The Food Product Flow

• The flow of food describes what

happens to food from the time it
enters the workplace until it is
served to the customers.
 Food Product Flow
• It refers to a process of receiving,
storing, preparing, cooking, holding,
serving, cooling and reheating that
the food goes through in a food
service facility.
• Each step in the flow of food is a
general food safety procedure that
should be followed to help reduce the
risk of contamination and mishandling
which could consequently lead to
foodborne illness outbreaks.
Purchasing
• Effective purchasing paves the way for a
successful food service operations.
• Purchasing is a highly skill-based activity
that requires a wide-ranging knowledge of
products and market conditions.
• Purchasing involves obtaining foods in the
right quantity, of the best quality, at the
right time, in the right place, and for the
most economical price.
• A quality-control program in a
foodservice establishment should
ensure that only foods which meet
written specifications are purchased
from reputable vendors.
• A good purchaser considers the
price, supply, and demand,
transportation, and storage cost
before placing an order.
• Food can easily be contaminated
during the various stages of the food
flow, which is why time and correct
temperatures need to be monitored
closely.
The main objectives of an effective
purchasing program are to:
• Buy the product that is best suited for the
job;
• Buy the proper quantity;
• Pay the right price, and;
• Deal with only reputable, dependable
suppliers.
• Purchase specifications are
important to both the buyer and the
management.
 The following are the guidelines that
detail the characteristics of a product:
• Quality grade
• Weight
• Count
• Contents
• Packaging
• Specifications make the task of
comparison shopping easier, since
the characteristics of a product are
expressed in a common language
and can be used as a basis for
evaluation.
Guidelines to Purchasing Food:
1. Understand regulations for specific
Foods.
– Purchase packaged or processed foods only
from suppliers who receive their products
from licensed, reputable purveyors and
manufacturers who adhere to good
manufacturing practices.
– Fresh produce may be purchased directly
from local growers as there is no inspection
process for these non-potentially hazardous
foods (with the exception of melons and fresh
alfalfa sprouts). When making direct
purchases, buyers should ensure the
packages are clean and will maintain the
integrity of the item, as communicated
through product specifications.
– Meat and eggs may be purchased from local
producers, but because these foods are considered
potentially hazardous, the products must be
inspected for safety. Beef or pork processed in a
state-inspected locker may be purchased by a food
service operation. Poultry must also be processed in
a state-inspected locker or facility. These facilities
are required to have HACCP plans in place. State
inspection is sufficient if the food is purchased by a
food service within the same state.
– Only pasteurized dairy products should be
purchased for service in facilities serving the
elderly. Pasteurized shell or processed eggs
should be purchased for menu items not
receiving heat treatment or not reaching
630C. Pasteurized apple juice and cider can
also be purchased for service to elderly
populations.
2. Visit approved vendors to ensure that
they maintain clean warehouses.
3. Observe delivery vehicles to ensure that
they are clean and that they practice
temperature control.
4. Use written product specifications to
ensure that the vendors know what is to
be ordered.
Responsibility of a Manager
•Develop and implement written product
specifications to ensure the products purchased
consistently meet department expectations.
•Coordinate delivery times with vendors/suppliers
to ensure that deliveries are made at times when
they can be stored immediately. Schedule receiving
times when product quantity and quality, including
product temperatures, can be checked.
• Review orders and delivery information to
ensure orders and product specifications
are met.
• Request a written letter from all vendors
indicating that they follow either a HACCP
program or good manufacturing practices.
• Follow up as necessary.
Receiving
• Strict procedures should be followed
when foods are received.
• All food should be checked for proper
conditions once they are received by the
facility.
• When a delivery is made, it should be
checked for both quality and quantity.
• Temperature and time are the two most
important factors control.
• The staff of a food service establishment
should check for temperatures and conditions
of received foods at once, so they may be
stored as soon as possible.
• All refrigerated foods should be put away
quickly to prevent time and temperature
abuse.
• Frozen foods should not have large ice
crystals, be discolored or dried out.
• Canned goods should have labels, and no
swelling, flawed seals, rust, or dents.
Never accept home-canned foods to
prevent the risk of botulism.
 General Principles when
Receiving Food
1. Receive only one delivery at a time from
approved suppliers.
2. Check to make sure frozen food is solid
and does not show any evidence of
thawing and re-freezing.
3. Record the date received, and if
applicable, an expiration date, on the
outside of each package.
4. Remove PHF from the temperature danger
zone (50C to 600C) and place in storage as
quickly as possible.
5. Check to ensure that refrigerated foods are
received below 50C.
6. Accept only pasteurized dairy products.
7. Reject PHF that are not at acceptable
