hot holding must reach a temperature of 155 degrees for at least 15 seconds. How does this apply to over-easy eggs, Béarnaise sauce, and ice creams where the egg product never reaches 155 degrees?

CFPM and the Ubiquitous Under Cooked Protein- The Egg

If you work in a restaurant or institution that serves breakfast, you will receive numerous orders for eggs that are over-easy, sunny side up, or soft-boiled. These orders will leave the egg below the 145-degree temperature requirement stated in the food code for eggs prepared for immediate consumption. It is perfectly acceptable to cook and immediately serve an over-easy egg to a guest. The key is that they have to serve it immediately after cooking. Hence, you must include a warning if you serve undercooked eggs in your restaurant. “There may be a risk of foodborne illness when certain items are ordered undercooked.”

How do these rules apply to products like Hollandaise sauce, crème brulee, or ice cream? These items:

have eggs
have never reached 155 degrees
are not served immediately

The Minnesota food code insists that pasteurized eggs substitute raw eggs. Many chefs argue that liquid pasteurized eggs do not work for particular items. Thanks to modern advancements in sanitation and pasteurization, you can purchase whole, raw, pasteurized shell eggs. Although the liquid form of pasteurized eggs is the most common, your product supplier should have whole, raw pasteurized eggs available.
While discussing raw eggs, let’s take a brief moment to talk about homemade mayonnaise and aioli. These are two egg-based products that have never been cooked. If you serve house-made mayonnaise:

only use liquid pasteurized eggs
always store it below 41 degrees.

Remember, you should never hold undercooked eggs in a warmer or a steam tray for service.

October 23, 2023October 23, 2023

Expert Certified Food Manager Warning About Serving Raw Seafood

Earlier this month, we discussed the dangers of serving undercooked ground beef, even at customer request. This week, we’d like to look at a few issues that a certified food manager must know when they serve undercooked or raw seafood products.

Certified Food Manager Tips for Properly Handling Raw and Undercooked Seafood

Raw seafood can be a susceptible product. A food manager must be vigilant to keep it safe whether you plan to serve sushi or fully-cooked fish and chips. If your facility prepares or serves any seafood product, you must serve the freshest fish and shellfish possible. Once you have received your product, keep it out of the danger zone and as cold as possible. We recommend storing your raw seafood product under ice, even under refrigeration.

Suppose you plan on serving raw or raw-marinated seafood products such as sushi, ceviche, lox, or seafood tartare. In that case, you must follow specific guidelines in the Minnesota food code. Except for certain types of fresh tuna, you must freeze any seafood you plan to serve uncooked first. This will help eliminate parasites. If your product is kept at a low enough temperature for an extended period, common parasites in most seafood will be killed. Make sure that you freeze your product before preparation at:

-4 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 days in your freezer
-31 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 hours in a blast chiller

There is an exemption to the rule if a certified food manager is serving raw or raw marinated tuna. Despite this, we strongly suggest serving the freshest and coldest product possible.

As we discussed last week concerning burgers, some guests will request their seafood served undercooked. The seafood should be cooked to a temperature of 145 degrees and should be held at that temperature for 15 seconds. While you may still serve undercooked seafood at your customer’s request, we strongly advise you to adhere to the Minnesota food code when serving cooked seafood.

Menu Warning regarding Seafood

Finally, if a certified food protection manager plans to serve raw seafood, you must identify and inform your customers that your menu items are raw or undercooked. As with steaks and burgers, this can be quickly done by placing an asterisk next to the menu item, referring to a warning at the bottom of each menu page.