In order to implement the District's Food Safety Program, standard operating procedures should be developed in the following area:
General Safety Considerations
- Prohibit bare hand contact with ready to eat foods
- Store chemicals away from food and food related supplies
Personnel
- Require hand washing after restroom use, sneezing, coughing, or after performing any cleaning activity.
- Develop a policy for restricting or excluding ill employees from food production or preparation areas.
Product Procurement
- Follow recommendations for selecting vendors such as those found in State distributing agency vendor certification procedures.
- Develop buyer product specifications.
Receiving
- Reject all cans with swollen sides or ends, flawed seals and seams, rust or dents.
- Put perishable foods into the refrigerator or freezer immediately.
Storing
- Store all food and paper supplies 6 to 8 inches off the floor.
- Label all food with name of the school and delivery date.
Transporting
- Preheat transfer cart prior to use.
- Limit transport travel time to a maximum of 2 hours.
Holding
- Keep hot foods hot (above 135 °F) and cold foods cold (below 41 °F).
Preparation
- Do not keep food in the "danger zone" (between 41 °F and 135 °F) for more than 4 hours.
- Handle food with utensils, clean, gloved hands, or clean hands. (Bare hand contact with food during preparation should be limited. Bare hand contact with RTE foods should be prohibited.)
Cleaning / Sanitizing
- Use clean water, free of grease and food particles.
- Keep wiping cloths in sanitizing solution while cleaning.
Cooking and Documenting Temperatures
- Record all temperatures when they are taken.
- Use only a clean and sanitized thermometer when taking internal temperatures of food.
Cooling
- Cool rapidly by storing food in small batches in individual containers; cover loosely so that heat can escape quickly.
- Keep cold foods cold by pre-chilling ingredients for salads.
Reheating
- Transfer reheated food to hot-holding equipment only when the food reaches the proper temperature.
- Use only cooking ranges, ovens, steamers, and microwave ovens to reheat foods. Use hot-holding equipment only to maintain temperature and not for rapidly heating food.