temperature, and cans with swelled tops
or bottoms, leakage, flawed seals, rust, or
dents.
8. Evaluate the quality products through
their odor, look, and texture. Reject
unacceptable ones. Products must meet
specifications and quality requirements.
If any foods are deemed unacceptable,
they should be declined and put in a
designated area for credit.
Receiving Frozen and Refrigerated
Foods
1.Check the product’s temperature with a
calibrated thermometer to assure that cold
foods, especially PHF, are below 50C.
2.Reject, with the exemption of fresh shell
eggs (70C), all foods that are supposed to be
stored below 50C and are delivered above 50C.
3. Check at random and record the
temperature of three different types of
food items immediately for each
delivery. Record the date, employee
initials, vendor, product name, and
temperature of these products in the
receiving temperature log.
4. Place foods in the proper storage are
(cooler or freezer) quickly to avoid
potential bacterial growth. Proper cool
temperatures are 50C or lower. Proper
deep chill storage temperatures are from
-30C to 00C or below. Proper freezer
temperatures are -170C. Proper dry
storage temperatures are between 100C
to 210C at 50% to 60% humidity.
5. Use the first in first out (FIFO)
inventory rotation of products in all
storage areas to assure that the
oldest products are used first.
Products with the earliest use-by or
expiration dates should be stored in
front of products with later dates.
6. Keep products in original packages
until use.
Receiving Dry Goods
1.Check dry goods for leaks, flaws, or broken
packages. Dry goods should be dry, and free of
mold and insects. If the packages are flawed,
they should be rejected and pull in a
designated area for credit.
2.Inspect cans for leaks, incomplete labels,
dents, bulges, and other visible signs of
damage. Notify the manager if a damaged can
is found.
3. Date boxes and cans with their receiving
dates.
4. Separate chemicals from foods.
5. Check delivery invoice against the items
delivered and the purchase order.
6. When damaged items are found, the manager
or designee should call the distributor so the
product can be picked up and returned and a
credit issued. Similar arrangements can also
be made with the delivery personnel. Do not
accept the delivery.
7. Note on the invoice any items that were
rejected.
Storing
• All food, chemicals, and supplies should be stored in
a manner that ensures quality and maximizes the
safety of the food served to the customers.
• Cold holding is storing food at 50C or below.
Refrigeration prevents food from becoming a hazard
by slowing the growth of most microbes. Although
some organisms, like Listeria monocytogenes, are
significantly slowed down, their growth cannot be
completely stopped by refrigeration.
• A walk-in refrigerator is the major storage area in a
food service establishment. Its temperature must be
sufficient to adequately hold the food temperature
at 50C or below. A walk-in refrigerator is usually
colder than 50C to compensate the opening and
closing of doors and demands of adding additional
foods for storage and cooling.
• Foods need to be stored to prevent contamination.
All cooked food and those that will receive no
further cooking should be stored above other foods.
Foods need to be stored in a manner that allows
space for air to circulate around them.
• All canned foods and dry ingredients should be
stored in a designated area. Foods should not be
stored in areas such as restrooms, furnace rooms,
stairwells, or hallways. They should be kept off the
floor and in closed containers.
• Storage areas should be well ventilated and pest
free. Dry storage areas can become a food source
for rodents and insects. Keeping containers closed,
in sound condition, and off the floor help keep it
pest free. Stock rotation is a good management
practice.
• Foods and chemicals need to be stored
separately. Chemicals should be stored
below and away from foods to prevent
chemical contamination.
Storage upon receiving:
1.Place foods in proper storage area
(refrigerator or freezer) quickly to avoid
bacterial growth
 50C or lower – refrigerator temperatures.
 - 30C to 00C or below – deep chill storage
temperatures.
 - 170C or below – freezer temperatures.
 100C to 210C at 50% to 60% humidity – dry
storage temperatures.
2. Place foods in appropriate storage area
immediately upon receipt in the following order:
a. Refrigerated foods – store foods in designated
refrigerators. If food products are stored together
in a refrigerator, they should be placed on shelves
in the following order:
 Prepared or ready-to-eat foods
 Fish and seafood items
 Whole cuts of raw beef
 Whole cuts of raw pork
 Ground or processed meat
 Raw poultry
 b. Frozen foods
c. Dry goods
3.Keep all food items on shelves that are at
least six inches above the floor to facilitate air
circulation and proper cleaning.
4.Store food away from direct sunlight.
5.Place chemicals and supplies in appropriate
storage areas, away from food.
6. Rotate goods when placing them storage by placing
the new items behind the old ones to ensure that
the older items are used first (FIFO inventory
rotation).
7. Make sure all goods are dated with their receiving
and expiration dates.
8. Store foods in their original container if the
container is clean, dry and intact. If necessary,
repackage food in clean, well-labeled, airtight
containers. This can also be done after a package
has been opened. Food should never be put in
chemical containers and chemicals should never be
placed in food storage containers.
9. Store PHF no longer than seven days at
50C from date of preparation.

