EHA Group Food Safety and Epidemiology Blog

Cool it for the winter spirit!~

Christine Testa weighs in on another critical aspect of food protection - cooling. When I have the opportunity to admire the talents of a great chef, I often ask, “Who taught you how to cook?” Most often, the answerer is mom’s or a grandmother’s inspiration. She would share her great recipes and most importantly, her techniques. The second question I often ask next is “who taught you how to cool? The answer is always the same and very predictable. Cooling techniques are almost never taught. Beautiful creations are often left on the top of the stove or thrown in a small refrigeration unit without a thought. It is no wonder why, in licensed food service establishments, improper food temperatures are observed in 41F compliant refrigeration units. Improper procedures are one of the main causes of food borne illness. Proper cooling methods and techniques can cool foods fast and safely, preventing the growth of bacteria. There are different types of methods one can use for cooling any type of cooked food product. FDA approved methods include the use of ice baths, ice paddles, blast chill units, and using ice as an ingredient. In addition, using the right equipment is also important. Shallow metal pans, metal pots or stock banes will help cool the product faster. Rotating or stirring the product during the cooling process will release trapped steam to assist in the cooling process. The most important tools for cooling any food product are a clean and sanitized thermometer and a clock. The time and temperature of the product must be monitored to ensure that the food item is cooling in compliance of your local regulatory food code requirements. According to the FDA’s, 2005 food code, foods must be cooled in a two step process to ensure food safety. The first step is to cool down hot holding foods from 135F down to 70F in 4 hours. The second step is to cool foods from 70F down to 41F within 2 hours. The time and temperatures in the food code is a critical limit. When using proper cooling methods and techniques, foods will cool down much faster. A freezer or a walk in refrigeration unit can be used as a blast chill unit. However, never place hot food items inside a small freezer or a walk-in unit. It is always best to initially cool down the food product from the final cooking temperature to the ambient air temperature of the kitchen, by using ice baths or transferring hot food items into a cold sheet pan. Additionally, never use plastic storage containers to cool food items. Plastic will insulate the heat in the food you are trying to cool. Furthermore, to prevent condensation from forming, never tightly cover food items that are not yet holding at 41F. When the cooling product has reached at least 41F, cover the product, provide a date label, and then store in a refrigeration unit. Remember, small reach in refrigeration units are designed for cold holding only, not for cooling foods. Cooling methods are as personalized as cooking styles. Consult with your food safety consultant to develop a standard operation procedure specific to your operational needs.

Why is the finding of generic E. coli in ready-to-eat food a red flag?

Generic E. coli is found in the intestinal track of both man and animals. Thus, the finding of generic E. coli in ready-to-eat foods is an indication of fecal contamination. Fecal contamination in turn indicates that other harmful organisms, whether they be bacterial (Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter), viral (hepatitis A, norovirus, rotovirus), helminthic or protozoal parasites (Taenia, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Giardia), could be present.

In addition, the test for generic E. coli does not rule out and actually includes a few types of E. coli that are dangerous. These pathogenic strains of E. coli have the ability to cause anything from simple self-limiting diarrhea to systemic disease resulting in multi-organ failure and death. It is for these reasons that the confirmation of generic E. coli in ready-to-eat food is followed by an automatic recommendation for a thorough review of the constituent ingredients, as well as finished product re-testing and task-oriented training of those individuals involved in the preparation of those specific ready-to-eat food items (i.e. deli foods or protein salads).

Essentials of FIFO

Commentary by Christine Testa, Regional Food Safety Specialist FIFO is a commonsense system that allows you to prepare foods with an optimum nutritional value and quality, along with practicing good food safety procedures. FIFO rotation will also lower your food cost.

Knowing what you have in stock and how fast or slow food items are moving out will ensure that purchasing is efficient and not wasteful. When food items are stored in an organized manner, they are easily identified and tagged in case of a food recall or that occasional customer complaint.

Date all foods located in the dry storage, refrigeration storage and freezer storage areas to ensure FIFO rotation.

WHERE would YOU like me to stick this sanitizer bucket?

(Here Christine Testa comments on food safety observations during her time as a Health Department official in the state of Michigan.)

