C

TABLE

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CONTENTS

Introduction 1
Introduction to Food Safety 2
Receiving Foods 4
Storage of Food 8
Hazards to Our Health 11
Food Allergies 12
Microbiology of Foods 13

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Common Foodborne Illnesses 18

Personal Hygiene 22
Food Preparation 24
Cooking, Hot Holding,
Cooling & Reheating 25

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Cleaning and Sanitizing 31

HACCP Food Protection System 35
Pest Control 38

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Plumbing 48
Operating a Temporary Food
Service Establishment 51
Required Postings 53

M A N U A L

Reduced Oxygen Packaging 55

Local Laws 56
NYC Health Code Extracts 58
Food Defense Strategies 60
Trans Fat 62
Workplace Safety and Health 66
Form 198E Food Establishment
Inspection Report 69
Quizzes 75
Numbers to Remember 79
Work Sheets 83

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f you have questions or comments regarding this manual,

please call the Health Academy at
(917) 492-6990. Other telephone
numbers and addresses are listed
below.
If you wish to contact:
OATH HEALTH TRIBUNAL
66 John Street, 11th Floor
NY, NY 10038
% (212) 361-1000
BUREAU OF FOOD SAFETY &
COMMUNITY SANITATION
125 Worth Street, 9th & 10th Floors
Box CN-59A, NY, NY 10013
Food Safety:
% (212) 676-1600
Community Sanitation:
% (212) 676-1651
CITYWIDE
LICENSING CENTER
42 Broadway
NY, NY 10004
% (212) 487-4436
HEALTH ACADEMY
413 East 120 Street
2nd Floor
NY, NY 10035
% (917) 492-6990
INSPECTOR GENERAL
80 Maiden Lane
NY, NY 10005
% (212) 825-2141
RESTAURANT WORKER
SAFETY AND HEALTH
% (212) 788-4290

REVISED EDITION 2013

Published by the
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Division of Environmental Health
125 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013

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this certification may be needed at an

establishment to have coverage during all shifts, vacations or illnesses.

INTRODUCTION

functions and operations that relate to the health of the people

The Food Protection Manual has

been designed to assist participants
of the course to better understand
the principles of safe food handling.
It serves as a reference for food service operators and it includes the
necessary information to pass the
final examination.

of the city.

On-Line Food Protection Course

INTRODUCTION

he New York City Department of Health and Mental

Hygiene has the jurisdiction to regulate all matters
affecting health in the city and to perform all those

The Health Code

These are regulations that were

formulated to allow the Department
to effectively protect the health of the
population. Among the rules
embodied in the Health Code is
Article 81 which regulates the operations of food establishments for
the purpose of preventing public
health hazards.
Environmental Health Division

The Division of Environmental

Health is the Commission within the
Health Department that is concerned
with public health and works to
eliminate the incidence of injury and
illness caused by environmental factors.
There are several Offices and
Bureaus within this division. One
of these is the Bureau of Food
Safety and Community Sanitation
that has the responsibility for conducting inspections of food service
and food processing establishments.
These inspections are performed by
Public Health Sanitarians.
Anti-corruption Warning

All Sanitarians have Department

of Health and Mental Hygiene
badges and identification cards
which they must display whenever
it is requested of them.
It is illegal to offer a Sanitarian
any bribe, gratuity or reward for
official misconduct; this is a crime

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that can result in fines, and /or

imprisonment, and the revocation
of permits. Also, Sanitarians are not
authorized to conduct any monetary
transactions on behalf of the
Department.
Inspector General

This is an office that exists within

the Health Department with the
responsibility of investigating any
incidence of alleged corrupt activity.
Investigations may be conducted as
a result of complaints by employees
of the Department or members of
the public.
Health Academy

The Health Academy is an office

within the Division of Environmental
Health. One of its responsibilities is
to provide training and certification
courses for individuals from the public
as mandated by the Health Code.
The Food Protection Course is one
of the courses taught here. The Food
Protection Course is required by the
Health Code for supervisors of food
service establishments and non-retail
food processing establishments. These
individuals must take the course and
pass an examination before a certificate is issued to them. A person
holding such a certificate must be on
the premises and supervise all food
preparation activities during all hours
of operation. Several supervisors with

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The Food Protection Course in

English, Spanish and Chinese is
now also available on-line. This
course is designed for individuals with
busy schedules to study at their convenience. After the completion of
the course, a final examination is
scheduled at the Health Academy.
Registration is done on-line. The
link is: nyc.gov/foodprotectioncourse
Register for Health Academy
Classes On-Line

You may now register and pay

online for courses offered at the
Department of Health and Mental
Hygienes Health Academy, including the Food Protection Course for
restaurants. This new service allows
you to avoid going to the Citywide
Licensing Center to register for a
course. You may also use the on-line
service to pay for and request an
appointment to replace your Food
Protection Certificate.
How does it work?

Go to the registration web page,

nyc.gov/healthacademy, select a
course and date, pay the appropriate
fee and receive confirmation.
You will be asked to provide some
personal information before registering. In most cases, you will be
able to select from a list of course
dates. If you dont see a date that is
convenient, check back as new
course dates are added frequently.