10. Store pesticides and chemicals away

from food handling and storage area.
They must be stored in their original,
labeled containers.
Storeroom Sanitation:
1.Maintain clean and uncluttered storage area.
Storage areas should be positioned to prevent
contamination from areas where garbage is
stored.
2.Dispose items that are beyond their expiration
dates.
3.Store all items on shelves that are at least six
inches above the floor to facilitate air circulation
and proper cleaning.
4. Check for signs of rodents and insects. If
there are signs of their presence, notify the
food service manager.

Temperature Control:
1.Check the temperature of all refrigerators, freezers
and dry storerooms at the beginning of each shift. This
includes both internal and external thermometers
when appropriate.
 Refrigerator temperatures should be between 20C and 50C.
  Freezer temperatures should be between -230C
and -170C.
 Storeroom (dry storage) temperatures should
be between 100C and 210C.

2. Record temperatures, as well as the employee’s

initials, on the appropriate temperature log.
3. Take corrective actions if temperatures are out
of the recommended range.
4. Do not overload refrigerated storage areas as
this prevents air flow and makes the unit work harder
to stay cold.
5. Be cautious when cooling hot food in the
refrigerator, as this warms the unit and can put
other foods into the temperature danger zone.

6. Keep units closed as much as possible to

maintain proper temperatures.

7. Defrost units on a regular schedule to aid in

proper maintenance and air circulation.
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Manager:
1. Check logs and temperatures of storage rooms,
freezers, and refrigerators.
2. Review logs to make sure there are no
temperatures deviations.
3. Document all corrective actions taken on the
appropriate forms.
4. File logs with HACCP records.
Thawing
• All foods should be thawed using the appropriate practices
to ensure food safety.

• Thawing foods may take several hours or days depending

on the size of the food item being thawed.

• This must be done to reduce the risk of cross-

contamination and lessen the time that PHF is in the
temperature danger zone (50C to 600C).
Steps for Thawing Food:
1.Use one of the three acceptable methods for
thawing food:
a) Thaw food in the refrigerator at 50C or below. Never
thaw food at room temperature.
b) Thaw food that is needed for immediate service under
potable running water at 210C or lower. Prepare the
product within hours of thawing.
c) Thaw the product in the microwave if it needs to be
cooked immediately.
2. Use the lowest shelf in the cooler for
thawing raw meat to prevent cross-
contamination and separate raw
products from cooked and ready-to-eat
products.

