1. Serve Safe Ch. 5
The Flow of Food

2. Scenario: Fatal Outbreak to Incorrect Storage
Two deaths and 68 cases of severe illness were attributed to an E. Coli outbreak at a local family operation in the Midwest. An investigation revealed that several 10-pound packages of raw ground beef were incorrectly stored on the top shelf in a walk-in cooler. Authorities determined that the ground beef dripped onto fresh rolls and cartons of chocolate milk that were stored on the shelf below. Guests who had eaten the rolls or were stored on the shelf below. Guests who had eaten the rolls or were served the cartons of chocolate milk got sick. The operation, which had voluntarily closed for the investigation, never reopened.

3. What could have been done to prevent this outbreak?
You Can Prevent This
What could have been done to prevent this outbreak?

4. Purchasing
You can’t make unsafe food- must bring ONLY safe food into your establishment
Approved Reputable Suppliers: Must buy food from approved suppliers that have been inspected and can show you an inspection report
Must meet local, state, and federal laws (includes growers, shippers, packers, manufacturers, distributors, and local markets)
Develop a relationship with supplier to know their safety practices

5. Inspection Reports Include:
Receiving and Storing
Processing
Shipping’ Cleaning & Sanitizing
Personal Hygiene
Staff Training
Recall Program
HACCP program or other food safety program

6. Receiving & Inspecting
Take steps to ensure this process is safe!
Make specific trained staff in charge of receiving
Provide staff with purchase orders, thermometers, and scales
Ensure enough staff members are able to receive the shipments
Staff must start by visually inspecting the delivery trucks for contamination
Once inspected, store food items promptly

7. Key Drop Deliveries
Some restaurants receive food after hours (aka key drops)
Suppliers place food in freezers and storage areas and must be inspected when manager arrives at the operation
Food must be from an approved source
Must be placed in correct storage location
Must be protected from contamination in storage
Has not be contaminated
Honestly presented

8. Rejecting Items
Se aside items you are rejecting from those you will keep
Explain to the delivery operator the issue with the item
Get a signed adjustment or credit slip to log the incident for your records
You may be able to recondition items that need normally would be rejected
Ex: Cleaning/ sanitizing the tops of cans that have been contaminated

9. Recalls
Recalls occur when food is confirmed that it is contaminated by the USDA or FDA
Identify the recalled items using the manufacturers ID to verify the product
Remove the item from inventory and place in a secure and appropriate location separate from other food items
Label to prevent being placed back in inventory
Refer to vendors instructions for what to do with the item (throw out or return to vendor)

10. Temperature
Use thermometers to check food during receiving for the following temperatures
Cold foods: 41 F or lower
Live Shellfish: oysters, mussels, clams, & scallops at an air temp of 45 F and 50 F internal temp. * Must be down to 41 or lower in 4 hours*
Milk: 45 F or lower
Shell Eggs: Receive at 45 F or lower
Hot food: 135 F or higher
Frozen food: should be frozen solid with no freezer burn when received

11. Reject Frozen Foods If….
Fluids or water stains appear in the case or bottom of packaging
Ice crystals or frozen liquids on the food or on the packaging …can mean evidence of thawing then refreezing = time/temp abuse

12. Packaging
Both food & non-food items must be packaged correctly when you receive them
Items should be received in original packaging with manufacturers labeling
Should be clean, intact, and protect food and food-contact surfaces from contamination
Reject items if packaging doesn’t meet these standards

13. Damaged Packaging Reject items with tears, holes, and punctures
Reject cans with labels that are not intact or cans are swollen and bulging or dented
Must be in a reduced oxygen environment (vacuum packed meat); reject if package is bloated or leaking
DO NOT accept cases or packages that appear to have been tampered with
KEY RULES: Reject if you see liquids, pests, or out dated (missing dates) on food items

14. Documents
All shellfish must be received with correct documents with “shellstock” identification tags and must be kept on file for 90 days
Fish eaten raw require same documentation (if farm raised docs. Must state that it was within FDA regulations)

15. Food Quality
Appearance: reject food that is already moldy or has abnormal coloring, food that is moist when it should be dry, and if it shows signs of pests Texture: Reject meat, fish, or poultry that is slimy, sticky, or dry Odor: Reject if it has abnormal or unpleasant odor

16. Storing Food Items
Labeling: illnesses can occur if unlabeled chemicals are mistaken for food items and customers have also suffered allergic reactions when food is unknowingly prepped with the allergen
Label food for ON-SITE use:
All items not in their original containers
Food items that include common name of the food must accurately identify it (EX: potato salad)
Not necessary to label food if it will not be easily mistaken

17. Labeling Foods Packaged On-Site
Common name that clearly identifies the item
Label quantity of food
List ingredients in order descending by weight if there are two or more ingredients
Name/ place of business, manufacturer, packer/ distributer
Source of each major allergen contained in the food unless its in the name (EX: Peanut Butter)

18. Date Marking
Must indicate when foods need to be eaten, sold by, or thrown out if held for more than 24 hours
Ready to eat foods last up to 7 days (starts the day a food item was prepared or when a container was opened)
Use by dates/ sell by dates/ expiration dates

19. Rotation
Food must be rotated to maintain quality and limit the growth of pathogens
Follow the rules of FIFO:
Identify food items expiration date
Store items with the earliest use-by or expiration dates in front of items with later dates
Once shelved, used the items in the front first
Throw out food that has passed its manufacturers use-by or expiration dates

20. Preventing Cross-Contamination
Supplies:
Store all items in designated storage areas
Store items away from 6” from walls and 6” off the floor
Store single use items in original packaging
Containers:
Store food in containers intended for food
Use containers that are durable, leak proof, and can be sealed
Never store chemicals in food containers or put food in empty chemical containers

21. Preventing Cross-Contamination
Cleaning:
Clean dollies, carts, transporters, and trays often
Store food in containers that have been cleaned and sanitized
Store dirty linens from food and keep them stored in washable laundry bags
Storage Order:
wrap/ cover food
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood separately from ready-to- eat food
Store meats above ready to eat foods in the freezer if all items have been commercially processed and packages
Store food in coolers top-bottom: ready to eat food, seafood, whole cut beef/pork, ground meats/ fish, and whole, ground poultry

22. Purchasing & Receiving Flip Chart