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1. All food service establishments must have a current and valid permit issued by the NYC Health Department.
TRUE FALSE
2. Health Inspectors have the right to inspect a food service or food processing establishment as long as it is in operation.
Inspectors must be given access to all areas of establishment during an inspection. TRUE FALSE
3. Health Inspectors are authorized to collect permit fees and fines on behalf of the Department. TRUE FALSE
4. Health Inspectors must show their photo identification and badge to the person in charge of an establishment.

TRUE FALSE
5. According to the NYC Health Code, who is required to have a Food Protection Certificate? ________________________________.

What are Potentially Hazardous

Foods (PHF)?

INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SAFETY

The United States has one of the

safest food safety systems in the world,
yet millions of Americans still get
sick each year from eating contaminated foods; hundreds of thousands
are hospitalized; and several thousand die. This means that there is
still tremendous room for improvement in food safety standards.
Most food-borne illnesses are
caused by improper handling of
food. The statistics from the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) show
that some of the most common
causes of foodborne illness are:
Sick food worker
Poor personal Hygiene/Bare hand
contact
Improper holding temperatures
Improper cooling
Inadequate cooking and reheating
Cross contamination
Use of food from unknown source
What is Food-Borne Illness?

Any illness that is caused by food

is called food-borne illness. A foodborne illness outbreak is defined as
any incident involving two or more
persons becoming ill with similar
symptoms from the same source.
Typically these illnesses are a direct
result of contamination of food by
harmful microorganisms, (commonly
called germs) such as bacteria,

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viruses, parasites, fungi etc. Injury

and illness caused by foreign objects,
dangerous chemicals and/or allergens
in food is also considered a foodborne illness.
Who is at Risk?

This expression refers to those foods

that provide suitable conditions for
rapid growth of microorganisms.
These include foods that are high in
protein like raw or cooked animal
products such as meats, poultry,
fish, shellfish (mollusks as well as
crustaceans), milk and milk products
(cheese, butter milk, heavy cream etc.,),
plant protein such as tofu, and
starches such as cooked rice, cooked
pasta, cooked beans and cooked
vegetables like potatoes, cut melons,
cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes or
mixtures of cut tomatoes, as well as
raw seed sprouts and garlic in oil.

We are all at risk of getting a food

borne illness; however, the effects are
more severe for certain categories of
individuals:
Children whose immune system
(human bodys defense system
against diseases) is not fully developed yet.
Elderly individuals because their
Exceptions: Those foods that have a
immune system is not robust any- low water activity (.85 or less) or those
more and has weakened due to old that are highly acidic with a pH of
age.
4.6 or below. Air-cooled hard-boiled
Pregnant women where the threat eggs with shells intact.
is both to the mother and the fetus.
Individuals with compromised immune sysPotentially Hazardous Foods
tems e.g., Patients with
AIDS, cancer or individuals who are diabetics, etc.
People on medication
(antibiotics, immunosuppressant, etc.).
What is food?

Food is any edible substance, ice, beverage, or

ingredient intended for use
and used or sold for
human consumption.
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What is Ready-To- Eat Food?

Any food product that does not

need additional heat treatment or
washing is called ready-to-eat food.
Extra care must be taken to ensure
the safety of these foods.
Where do we purchase foods?

All foods must be purchased from

approved sources. These are manufacturers and suppliers who comply
with all the rules and regulations that
pertain to the production of their
product, including having the

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necessary permits to operate. The use of

foods prepared at home or in an unlicensed establishment is prohibited.

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212
165
140

The Temperature Danger Zone?

Most microorganisms that cause

foodborne illness typically grow best
between temperatures of 41F and
140F. This is commonly referred to
as the temperature danger zone. One
of the basic and simplest ways to keep
food safe is by keeping it out of the
temperature danger zone.

DANGER
ZONE
41
32

Temperature
Danger
Zone

How do we store potentially

hazardous foods?

All foods must be kept free from

adulteration, spoilage, filth or
other contamination in order to be
suitable for human consumption.
Potentially hazardous foods are of
particular concern because they
provide the conditions suitable for
the growth of microorganisms.
These foods must be kept either hot or
cold to prevent microorganisms from
growing. Hot means 140F or above
and cold means 41F or below. The
temperature range between 41F and
140F is known as the temperature
danger zone. It is within this range
that microorganisms are comfortable
and will grow rapidly. At 41F and
below, the temperature is cold
enough to retard or slow down the
growth of microorganisms, while
above 140F most of the microorganisms which cause foodborne illness begin to die.
Thermometers

The only safe way to determine

that potentially hazardous foods are
kept out of the temperature danger
zone is by the use of thermometers.
There are several different types of
thermometers. The bi-metallic stem is
the most popular type. It is fairly
inexpensive, easy to use, accurate to
+ or 2F and easy to re-calibrate.