3. Do not freeze thawed food, unless they

are cooked or processed.
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Manager:
1.Review procedures to assure they are done
correctly.
2.Take corrective actions as necessary.
3.Follow up as necessary.
Preparing
• The preparation and service of foods can involve one
or more steps.
• Regardless of how many steps may be involved in
food production and service, foodborne illness
prevention requires effective food safety measures
to ensure good personal hygiene and avoid cross-
contamination and temperature abuse.
• During preparation, an important technique that can
be used to promote safety is “small batch”
preparation.
• Food preparation is usually done at room
temperature. This is several degrees into the
temperature danger zone.

• The amount of time in the danger zone should be

limited by working with small, manageable
amounts of potentially hazardous ingredients.
Guidelines in Preparing
Safe Food:
1.Start with clean, wholesome foods from
reputable suppliers. Whenever applicable, buy
government-inspected meat, dairy and egg
products.
2.Handle foods as little as possible. Use tongs,
spatulas, or other utensils instead of hands.
3. Use clean, sanitized equipment and work
tables. Clean and sanitize cutting surfaces
and equipment after handling raw poultry,
meat, fish, or eggs and before working to
another food.
4. Clean as you go. Do not wait to clean the
work place until the end of the workday.
5. Wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
6. When bringing foods out of refrigeration, do
not bring out more than what can be
processed in an hour.
7. Keep foods covered whenever possible
unless in immediate use.

8.Do not mix leftover with freshly prepared

foods.

9.Chill all ingredients for protein and potato

salads before combining.
 Keeping Food out of
the Temperature Danger
Zone
• Anytime the food is in the temperature danger
zone, bacterial growth can occur. The danger zone
is between the range 50C to 600C.
1. Limit the time food is in the temperature danger
zone. Remember from receiving to service, food
should not be in the zone for more than four hours
total.
2. Use a food thermometer to take
temperatures. Most menu items have
specific time and temperature
requirements for cooking. Insert the
thermometer in different areas of the
product, especially in the thickest part.
Remember, the temperature of the
equipment (stove, oven, steam, table,
etc.) is not the best temperature to check.
3. Use batch cooking (preparing food in small
amounts).
a) Thaw only what is needed, and keep the rest
refrigerated.
b) Work only with an amount that can be
prepared in less than four hours. Return the
food to the refrigerator if something else needs
to be done.
c) Cook the food as close to serving time as
possible.
 Food Thermometers
• Food thermometers should be used frequently to
maintain food temperature control.
• They can measure internal temperatures ranging
from -180C to 1040C.
• Food temperatures should be checked with a
thermometer regularly.
• Foods used in outdoors service or in an excessively
warm room will require more frequent checking.
• The food service operator may also want to record
the temperature readings in a log. This can be very
helpful should food temperature issue arise at a
later time.
The following are the most commonly
used thermometers:
1. Bimetal Instant Read (most common food thermometer)
2. Thermocouple
3. Bimetal-Oven Safe
4. Digital
5. Infrared
6. Oven Thermometer
 Preparing Cold Food:
• Temperatures of all cold food should be
taken during preparation to ensure the
safety of all food served.

• Food must be prepared using appropriate

practices and procedures to ensure safety
and sanitation.
 Employees preparing cold food should:

Take Temperatures:
1. Use a calibrated thermometer to take
the temperatures of PHF products.
2. Wipe the thermometer stem with alcohol wipes
prior to and after taking the temperatures of
food; or wash, rinse, and sanitize the stem.
3. Record temperatures in the Service
Temperature Record.
Prepare Cold Foods:
1. Pre-chill ingredients for food that needs to be
served cold (sandwiches and salads) to below 50C
before combining them together.

2. Discard thawed PHF that has been above 50C for

more than four hours.

