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Op eration and Care Manual • 12.
S A N I T A T I O N
Food flavor and aroma are usually so closely related
t
hat it is difficult, if not impossible, to separate them.
There is also an important, inseparable relationship
between cleanliness and food flavor. Cleanliness, top
operating efficiency, and appearance of equipment
contribute considerably to savory, appetizing foods.
Good equipment that is kept clean, works better and
lasts longer.
Most food imparts its own particular aroma and
many foods also absorb existing odors.
Unfortunately, during this absorption, there is no
distinction between GOOD and BAD odors. The
majority of objectionable flavors and odors troubling
food service operations are caused by bacteria
growth. Sourness, rancidity, mustiness, stale or
other OFF flavors are usually the result of
germ activity.
The easiest way to insure full, natural food flavor is
through comprehensive cleanliness. This means
good control of both visible soil (dirt) and invisible
soil (germs). A thorough approach to sanitation will
provide essential cleanliness. It will assure an attrac-
tive appearance of equipment, along with maximum
efficiency and utility. More importantly, a good sani-
tation program provides one of the key elements in
the prevention of food-borne illnesses.
A controlled holding environment for prepared foods
is just one of the important factors involved in the
prevention of food-borne illnesses. Temperature
monitoring and control during receiving, storage,
preparation, and the service of foods are of equal
importance.
The most accurate method of measuring safe temper-
a
tures of both hot and cold foods is by internal prod-
uct temperature. A quality thermometer is an effec-
tive tool for this purpose, and should be routinely
used on all products that require holding at a specific
temperature.
A comprehensive sanitation program should focus on
the training of staff in basic sanitation procedures.
This includes personal hygiene, proper handling of
raw foods, cooking to a safe internal product temper-
ature, and the routine monitoring of internal temper-
atures from receiving through service.
Most food-borne illnesses can be prevented through
proper temperature control and a comprehensive
program of sanitation. Both these factors are impor-
tant to build quality service as the foundation of cus-
tomer satisfaction. Safe food handling practices to
prevent food-borne illness is of critical importance to
the health and safety of your customers. HACCP, an
acronym for Hazard Analysis (at) Critical Control
Points, is a quality control program of operating pro-
cedures to assure food integrity, quality, and safety.
Taking steps necessary to augment food safety prac-
tices are both cost effective and relatively simple.
While HACCP guidelines go far beyond the scope of
this manual, additional information is available by
contacting:
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
1-888-SAFEFOOD
INTERNAL FOOD PRODUCT TEMPERATURES
HOT FOODS
DANGER ZONE 40° TO 140°F (4° TO 60°C)
CRITICAL ZONE 70° TO 120°F (21° TO 49°C)
SAFE ZONE 140° TO 165°F (60° TO 74°C)
COLD FOODS
DANGER ZONE ABOVE 40°F (ABOVE 4°C)
SAFE ZONE 36°F TO 40°F (2°C TO 4°C)
FROZEN FOODS
DANGER ZONE ABOVE 32°F (ABOVE 0°C)
CRITICAL ZONE 0° TO 32°F (-18° TO 0°C)
SAFE ZONE 0°F
OR BELOW (-18°C OR BELOW)