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Bi-metallic
Thermometer

Thermocouple
Thermometer

Also, it is available within the range

of 0 to 220F making it ideal for
measuring the required temperatures in a food establishment.
Another thermometer in use is
the thermocouple which is very accurate but fairly expensive. Lastly, there is
a thermometer called thermistor,
which has a digital read out and is
commonly called "digital thermometer."
These thermometers are used by
inserting the probe into the thickest
part or the geometric center of the
food item being measured. The stem
thermometer must remain in the food
until the indicator stops moving before
the reading is taken and must be recalibrated periodically to assure accuracy.
Calibration

Thermometers must be calibrated

to ensure their accuracy. For thermocouple thermometers, follow the
instructions provided by the manufacturer. For some thermistor thermometers, placing the thermometer

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Cold temperature
reading calibration

in 50/50 solution of ice and water

or boiling water, and hitting the
reset button will automatically
calibrate the thermometer. Bi-metallic
stem thermometers may be calibrated
by two methods:
Boiling-Point Method
Ice-Point method
Boiling-Point Method

Bring water to a boil.

Place the thermometer probe (stem)
into the boiling water. Make sure
that the thermometer probe does
not touch the bottom or sides of
the pan. Wait until the indicator
stops moving, then record the
temperature.
If the temperature is 212F, do
nothing, the thermometer is accurate.
(This is the temperature of boiling
water at sea level.)
If the temperature is not 212F,
rotate the hex-adjusting nut using
a wrench or other tool until the
indicator is at 212F.

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Ice-Point Method

Fill a container with ice and water to

make a 50/50 ice water slush.
Stir the slush.
Place the thermometer probe so
that it is completely submerged in
the ice-water slush, taking care
not to touch the sides or the bottom. Wait until the indicator needle stops moving, then record the
temperature.
If the temperature is 32F, do
nothing, the thermometer is
accurate. (A 50/50 ice water slush
will always have a temperature of
32F at sea-level.) If the tempearture is not 32F, rotate the hexadjusting nut until the indicator
needle is at 32F.

RECEIVING FOODS

he first opportunity one has to

ensure that food is safe is at the
point of receiving. At this point care
must be taken to ensure that all
products come from approved
sources and/or reliable and reputable suppliers. Incoming supplies
must be received at a time when it
is convenient to inspect them and
place them into storage promptly.
There are various qualities and conditions one should look for in different food items.

How to use a Thermometer

Measure the internal product

temperature by inserting the probe
into the thickest part or the center
of the product. It is recommended that the temperature readings
be taken at several points.
Whenever using a bi-metallic
thermometer, ensure that the
entire sensing portion from the
tip of the probe to the indentation on the stem, is inserted in to
the food product.
Wait for roughly 15 seconds or
until the reading is steady before
recording it.
Clean and sanitize the thermometer
for later use.
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Lamb, like beef, may have an

inspection stamp as well as a grade
stamp. When fresh, it is light red in
color and has no objectionable odor
and the flesh is firm and elastic. Fresh
lamb is received at 41F and frozen
at or below 0F. (See stamps below)

Pork

The following describes the proper

method of using thermometers:
Sanitize the probe by the use of
alcohol wipes. This is a fairly safe
and common practice. Other
methods such as immersion in
water with a temperature of 170F
for 30 seconds or in a chemical
sanitizing solution of 50 PPM for
at least one minute, or swabbing
with a chlorine sanitizing solution
of 100 PPM are also acceptable.

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Beef

Incoming supplies of beef can be

received either fresh or frozen. Fresh
beef should be at 41F or below
while frozen beef should be at 0F
or below. Beef should be bright to
dark red in color with no objectionable odor. To ensure that the supply
is from an approved source, look for
the United States Department of
Agriculture inspection stamp. This
can be found on the sides of the beef
carcass or on the box when receiving
portions of the carcass. This inspection
is mandatory and the stamp indicates
that the meat is sanitary, wholesome
and fit for human consumption. Also
found may be a grade stamp which
attests to the quality of the meat and
will certainly have an impact on its
price. The inspection stamp is the
more important of the two stamps.

Pork is also subject to USDA

inspection. The flesh is light colored
while the fat is white. A good way
to check for spoilage is to insert a
knife into the flesh all the way to
the bone and check the blade for
any off odors. (See stamps below)

Chicken and Poultry

Chicken and poultry are subject

to USDA inspection which must be
verified by the inspection stamp.
(See stamps below) These must be
received either fresh at 41F and
below or frozen at 0F or less, as
they are naturally contaminated
with the micro-organism Salmonella
which must be kept under control.

USDA Meat
Inspection Stamp

USDA Poultry
Inspection Stamp

USDA Poultry
Grade Stamp

USDA Meat
Grade Stamp

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has all the information that is on

the original tag.

Fresh fish

There is no inspection for fresh

fish other than what can be done by
sight and touch and ones sense of
smell. This makes it more important to purchase supplies from reputable and reliable suppliers. Fresh
fish must be received cold and on
ice, 41F or less, with no objectionable odor. The eyes must be clear
and bulging, the gills bright red and
the flesh firm and elastic. Fish that
is spoiling will have a fishy odor;
the eyes cloudy, red rimmed and
sunken; the gills grey or greenish;
the flesh will pit on pressure and
can easily be pulled away from the
bones; the scales are loose.