3. Discard cold PHF after four hours if they have not

been properly held below 50C.
Maintain food contact surfaces:
1. When possible, use color-coded cutting boards
for all products – red for raw meat, green for
vegetables, or fruits, and yellow for raw poultry.
2. Food contact surfaces should be smooth, can be
easily cleaned and sanitized, and made of the
appropriate material.
3. Clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces prior
to and after use. Cleaning and sanitizing steps
need to be done separately for effectiveness.
Prepare foods:
1. Prepare food at room temperature in two hours or
less. The food item should be returned to the
refrigerator in cases where it cannot be used at
once. The total time of food at room temperature
should not exceed four hours.
2. Prepare raw products away from other products.
3. Clean and sanitize all surfaces, cutting boards, and
utensils that have been used in the preparation of
raw meats, poultry, and fish prior to using them for
fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat food.
Cooking
• All foods will be cooked using appropriate
practices and procedures to ensure safety.
• This includes properly cooking foods with
the required internal temperature and
taking and recording temperatures.
• Cooking is the thermal heating of foods at
sufficient temperature over time to kill
microorganisms in the food.
• Cooking requirements are based on the
biology of pathogens since different species
of microorganisms have different
susceptibility to heat.
• To effectively eliminate pathogens, there are
a number of factors to consider, such as the
of pathogens in the raw product, the initial
temperature of the food, and the bulk of the
food.
• Another factor to consider, to kill the pathogenic
organisms in food, is that cooking must heat all
parts of the food to their required temperatures.
• Food characteristics also contribute to the
lethality of cooking temperatures.
• Heat penetrates different foods at different rates.
• While a high fat content reduces the lethality of
heat, high humidity in the cooking container or
the moisture content of the food aids the
effectiveness of heat.
 Employees involved in the production of
food must complete the following steps:
• Prepare hot foods.
1. Cook hot foods to these minimum end-
point temperatures or higher. Avoid
overcooking. Use a calibrated
thermometer to check the product’s
temperature in the thickest part of the
item.
 Minimum Internal
Food Type: Temperature at Minimum
Time before Serving:
Poultry 740C for 15 seconds
Stuffing, stuffed meat, casseroles, and 740C for 15 seconds
other dishes combining raw and cooked
foods
Potentially hazardous foods cooked in 740C; let food stand for two
microwaves minutes after cooking; stir
during the cooking process
Ground or flaked meat 680C for 15 seconds
Pork 630C for 15 seconds
Beef and pork roasts 630C for 4 minutes
 Minimum Internal
Food Type: Temperature at Minimum
Time before Serving:
Beef steaks, veal, and lamb 630C for 15 seconds
Commercially raised game animals 630C for 15 seconds
Fish, and foods containing fish 630C for 15 seconds
Shell eggs (for immediate service) 630C for 15 seconds
Note: if it is not fully cooked, use
pasteurized eggs.
Vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh) 570C for 15 seconds (held
above 570C)
Ready-to-eat commercially processed 570C for 15 seconds (held
and packaged foods above 570C)
2. Take end-point cooking temperatures.
3. Reduce the holding time of foods before
serving by using batch cooling.
4. Allow the cooking equipment to return
to their required temperatures between
batches.
5. Do not use hot holding equipment to
cook or reheat foods.
6. Expose food ingredients to room
temperature for two hours or less. Food
items should be returned to refrigerator
if not used at once. The total time that
food can be at room temperature shall
not exceed four hours.
7. Prepare products that will not be cooked
or heated away from other products.
• Take temperatures.
1. Use a calibrated thermometer to take the
temperatures of all PHF products by
batch.
2. Wipe the thermometer stem with alcohol
wipes prior to and after taking the
temperatures of each food, or wash,
rinse, and sanitize the stem. Open the
sanitizer package with clean hands.
3. Take temperatures in the thickest part of
a food item (usually the center). Two
readings should be taken in different
locations to assure thorough cooking on
the appropriate end-point temperature.
4. Record the end-point cooking
temperature on the cooked food
temperature log.
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Manager:
1.Review logs daily to ensure that
temperatures and corrective actions are being
met and to take corrective action as necessary.
2.Follow up as necessary and file logs with
HACCP records.
Holding
• Once a food is heated or cooked, the food
must be maintained at a holding
temperatures to limit the growth of
bacteria.
• The correct hot holding temperature is 600C.
• Once food has been reheated, the potential
for the growth of pathogenic bacteria is
greater than the potential in raw foods.
• The spoilage organisms that may be present in the
raw foods inhibit the growth of pathogenic
organisms by competition.
• Once a food is cooked, these spoilage organisms
are reduced.
• All hot food should be held hot, above 600C, and
cold food should be held cold, below 50C.
• Temperatures of food must be taken routinely to
ensure that proper temperatures are maintained
through holding to ensure the safety of the food
served, especially to children.
• Any conflict between food quality and food safety
must always be decided in favor of food safety.
When in doubt about the safety of food, throw it
out.

