With all the work that goes on in a foodservice facility, it is impossible for the owner or operator to watch over all the employees all the time. Staff educated in the following areas can make the difference between a facility being viewed as a super clean facility and one that is a "foodborne illness waiting to happen."

THERMOMETERS

• Have properly operating thermometers located in all refrigerators. If your refrigerator does not have a built-in thermometer, hang the thermometer just inside the door where it can be seen easily and where you can monitor the warmest point in the refrigerator.
• Have a 0-220°F stem thermometer close by at all times to check food temperatures.
• Be sure to check the calibration of your thermometer on a routine basis. Then use it to make sure the thermometers in refrigeration units are reading accurately.

FOOD TEMPERATURES

• Keep potentially hazardous foods at 45°F or below or at 140°F or above, and keep necessary handling periods to a one hour maximum.
• Do not leave potentially hazardous foods out of refrigeration or off heat unless you are working directly with them.
• Do not cool or thaw food at room temperature. Cool foods rapidly by placing it in shallow pans in refrigerators or freezers, by use of ice baths, or by use of ice as a part of the recipe after removing the food from heat.
• Thaw food in a refrigerators at 45°F or below, as part of the cooking process, or under cold running water in a food preparation sink.
• Break hot food down into small quantities and place it into shallow containers not deeper than 4 inches to hasten cooling. Place these containers in a refrigerator or freezer with plenty of ventilation space around them. Do not stack pans of cooling food because the top and bottom pans insulate those in the center and prevent quick cooling.
• Re-heat cooked foods quickly to at least 165°F.
• Cook foods to the following minimum temperatures:
  --Poultry or meat stuffings - 165°F
  --Ground beef or foods containing ground beef - 155°F
  --Pork - 150°F
  --Rare roast beef - 130°F

FOOD HANDLING

• Use clean utensils, rather than hands, for preparing and dispensing food. If you are absolutely unable to use utensils, use clean hands that have been washed with an antibacterial soap, or wash hands and use approved plastic gloves.
• Store all food off floors on shelves or moveable dollies.
• Cover all refrigerated or frozen foods with approved foodservice wrap.
• Store food in containers with tight-fitting lids in dry storage areas.

• Do not cook outdoors or allow outdoor food dispensing stations.

FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS

• Store and handle clean utensils properly. Pans should be inverted to protect against dust or debris settling on the food-contact surfaces. Utensils should be stored with all handles turned in one direction so that food or mouth contact surfaces are not handled.
• Do not store utensils in splash zones, between pieces of equipment, or between equipment and wall surfaces.

• Install and use single-service cup dispensers to avoid handling of the mouth-contact surfaces, or leave the cup sleeves on the cups to protect them.

SANITIZING OF UTENSILS AND PREPARATION SURFACES

• Clean and sanitize all multi-use eating and drinking utensils (glasses, plates, silverware) after each use. Food preparation utensils which are not subjected to heat as a part of the cooking process must also be sanitized after each use.
• Sanitizing may take place in a properly operating dishmachine or in a properly set up 3-compartment sink.
• Use the 3-compartment sink correctly. Utensils must be washed in the first compartment, rinsed in clear warm water in the second compartment, and sanitized in the third compartment. Rinsing can be done with clean running water, or in a vat of water if it is changed frequently so that it remains clean and free of grease.
• Allow clean, sanitized utensils to thoroughly air dry before stacking.
• Use approved sanitizing methods which include immersion for at least one minute in water at a temperature of 170°F, immersion for at least two minutes in water containing 50 ppm (parts per million) available chlorine, 200 ppm available quaternary ammonium, or 12.5 ppm available iodine.
• Have a spray-on sanitizer available for use during all operating hours. Use this sanitizer to sanitize preparation surfaces, cutting board, and similar equipment when changing from one type operation to another. It is especially important to wash and sanitize equipment when changing from processing of raw products to cooked products.
• Have test strips available to check the sanitizing solution to make sure it is at the proper strength.
• Ensure that all gauges on dishmachines are operating properly. Monitor the operation of the machine to see that it is properly washing, rinsing, and sanitizing utensils.

• Ensure that every employee using the diswashing machine knows how to check the wash and sanitizing cycles.

EMPLOYEE REQUIREMENTS

• Teach employees good foodhandling habits and see that they use them.
• Ensure that all persons who handle food or beverages wear effective hair restraints.
• Do not allow employees to eat, drink, or smoke while preparing food or while they are located in food preparation areas. Limit such activities to break times in non-food preparation and service areas if possible. If drinking must occur in a foodhandling area, the cup must have a lid and a straw, and the employee must not place his/her hands on the straw. This is to prevent contamination of food that could be transferred from the workers hands.
• Wash hands after breaks, after visits to the toilet, between the handling of different foods, and any other time needed to prevent potential foodborne illness (i.e. whenever one touches his/her face, hair, or picks something up off the floor).

• Do not allow a person who has a contagious disease, cut, wound, or boil to work in the restaurant in an area where the likelihood of transmission of disease is possible.