Smoked fish

Smoked fish provide ideal conditions for the growth of Clostridium

botulinum spores if left at room
temperature. Therefore, upon receipt,
all smoked fish must be stored at
38F or below.
It is important to adhere to the
temperature requirements stated on
the label.

Split Lot Tag

Shellfish

Shellfish is the term used to

describe clams, mussels, and oysters.
These belong to the family of mollusks. They are filter feeders, that is,
they absorb water from their environment, filter out whatever nutrients are there and then expel the
water. Feeding in this manner causes
them to absorb and accumulate
harmful microorganisms from polluted waters. Since the whole shellfish
is eaten either raw or partially
cooked, it is critical to ensure that
they are harvested from safe waters.
It is important to buy shellfish from
reputable suppliers who can provide
the shippers tags which identify the
source of the shellfish. These tags
supply the following information:
The name of the product

The shellfish tag is required to be

kept together with the product, then
whenever the product is used up, it
must be kept for 90 days in order of
delivery. The virus Hepatitis A is
associated with shellfish.
Check if the shellfish is alive. An
opened shell may be an indication
of dead shellfish. Gently tap on the
shell, if the shell closes then it is
alive otherwise its dead and should
be discarded. Both alive as well as
shucked shellfish (shellfish that has
been removed from its shell) must
only be accepted if delivered at a
temperature of 41F or below.
Following conditions would automatically be grounds for rejection:
Slimy, sticky or dry texture
Strong fishy odor
Broken shells
Other Shellfish

The name of the original shipper

The address of the original shipper
The interstate certificate number
of the original shipper
The location of the shellfish harvesting area.
When purchasing small amounts
from a retailer, a tag must be provided. This is a split-lot tag which

Lobsters, crabs and shrimps belong

to the family of crustaceans. Fresh
lobsters and crabs must be alive at
the time of delivery. As with other
seafood, a strong fishy odor is an
indication of spoilage. The shell of
the shrimp must be intact and firmly attached. All processed crustacean
must be delivered at 41F or below.

Shellfish Tag

Eggs

Eggs produced outside of New

York State are inspected by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture while
those produced within the State are
inspected by the New York State
Department of Agriculture and
Markets. In either case, inspected
eggs will be identified by a stamp
on the carton. Eggs have long been

It is strongly recommended that the invoices be kept with

the tags to aid in tracing the lots history.

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associated with the micro-organism

Salmonella enteritidis. This bacterium has been found on the inside of
the egg, so external washing does
not make eggs safe.
Eggs should be bought from suppliers who deliver them in refrigerated trucks and upon receipt, these
eggs must be kept refrigerated at an
ambient temperature of 45F until
they are used.

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pasteurized milk and milk products

must not exceed 45 days from date
of ultra pasteurization.
Upon receipt, these products
must be checked to ensure that they
are well within the expiration period
and that they are at 41F or below.
This temperature must be maintained until the product is used up.

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watermelons, cantaloupes, honey
dews and all varieties of melons,
oranges, etc. Only potable running
water should be used to thoroughly
wash these produce, and the use of
produce scrubbing brushes is
strongly recommended.

Canned Goods

Egg Cartons Stamps

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Pasteurized Eggs

Pasteurization is a method of
heating foods to destroy harmful
microorganisms. Pasteurized eggs
come in many forms: intact shell eggs,
liquid eggs, frozen eggs, or in powdered form. Even though these have
been pasteurized, they still require
refrigeration to slow down growth
of spoilage microorganisms to extend
the shelf life. Only the powdered
pasteurized eggs may be held at room
temperature.

Milk and Milk Products

Only accept Grade A pasteurized

milk and milk products. Harmful
pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, E.coli 0157:H7 and
Salmonella spp. are commonly associated with un-pasteurized milk.
The expiration date on pasteurized milk and milk products must
not exceed nine calendar days from
date of pasteurization, while ultra

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The acceptable condition of fruits

and vegetables vary from one item
to another. As a general rule of thumb,
only accept those that do not show
any signs of spoilage. Reject any
produce that shows signs of decay,
mold, mushiness, discoloration,
wilting, and bad odors.
A recent study done by the center
for Science in the Public Interest
(CSPI) found that contaminated fruits
and vegetables are causing more foodborne illness among Americans than
raw chicken and eggs combined.
Most fresh produce may become
contaminated with Salmonella and
E.coli 0157:H7 due to the
use of manure fertilizer
(more common in South
and Central America, which
is a major source of fresh
produce to the United
States).
Fresh produce must be
thoroughly washed prior to
being served raw. This
includes all kinds of fruits
and vegetables including
produce that has a hard
rind that is typically not
consumed, for example,
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It is a simple task to inspect

canned goods and remove from circulation those cans that can cause
foodborne illness. The first step is
to ensure that home canned foods
are not used in a food service establishment. All canned foods must be
commercially processed. A good can
is free from rust and dents, properly
sealed and labeled and slightly concave at both ends.
A can with a dent on any of the
three seams (top, bottom or side)
must be removed from circulation.
The same requirement is true for
severely rusted, severely dented, leaking and cans with swollen ends. Bad
cans may be rejected at delivery or segregated and clearly labeled for return
to the supplier.