Employees involved in the production or service of

food must:
• Hold hot food.
1. Prepare and cook only as much food as is needed
i.e., use batch cooking.
2. Use hot-holding equipment that can keep hot food
at 600C or higher.
3. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in
using hot-holding equipment. (Note:
customize your SOP by including
instructions.
– For example, you may need to indicate that the
steam table wells need to be filled with hot
water and at what level.)
4. Keep hot foods covered to retain heat and
to keep contaminants from falling into the
food.
5. Measure internal food temperatures at least
every two hours using a probe thermometer.
Record temperatures in a food temperature log. If
temperatures are below 600C, reheat the food at
740C.
6.Discard hot food after four hours if they have
not been properly held at or above 600C.
7.Do not mix freshly prepared food with food
being held for service.
8.Do not add raw food to cooked food.
9.Stir food.
• Hold cold food.
1. Use cold-holding equipment that can
keep cold foods below 50C.
2. Measure internal food temperatures at
least every two hours using a probe
thermometer. Record temperatures in a
food temperature log. If temperatures
are above 50C refrigerate the food.
3. Protect cold food from contaminants by
using covers or food shields.
4. Discard cold PHF after four hours if they
have not been properly held below 50C.
5. Place cold food in pans or on plates,
never directly on ice. The only exceptions
are whole fruits and vegetables that
need to be washed after holding.
6. Ice used on a display should be self-
draining. Wash and sanitize drip pans
after every use.
Serving
• Once food has been prepared for serving, it
will no longer undergo any heat treatment.

• It is therefore important not to

recontaminate food by practicing proper
serving methods that would assure the
consumers of safe, hygienic food.
Employees involved in the service of food
must observe the following procedures:
• Cleaning and sanitation.
1. Clean the area on and around the service
line using warm, soapy water and clean
cloths. Thoroughly rinse it after cleaning.
2. Sanitize the area on and around the
service line, using an approved sanitizer.
3. Wipe down the area before service
begins, and as needed throughout the
service.

