The Flow of Food Service Objective Holding food

The Flow of Food: Service Objective: Holding food for service, serving food safely, and off -site service.

Key Terms • • • Food Bar Sneeze guard Off-site service Mobile unit Temporary unit Vending machine

General Rules for Holding Food • Check internal temperature of food using a thermometer • Check the temperature of food at least every four hours • Establish a policy to ensure that food being held for service will be discarded after a predetermined amount of time • Cover food and provide sneeze guards to protect food from contamination

Holding Hot and Cold Foods • Hot food: ▫ Must be held at an internal temperature of 135*F or higher ▫ Only use hot-holding equipment that can keep food at the proper temperature ▫ Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food if it is not designed to do so ▫ Stir food at regular intervals • Cold food: ▫ Must be held at an internal temperature of 41*F or lower ▫ Only use cold-holding equipment

Holding Hot and Cold Foods

Holding Food without Temperature Controls • When displaying food for a short time, such as at an off-site catered event • When electricity is not available to power holding equipment • Cold Food ▫ Hold at 41*F or below before removing from refrigeration ▫ Label food with the time you removed it from refrigeration and the time you must discard it ▫ Make sure food does not exceed 70*F ▫ Sell, serve or discard the food after 6 hours • Hot Food ▫ Hold food at 135*F or higher ▫ Label with time you must throw it out ▫ Sell, serve, or discard food after four hours

Holding Food without Temperature Controls

Serving Food Safely • Kitchen Staff ▫ ▫ Use clean and sanitized utensils for serving Store serving utensils properly Minimize bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food Practice good personal hygiene ▫ ▫ ▫ Glassware and dishes should be handled properly Glassware and dishes should not be stacked when serving Flatware and utensils should be held at the handle Minimize bare-hand contact with food that is ready to eat Practice good personal hygiene • Servers • Division of Labor ▫ Schedule servers to do one job during a shift ▫ After wiping tables or busing dirty dishes, servers must wash their hands before handling food or place settings

Serving Food Safely… Continued • Re-serving food safely ▫ Menu items returned by one customer cannot be re-served to another customer ▫ Never re-serve plate garnishes ▫ Never re-serve uncovered condiments ▫ Do not re-serve uneaten bread or rolls • Self-service areas (food bars) ▫ ▫ ▫ Maintain proper food temperatures Keep raw proteins separate from ready-to-eat foods Protect food on display with sneeze guards Identify all food items Do not let customers refill soiled plates Ice used to keep food or beverages cold should never be used as an ingredient.

Off-Site Services • Off-site services include: delivery, catering, mobile/temporary kitchens, and vending machines • Those operating these services must follow the same safety rules as permanent establishments

Delivery • Schools, hospitals, caterers, and even restaurants may prepare food at one location and then deliver it to a remote site. ▫ Use insulated food containers capable of maintaining the proper temperature ▫ Clean delivery vehicles regularly ▫ Practice good personal hygiene ▫ Check internal food temperatures regularly ▫ Label food with a use-by date, time, reheating, and service instructions for employees at off-site locations ▫ Consider providing food safety guidelines for consumers

Catering • Must make sure there is safe drinking water for cooking, dishwashing, and handwashing. ▫ ▫ Use insulated containers Serve cold food in containers on ice Store raw and ready to eat products separately If leftovers are given to customers, provide instructions on how they should be handled ▫ Place garbage/disposal containers away from food -preparation and serving areas.

Catering

Mobile Units • Are portable facilities ranging from concession vans to elaborate field kitchens. • Must provide proper food storage equipment (hot and cold holding units) • Follow same guidelines as a permanent establishment • Provide proper ventilation, garbage disposal, pest control, and dishwashing and handwashing sinks

Mobile Unit

Temporary Units • Typically operate in one location for less than fourteen days.

Temporary Units

Vending Machines