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is cooked in the package: sous vide

packaging.

Modified Atmosphere
Packaged Foods

Various food items are packaged

under special conditions to prolong
their shelf life. These conditions
include the following:
Food is placed in a package and
all the air is withdrawn: vacuum
packaging.
Food is placed in a package, all
the air is withdrawn and gases are
added to preserve the contents
modified atmosphere packaging.
Food is placed in a package, all
the air is withdrawn and the food

Refrigerated and Frozen

Processed Foods

Ensure that refrigerated foods are

delivered at 41F or below.
(Except, as noted previously,
smoked fish must be received at
38 F or lower.)
Ensure that frozen foods are
delivered at 0F or lower.
All packaging must be intact.

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Dry foods such as grains, peas,

beans, flour and sugar are to be dry
at the time of receiving. Moisture
will cause growth of molds and the
deterioration of these products.
Broken and defective packages will
indicate contamination; as will the
evidence of rodent teeth marks.
Whenever these products are
removed from their original containers, they must be stored in
tightly covered, rodent-proof
containers with proper labels.

These products must be provided

by approved sources and care taken
to preserve the packaging during
handling and when taking the temperature.
Food establishments interested in
making modified atmosphere packaged foods must first obtain permission from NYC DOHMH.
For more information , please see
Page 54.

1. The term "potentially hazardous food" refers to foods which do not support rapid
growth of microorganisms. TRUE FALSE
2. Home canned food products are allowed in commercial food
establishments. TRUE FALSE
3. The Temperature Danger Zone is between 41F and 140F.
TRUE FALSE
4. Within the Temperature Danger Zone, most harmful microorganisms
reproduce rapidly. TRUE FALSE
5. Shellfish tags must be filed in order of delivery date and kept for a period
of _______ days.
6. Fresh shell eggs must be refrigerated at an ambient temperature
of: ______F.
7. Foods in Modified Atmosphere Packages provide ideal conditions for the growth
of: _______
8. The recommended range of bi-metallic stem thermometer is: _______
9. Meat inspected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture must have a/an:
____________ stamp.
10. Chicken and other poultry are most likely to be contaminated with: _______
11. Smoked fish provide ideal conditions for the growth of Botulinum spores.

Any frozen food packaging that

shows signs of thawing and
refreezing should be rejected.
Signs include liquid or frozen liquids
on the outside packaging, formation
of ice crystals on the packaging or
on the product, and water stains.
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Dry Foods

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For convenience as well as cutting

down on costs, there has been a greater
shift towards using prepared prepackaged refrigerated or frozen foods.
These routinely include deli and
luncheon meats, refrigerated or frozen
entrees, etc. Care should be taken
when receiving these products to ensure
quality as well as safety. Following
are some guidelines:

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Because of the absence of air, foods

packaged in this manner provide ideal
conditions for the growth of the
clostridium botulinum micro-organism,
unless they are refrigerated at temperatures recommended by the
manufacturer.

Therefore, this product must be stored at: ______F

12. Safe temperatures for holding potentially hazardous foods are: ______F or
below and ______F or above
13. What are the four types of defective canned products that must be
removed from circulation? ______, ______, _____, _____
14. Which of the following is an indication that fish is not fresh?:
clear eyes fishy odor firm flesh

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STORAGE OF FOOD

fter receiving the foods proper

ly, they must be immediately
moved to appropriate storage areas.
The most common types of food
storage include:
Refrigeration storage
Freezer storage
Dry storage
Storage in Ice
We will discuss each of these
individually; however, certain
aspects are common for all types of
storage and are described below.
FIFO

An important aspect of food storage is to be able to use food products

before their use-by or expiration
date. In this regard, stock rotation is
very important. The common sense
approach of First in First out (FIFO)
method of stock rotation prevents
waste of food products and ensures
quality. The first step in implementing the FIFO method of stock rotation is to date products. Marking the
products with a date allows food
workers to know which product was
received first. This way, the older stock
is moved to the front, and the newly
received stock is placed in the back.