4. Cloths used for cleaning food spills

should not be used for anything else.
• Service Utensils / Servicewares:
1. Store utensils properly with the handle extended
above the container, or on a clean, sanitized food-
contact surface.
2. Use serving utensils with long handles to keep
hands away from the food item.
3. Clean and sanitize utensils before using them. Use
separate utensils for each food item.
4. Handle glassware and dishes properly.
5. Hold flatware and utensils by their handles.
• Good Personal Hygiene:
1. Wash hands before handling place setting or
food.
2. Do not touch cooked or ready-to-eat foods with
bare hands. Always use gloves or utensils.
3. Wash hands after each task. For example, if an
employee will take out clean dished after loading
the dirty ones, a thorough handwashing must be
done between the two tasks. Hand dips are not
enough.
• Service:
1. Take temperatures of foods at the beginning of
each service period.
2. Record temperatures on the service temperature
record.
3. Take temperatures of foods when changing their
pans to assure that proper serving temperatures
are achieved.
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Manager:
1.Supervise employees to ensure that proper
service techniques are being followed.
2.Review logs daily to ensure temperatures
and corrective actions are being met.
3.Follow up as necessary.
4.File logs with HACCP records.
 Service Temperatures:
• Temperatures of all hot and cold
foods are taken during service to
ensure foods are maintained at
appropriate temperatures and that
food is safe to be served.
Employees who will be setting up the service
carts and serving food must follow the
procedures:
1. Use a calibrated thermometer to take
temperatures of food products at time of service.
2. Wipe clean thermometer stem with a new alcohol
wipe prior to taking the temperature of any food
item.
3. Take temperatures of all hot and cold PHF as soon
as they are put on the service cart or just before
service. The temperature of milk should also be
checked before they are taken to rooms.
4. Record temperatures on the service temperature
log.
5. Check to make sure that all temperatures are
within the critical limits:
– Hot foods – above 600C
– Cold foods – below 50C
6. Take corrective action, if needed. If hot foods are
below 600C, they must be reheated to above 740C
before putting on the service cart. If cold foods are
50C or above, they must be chilled to below 50C.
Responsibilities of a Food Service Supervisor:
1.Check the logs on a daily basis to ensure that they
are completed and that the temperatures are
appropriate.
2.Review the log to see if there were temperature
deviations.
3.Check corrective action taken to determine if it was
appropriate.
4.Follow up as necessary.
5.File the logs in the HACCP file located in the main
office.
Cooling
• Cooling is a process of removing heat
from food quickly enough to prevent
microbial growth.
• One method is by placing foods in shallow
containers no deeper than two inches and
leaving them uncovered until cold, 50C or
below.
• When PHF is cooled for an extended period, the
food is subject to the growth of variety of
pathogenic microorganisms.
• Bacteria grow ideally between 210C – 490C (the
human body temperature falls in this range.)
• The longer the time period to be held in this
range, the greater risk of microbial growth.
• Excessive time for cooling PHF has consistently
been identified as one of the leading contributing
factors to foodborne illnesses.
• When cooked food will not be served right away
(or has leftover and can be saved), it must be
cooled as quickly as possible to prevent microbial
growth.
• Temperatures will be taken during the cooling
process to make sure that time and temperature
standards are met to ascertain the safety of food
served to the customers.
• There are two acceptable methods of cooling
foods, employees involved in the cooling process
of food must observe the following procedures:
 One-Stage (Four-Hour) Method
1. Cool hot, cooked food from 570C within four
hours using an appropriate procedure.
2. Take the temperature after four hours to make
sure that the appropriate temperature was
reached.
3. Reheat food to above 740C if it has not cooled
to 50C in four hours.
Two-Stage Method (FDA Food Code)
1. Using an appropriate procedure, cool hot,
cooked food from 570C to 210C or lower within
two hours, and then cool down to 50C or lower
within an additional four hours, for a total
cooling time of six hours.
2. Take temperatures at the two – and six-hour
intervals to make sure that the appropriate
temperatures were reached.
3. Reheat food to above 740C if food has not
cooled to 50C in four hours.

Note: the reason that the two-stage

method allows six-hours to cool is that in
the first two hours of cooling, the food is
passed through the most dangerous part
of the temperature danger zone were the
growth of microorganism is ideal.
 Factors that Affect How Quickly Foods
Cool Down:
1. Size of food – the thickness of the food or distance to its
center plays the biggest part in how fast a food cools.
2. Density of the food – the denser the food, the slower it
will cool. Chili soup will take longer than chicken noodle
soup.
3. Container in which a food is stored – stainless steel
transfers heat from food faster than plastic. Initially,
loosely wrap food items. Shallow pans allow the heat
from food to disperse faster than deeper pans.
4. Size of the container.
• Food may not move through the temperature
danger zone fast enough if it is still hot when
placed in the refrigerator or freezer or kept in
bulk.
• The hot food may also raise the temperature of
the surrounding food items, placing them in the
temperature danger zone as well.
• There are a few methods that can be used alone
or in combination to cool foods more quickly.
 Methods for Cooling Foods:

