Food service employees who demonstrate good health habits and practice food safety provide more efficient and sanitary food services.  Foodborne illnesses can also be spread if employees are not properly trained on how to receive and store food.  It is very important that food employees are knowledgeable in all food handling areas.

Receiving and Storage

Food received or used in food service establishments must be from sources approved or considered satisfactory by the health department and must be clean, wholesome free from spoilage, adulteration and misbranding, and safe for human consumption.  The food must have been prepared, processed, handled, packaged and stored in a sanitary manner so as to be protected from contamination and spoilage.

Storerooms should be well ventilated and free of dampness.  Also storerooms should be free of pests and bugs.

Bulk products such as sugar and flour, may be emptied into tightly covered, properly labeled approved containers to prevent outside contamination.

Food may not be stored in locker rooms, rest rooms, dressing rooms, garbage rooms, mechanical rooms, under sewer lines that are not shielded to intercept potential drips, under leaking water lines (including leaking automatic fire sprinkler heads) under lines on which water has condensed, under open stairwell or under Other sources of contamination.

Products must be stored on shelves or platforms 6 inches from the floor to ensure adequate cleaning of the storeroom floor.

Keep cleaning products, poisons and/or harmful products in storage Away from food storage areas to prevent contamination.

Refrigeration

Food should be cooled to an internal temperature of 41 degrees F in a period of no more than 4 hours. Cooling for large quantities of foods must be accomplished in the following ways:

1) Place food in shallow pans
2) Separate food into smaller containers
3) Use rapid cooling equipment
4) Stir food in a container placed in an ice water bath
5) Use containers that facilitate heat transfer
6) Add ice as an ingredient or
7) Other effective methods that is approved by the Department of Health

Arrange containers apart from one another in a refrigerator to ensure proper cooling.  This allows air to circulate around containers.  Cover all food while in storage.  Covering keeps food from drying out and minimizes the possibility of contamination.  Do not re-freeze, products once they are thawed.

Preparation Contact with Food

When working with food:

• Handle food as little as possible
• Throw away plastic gloves after one use
• Keep fingers away from mouth, hair, face, skin and other parts of the body
• Use the rest room sink or the hand washing sink in the food preparation area for washing hands, not the food preparation sink
• Wash fresh produce under running water before it is served either raw or cooked
• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or as part of the cooking process
• Prepare precooked frozen foods exactly as the directions state
• Have foods ready at serving time but not any longer than necessary before serving time
• Do not leave cooked foods at room temperature

In storage, place prepared food in covered containers or have it wrapped or packaged to insure protection from contamination.

Work Area

To keep area clean:

• Avoid placing cartons or boxes on surfaces used for food preparation
• Wipe food contact surfaces with clean cloths which are used only for that purpose
• Keep kitchens free of clutter
• Keep worktables clear and clean while in use
• Wash and put away equipment that is not being used

Clean and sanitize food preparation surfaces between different types of raw food products (beef, pork, poultry, etc.) and between the preparation of raw products and ready to eat products.

When using utensils:

• Wash and sanitize flatware or other utensils, which fall to the floor
• Do not taste foods with any utensil used either to mix or stir foods
• Do not use fingers to sample food.  Always use a clean spoon

Use foods on a first in, first out basis.  Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared and held for more than 24 hours in a facility must be marked with the date of preparation.   It must be discarded if not sold or served within ten calendar days.

Storage containers must have openings large enough to allow easy cleaning between uses.

In Service

Do not contaminate the food in the serving process:

• Use clean tongs, scoops, forks, spoons, spatulas, or other suitable utensils to handle food
• Pick up and hold all tableware by the handles
• Store tableware away from dust
• Provide straws either individually wrapped or from an approved dispenser
• Serve butter or margarine in individual servings

Ice should be from an approved source.  Ice machines should be in a covered, visible and protected location.  Ice should be transferred to serving containers using approved scoops.    Never use hands, cups, or glasses to scoop ice.   Keep scoops protected when not in use.  Do not store food items on ice used for drinks.

Use a spoon or other suitable utensil to remove any serving or mixing spoon that falls into the food.

Make sure food to be served on a take-out basis is covered until served.

Uneaten food and single-service utensils should be thrown away in approved waste containers.
When handling plates and trays do not touch eating surfaces with fingers.

In Transport

During all periods of transportation potentially hazardous food must be kept at safe temperatures (milk, eggs, poultry, fish).  Bacteria grow faster in these foods when they are not kept at a safe temperature.  Make sure that foods being transported are protected from dust, pests and insects at all time. Temperature and time are very important in all aspects of food service (storing, preparing, serving, etc.)

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold!

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