Storage Containers

It is always best to store food in

their original packaging; however,
when it is removed to another container, take extra care to avoid contamination. Only use food containers
that are clean, non-absorbent and
are made from food-grade material
intended for such use. Containers
made from metal may react with
certain type of high acid foods such
as sauerkraut, citrus juices, tomato
sauce, etc. Plastic food-grade containers are the best choice for these
types of foods. Containers made of
copper, brass, tin and galvanized metal
should not be used. The use of such
products is prohibited.
Re-using cardboard containers to
store cooked foods is also a source
of contamination. Lining containers
with newspapers, menus or other
publication before placing foods is
also prohibited as chemical dyes from
these can easily leach into foods.
Storage Areas

Foods should only be stored in

designated areas. Storing foods in
passageways, rest rooms, garbage
areas, utility rooms, etc. would subject these to contamination. Raw
foods must always be stored
below and away from cooked
Cross Contamination
foods to avoid cross contamiWhen harmful microorganisms are
transferred from one food item to
nation.
another, typically, from raw foods to
Refrigerated Storage
cooked or ready to eat foods, it is
This type of storage is typitermed cross contamination. This
cally
used for holding potentialexpression also applies in any situaly
hazardous
foods as well as
tion where contamination from one
perishable foods for short periobject crosses over to another. Cross
contamination may also occur between
ods of timea few hours to a
two raw products, for instance,
few days.
poultry juices falling on raw beef
An adequate number of effiwill contaminate it with Salmonella,
cient refrigerated units are
which is typically only associated
required to store potentially
with poultry and raw eggs.

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hazardous cold foods. By keeping
cold foods cold, the microorganisms
that are found naturally on these
foods are kept to a minimum. Cold
temperature does not kill microorganisms, however, it slows down
their growth.
Pre-packaged cold foods must be
stored at temperatures recommended
by the manufacturer. This is especially
important when dealing with vacuum
packed foods, modified atmosphere
packages and sous vide foods. Smoked
fish is required by the Health Code to
be stored at 38F or below.
Fresh meat, poultry and other
potentially hazardous foods must be
stored at 41F or below, while frozen
foods must be stored at 0F or below.
For foods to be maintained at these
temperatures, refrigerators and
freezers must be operating at temperatures lower than 41F and 0F.,
respectively. Thermometers placed
in the warmest part of a refrigerated
unit are necessary to monitor the
temperature of each unit.
The rule of storage, First In First
Out (FIFO) ensures that older
deliveries are used up before newer
ones. In practicing FIFO, the very
first step would be to date all products as they are received. The next
step is to store the newer products
behind the older ones.
The following rules are important
in making sure that foods are safe
during refrigerated storage:
Store cooked foods above raw
foods to avoid cross-contamination.
Keep cooked food items covered
unless they are in the process of
cooling, in which case they must be
covered after being cooled to 41F.
Avoid placing large pots of hot
foods in a refrigerator. This will
cause the temperature of the
refrigerator to rise and other
foods will be out of temperature.
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Foods stored at least six

inches above the floor

Store foods away from dripping

condensate , at least six inches above
the floor and with enough space
between items to encourage air
circulation.
Freezer Storage

Freezing is an excellent method

for prolonging the shelf life of foods.
By keeping foods frozen solid, the
bacterial growth is minimal at best.
However, if frozen foods are thawed
and then refrozen, then harmful
bacteria can reproduce to dangerous
levels when thawed for the second
time. In addition to that, the quality of
the food is also affected. Never refreeze thawed foods, instead use them
immediately. Keep the following
rules in mind for freezer storage:
Use First In First Out method of
stock rotation.
All frozen foods should be frozen
solid with temperature at 0F or
lower.
Always use clean containers that
are clearly labeled and marked,
and have proper and secure lids.
Allow adequate spacing between
food containers to allow for proper
air circulation.
Never use the freezer for cooling
hot foods.
* Tip: When receiving multiple
items, always store the frozen foods
first, then foods that are to be refrigerated, and finally the non perishable
dry goods.
Dry Storage

Proper storage of dry foods such

as cereals, flour, rice, starches, spices,
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T R A I N I N G

canned goods, packaged foods and

vegetables that do not require refrigeration ensures that these foods will
still be usable when needed. Adequate
storage space as well as low humidity
(50% or less), and low temperatures
(70 F or less) are strongly recommended. In addition to the above,
avoid sunlight as it may affect the
quality of some foods. Following are
some of the guidelines:
Use First In First Out method of
stock rotation.
Keep foods at least 6 inches off the
floor. This allows for proper cleaning
and to detect vermin activity.
Keep foods in containers with
tightly fitted lids.
Keep dry storage areas well lighted and ventilated.
Install shades on windows to prevent exposure from sunlight.
Do not store foods under overhead water lines that may drip
due to leaks or condensation.
Do not store garbage in dry food
storage areas.
Make sure that dry storage area is
vermin proof by sealing walls and
baseboards and by repairing holes
and other openings.
* Safety Tip: Storage of harmful
chemicals in the food storage areas
can create hazardous situations and
hence is prohibited by law. All chemicals must be labeled properly and
used in accordance to the instructions
on the label. Pesticide use is prohibited unless used by a licensed pest control officer.
Storage in Ice

Whenever food items are to be

stored in ice, care must be taken to
ensure that water from the melted
ice is constantly being drained so
that the food remains on ice and
not immersed in iced water.
Furthermore, it is improper to
store food in ice machines or ice
that will be later used for human
consumption.