1. Reduce the quantity of the food being cooled. Cut

large food items into smaller pieces or divide large
containers of food into smaller containers.
2. Use blast chillers or tumble chillers to cool food
before placing it into the refrigerated storage.
3. Use ice baths. Divide cooked food into shallow pans
or smaller pots, then place them in ice water and
stir food items frequently.
4. Add ice or water as an ingredient. This works for foods
that contain water as an ingredient, such as soup or
stew. The recipe can initially be prepared with less
water than is required. Cold water or ice can be added
after cooking to cool the product and to provide the
remaining water required in the recipe.
5. Use a steam-jacketed kettle as a cooler. Run cold water
through the jacket to cool the food in the kettle.
6. Stir foods to cool them faster and more evenly. Ice
paddles (Plastic paddles filled with water and frozen)
and chill sticks can be used to stir foods through the
cooling process. Stirring food with these cold paddles
chills food very quickly.
Responsibilities of a Food
Service Manager:
1.Review logs daily to ensure
temperatures and corrective actions are
being met.
2.Follow up as necessary.
3.File temperature logs with HACCP
records.
Reheating
• Reheating is the thermal process to heat
foods that have been previously cooked
and cooled in a food service
establishment.
• Proper reheating can eliminate a major
portion of pathogens as long as the food
is heated to 740C within two hours.
• The more a food is processed, the greater
the risks are form contamination caused
by personnel, equipment, procedures,
and other factors.
• When food is cooked and cooled, the
product goes through the temperature
danger zone several times, thereby
increasing the risks for microbial growth.
 Employees reheating food should:
1. Remove leftover food from the
freezer/refrigerator.

2. Check the foods’ temperature using a

calibrated thermometer to make sure it is
lower than 50C.
3. Reheat food in an oven, stove, or steamer so that
all its parts reach a temperature reading of 740C
for 15 seconds. The goal is to remove the food
from the temperature danger zone (50C – 600C) as
quickly as possible. Record the reheated
temperature. Discard food that is still in the
temperature danger zone after two hours.
4. Serve the food immediately, or place the food in a
steam table or in a pre-heated hot cart, and
recheck the temperature to make sure it is at or
above 600C.
5. Check the temperature of the food
before serving if the food has been held.

6. Discard any PHF held in the temperature

danger zone (50C-600C) for more than
four hours.
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Supervisor:
1.Check the temperature of randomly selected
reheated items to be certain that a 740C temperature
was achieved and that the product is held at 600C or
higher.
2.Review temperature logs to assure proper reheating
temperatures are achieved.
3.Follow up as necessary and document corrective
actions.
4.File temperature logs wit HACCP records.
Transportation of Foods:
• The popularity of temporary and mobile facilities, such as
street fairs, festivals, catering, food sampling, and mobile
carts, have increased rapidly during the past decade.
• The public patronizes these events in increasing numbers.
• In addition to the opportunity for community
involvement, commercial and non-commercial
organizations find it profitable to sell food at temporary
facilities.
• All foods transported from central kitchen
to satellite locations (temporary and
mobile food facilities) should be handled
in a matter that ensures the quality and
safety of food.

• Protecting the food and food preparation

equipment from contamination is the
function of the structure.
• A temporary food stand should have:

1. An overhead covering.
2. An enclosed area, except for the serving
windows and an entry door, and;
3. A source of hot and cold potable running
water for handwashing, cleaning and
sanitizing.
• Employees involved in the production and/or
transportation of food from a central or regional
kitchen to a satellite location must be
responsible for both the safety and sanitation of
handled food. Steps include:

– Preheating of the holding equipment

– Using calibrated thermometers to take temperatures
of food
– Calibrating thermometers weekly or immediately if
dropped, and;
– Recording temperature and time in temperature log.
Responsibilities of Employees at Central
or Regional Kitchens:
1.Take temperature of food when it leaves the
central kitchen. Hot foods should be at or above
600C and cold food should be below 50C.
2.Record temperatures in the temperature log.
3.Take temperature of food when it is returned from
a satellite location.
4.Discard cold foods that are above 50C.
5. Discard hot foods that are not above 600C.
6. Chill hot foods that are above 600C. The product
must be cooled to 210C in two hours from the
last 600C reading and to 50C or below in four
additional hours. If that is not possible, dispose
of food.
7. Record temperature in the temperature log.
8. Record the product name, date, temperature,
and time.
9. Place chilled food in freezer.
Responsibilities of Employees at
Satellite Location:
1.Take temperature of food when it arrives at
the satellite location and record.
2.Check temperature of food on serving lines
every two hours, or more often if
temperatures are near the temperature
danger zone (50C-600C).
Responsibilities of a Food Service
Manager:
1.Review logs daily to ensure the
temperatures and corrective actions are met.
2.Follow up as necessary.
3.File temperature logs in HACCP file.
End of Presentation