Most food service operations utilize sanitation buckets at every food prep area. The question remains for many operations – “Where can we legally stage them?” Simply, wipe cloths, used throughout the food prep and cooking areas, are required to be stored in a sanitizer solution to prevent harborage of bacteria and odor.

A sanitation bucket contains a recommended concentration of a chemical sanitizer, usually Quat or chlorine. These sanitizers are approved to reduce the number of microorganisms to safe limits. Low concentrations of chemicals are still considered to be chemicals and thus should never be stored above or next to foods in a manner that may encourage cross contamination.

10 BAD Food Employee Habits Observed During Inspections!

By Christine Testa - NE Regional Food Safety Specialist

(Here Christine Testa comments on food safety observations during her time as a Health Department official in the state of Michigan.)

1) Using a beverage glass to scoop the ice from the ice bin. Then searching for the broken glass before the owner finds out. 2) Wiping a knife covered with beef blood on an apron and then using it to cut a tomato. 3) Wearing an apron inside the toilet stall. 4) Using the mop wringer to dry parsley. 5) Using the hand sink to wash fruits and vegetables because it’s the closest sink available. 6) Wiping hands on the apron after forming raw ground meat into meat balls. 7) Multitasking with a cigarette hanging from ones mouth while mixing salads with bare hands. 8) Emptying a small can of chick peas in ones mouth before the inspector notices that they are past the use by date. Why waste it? 9) Counting to ten while pouring straight bleach in to a sanitizer bucket filled with water. More is so much better! 10) Sticking a finger into the chicken cordon blue to prove that it’s hot enough. Don’t forget the gravy!

Where's the Salmonella? CDC and FDA Still Unable to find the Source of the Tomato Outbreak

Over the past three months, the nation has been told by the FDA not to eat certain types of fresh tomatoes due to an outbreak of Salmonella saintpaul; which now totals over 1,000 confirmed individual cases in 42 states and the District of Columbia at last count.

Neither the CDC nor the FDA, the two Federal agencies responsible and accountable to the American public for these matters, has been able to accurately identify the source of the outbreak, let alone definitively whether or not tomatoes were the responsible vehicle which caused the disease.

What makes Listeria monocytogenes so dangerous?

Listeria is a unique organism because, unlike many other bacteria, Listeria thrives well in cold temperatures below 41°F. Furthermore, the mortality rate for Listeria is significantly higher than that of more common bacteria associated with foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella.

Although illnesses such as Salmonella are more prevalent, Listeria is a more dangerous bacterium and is oof special concern to pregnant women who may be at significant risk of spontaneous abortion due to this illness.

Raw Milk: Public Health Enemy or Nature ' s Gift?

Recent Debate on Unpasteurized Milk

The past several years have witnessed increasing debate, regulation and outbreaks of foodborne disease due to raw or unpasteurized milk. Proponents of raw milk tout health benefits that they claim are not possible when milk has been pasteurized—a process of heating the milk to 161°F for 15-20 seconds, which kills many bacteria that are present in the raw milk.

These organisms include Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E.coli O157:H7 and other E. coli, as well as Campylobacter jejuni, just to name a few.

What’s an air gap?

An air gap is a very complicated feat of engineering!

Essentially, the air gap on a food preparation sink provides a distance of twice the diameter of a sink drain discharge and the lip of the floor drain.

This provides sufficient space to prevent unsanitary water from flowing back into the sink, thereby contaminating the sink and future contents. Gravity is a beautiful thing. Simple!

Melons Melons Melons

Did you know that melons are considered a potentially hazardous food item? Several years ago, cut melons were attributed to outbreaks of Salmonella in New Jersey. Since then, melons such as cantaloupes, honeydew and watermelon have all been classified as potentially hazardous food items, which means that these foods are capable of supporting rapid bacterial growth when thermally abused.

As such, cut melon should always be staged at temperatures of 41°F and below. Before preparation, it is important to thoroughly wash the outside of the melon. Some manufactures even offer a sanitizing wash that has been proven to reduce bacterial levels and is specifically formulated for contact with food items such as melons and other produce items.