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FOOD STORAGE REVIEW

Food should be stored at least six

inches off the floor, away from walls
and dripping pipes.
Keep all food, bulk or otherwise,
covered and safe from contamination.
Check food daily and throw away
any spoiled or contaminated food.
Store cleaning, disinfecting, and
other chemicals away from foods,
clearly marked and in their original
containers.
Keep food refrigerated at a temperature of 41F or below.
Monitor temperatures regularly
with a thermometer placed in the
warmest part of the refrigerator.
Keep all cooling compartments
closed except when you are using
them.
Store food in a refrigerator in
such a way that the air inside can
circulate freely.
Keep all refrigerated foods covered,
and use up stored leftovers quickly.
When dishes and utensils are
sparkling clean, keep them that
way by proper storage. Keep all
cups and glasses inverted.
Cakes, doughnuts and fruit pies
may be kept inside a covered display area.
The only goods that should be left
on the counter uncovered are those
which are individually wrapped
and not potentially hazardous.
Do not set dirty dishes, pots, cartons or boxes on food tables.
Whenever products are removed
from their original containers, store
them in tightly covered, rodent
proof containers with labels.

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M A N U A L

RECOMMENDED STORAGE OF FOOD

Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart

Since product dates arent a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart and follow these tips.
These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food 41 F (5C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.

Purchase the product before sell-by or expiration dates.

Follow handling recommendations on product.
Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages
with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.

Because freezing 0 F (-18 C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are
for quality only.
Product

Refrigerator

Eggs
Fresh, in shell
Raw yolks, whites
Hard cooked
Liquid pasteurized eggs
or egg substitutes,
opened
unopened
Mayonnaise, commercial
Refrigerate after opening

Freezer

4 to 5 weeks
2 to 4 days
1 week

Dont freeze
1 year
Dont freeze well

3 days
10 days

Dont freeze
1 year

2 months

Dont freeze

TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles

Keep frozen until ready to heat

3 to 4 months

Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products

Store-prepared
3 to 5 days
egg, chicken, tuna, ham,
macaroni salads
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb
chops, chicken breasts
stuffed w/dressing
1 day
Store-cooked convenience
meals
3 to 4 days
Commercial brand
vacuum-packed
dinners with USDA seal,
unopened
2 weeks

Dont freeze well

Dont freeze well

Hot Dogs & Lunch Meats

Hot dogs,
opened package
unopened package
Lunch meats,
opened package
unopened package

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3 to 4 months
3 to 4 months

Drained, 1 month

6
3
7
3
3

Dont freeze
1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months

to 9 months
to 5 days
days
to 5 days
to 4 days

(in freezer wrap)

1 week
2 weeks

1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months

3 to 5 days
2 weeks

1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months

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Freezer

3 to 4 days

2 to 3 months

7 days

1 month

1 to 2 days

1 to 2 months

7 days

1 to 2 months

3 months
3 weeks

1 to 2 months
1 to 2 months

Bacon & Sausage

Bacon
Sausage, raw from pork,
beef, chicken or turkey
Smoked breakfast links,
patties
Summer sausage labeled
Keep Refrigerated,
unopened
opened

Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb, & Pork)

Steaks
3 to 5 days
Chops
3 to 5 days
Roasts
3 to 5 days
Variety meats (tongue,
kidneys, liver, heart,
chitterlings)
1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

Meat Leftovers
Cooked meat & meat dishes 3 to 4 days
Gravy & meat broth
1 to 2 days

2 to 3 months
2 to 3 months

Fresh Poultry
Chicken or turkey, whole
Chicken or turkey, parts
Giblets

1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days

1 year
9 months
3 to 4 months

3 to 4 days
3 to 4 days
3 to 4 days

4 months
4 to 6 months
4 months

1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days

6 months
1 to 3 months

1 to 2 days
1 to 2 days
3 to 4 days
14 days

6
2
4
2

1 to 2 days
after opening
3 to 4 days

3 to 6 months
out of can
2 months

6 to 12 months
4 to 6 months
4 to 12 months

Dont freeze well

5 to 7 days

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Refrigerator

Soups & Stews

Vegetable or meat-added
& mixtures of them

Dont freeze well

Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat

Hamburger & stew meats
1 to 2 days
Ground turkey, veal, pork,
lamb
1 to 2 days
Ham, Corned Beef
Corned beef in pouch
with pickling juices
Ham, canned, labeled
Keep Refrigerated,
unopened
opened
Ham, fully cooked, whole
Ham, fully cooked, half
Ham, fully cooked, slices

Product

DEPAR TMENT

Cooked Poultry, Leftover

Fried chicken
Cooked poultry dishes
Pieces, plain
Pieces covered with broth,
gravy
Chicken nuggets, patties
Fish & Shellfish
Lean fish
Fatty fish
Cooked fish
Smoked fish
Fresh shrimp, scallops,
crawfish, squid
Canned seafood
Pantry, 5 years

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M A N U A L

Sulfites are used to maintain the

color and freshness of cut fruits and
vegetables.

QUICK REVIEW
1. The acronym FIFO means: ___________________
2. The first step in implementing FIFO is to rotate the stock.
TRUE FALSE
3. The New York City Health code requires that all food items must be
stored at least _______ off the floor.
4. In order to prevent cross-contamination, raw foods in a refrigerator must
be stored _______ cooked foods.
5. Cold temperatures slow down the growth of microorganisms.
TRUE FALSE
6. Food for storage must be kept covered and/or stored in vermin-proof
containers. TRUE FALSE
7. Ice intended for human consumption can be used for storing cans and
bottles. TRUE FALSE
8. When foods are stored directly in ice, the water from that ice must be
drained constantly. TRUE FALSE

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

is used to enhance the flavor of foods.
Excessive use of sulfites and MSG
have both resulted in serious allergic
reaction among sensitive individuals.
MSG is permitted in a food service
establishment as long as it is disclosed on the menu, however, the
use of sulfites is prohibited. Certain
foods may contain sulfites when they
are brought in but none may be added
in a food service establishment.

HAZARDS TO OUR HEALTH

Toxic metals

ood borne illnesses are caused

by the presence of foreign
objects, chemicals and living organisms in our foods. These can be
described as hazards to our health.

The presence of a foreign object

in food that can cause an injury or
an illness is called a Physical Hazard.
The common cause of a physical
hazard is accidental and/or due to
improper food handling practices by
food workers. Food workers must
be trained to handle foods safely so
as not to contaminate foods. Food
workers should not wear jewelry or
any other personal effects that may
accidentally fall into food items.
Some common examples include:
Tiny pebbles that are sometimes
found in rice, beans, and peas.
Fragments of glassfrom a broken glass, from scooping ice with
the glass, from broken light bulb
without protective shields, etc.
Short, un-frilled toothpicks used
to hold a sandwich together.
Bandages
Metal shavings from a worn can
opener

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Any food item with a physical hazard

must be discarded immediately.
Chemical hazards

Physical Hazards

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Scouring pad (steel wool) wire

Pieces of jewelry

CITY

A chemical hazard may be in a

food item either accidentally, deliberately or naturally.
A chemical may be introduced to
a food accidentally by the careless
use of insecticides, storing of cleaning and other chemicals next to
open foods and the storage of acidic
foods in metal containers.
These are the more common
examples and may be avoided by:
Using an experienced, licenced
exterminator.
Storing cleaning and other chemicals, including personal medication, away from foods, preferably
in a locked cabinet.
Storing acidic foods in containers
made of food-grade plastic.
A chemical may be introduced
into a food item deliberately to
enhance its taste or appearance
without realizing that it may cause
consumers to become ill.

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Utensils made from lead, copper,

brass, zinc, antimony and cadmium
are not permitted for use with food
products. These can cause toxicmetal poisoning from the leaching
of these chemicals into the food.
Similarly, containers previously
designed to hold cleaning agents
and other chemicals should never be
used for food storage. Always ensure
that food storage containers are
made from food-grade materials.
Biological Hazards

Biological hazards occur when

disease-causing microorganisms
such as Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites
and Fungi end up contaminating
our food supply. In addition to that,
toxins found naturally in certain foods
can also cause food borne illness.
Mushrooms are both poisonous
and non-poisonous and they are difficult to tell apart. To be certain
that a safe variety is being used,
they must be purchased from a reliable commercial source.
Toxins in certain fish can also be
a serious problem. Some fish have
natural toxins, others accumulate
toxins from their food, while yet
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others develop toxins during storage. Puffer fish may contain

tetrodotoxin and/or saxitoxin which
can cause severe illness and death.
These are central nervous system
toxins and according to FDA, are
1,200 times more deadly than
cyanide.
Certain predatory fish, such as
the barracuda, feed on smaller fish
which in turn feed on algae. Algae,
during certain seasons and in certain

T R A I N I N G

waters may be toxic. This toxicity

accumulates in the smaller fish and
then in the fish that eat the smaller
fish. In this manner the ciguatoxin,
which is not destroyed by cooking,
may accumulate in fish and this
leads to the illness Ciguatera.
Scombroid poisoning is a food
borne illness caused by the consumption of marine fish from the
Scombridae family: tuna, mackerel,
and a few non-Scombroidae relatives,

Common Symptoms

Following are some of the common symptoms:

Mild
Itching
Wheezing
Hives
Swelling of face and eyes
Severe
Loss of consciousness due to
air way obstruction
Death
Eight Most Common Allergens

Although an individual could be

allergic to any food product, such as

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fruits, vegetables, and meats, however,

the following eight foods account for
90% of all food-allergic reactions:

Fish
Peanuts
Wheat
Soy
Tree Nuts
Eggs
Milk
Shell Fish

Heres an easy way to remember them:

Food Problems Will Send The EMS

These eight foods as well as any

food that contains proteins from
one or more of these foods are
called major food allergens by law.
Additives that Trigger Allergies

In addition to the foods listed

above, some common additives of
foods can also trigger an allergic
reaction. Full disclosure of these on
the menu is necessary. Following are
some of the common food additives
used in the food industry:
Nitrites*added in meats for
redness.
Sulfites*added to dried and
preserved fruits and vegetables for
freshness.
DEPAR TMENT

such as bluefish, dolphin and

amberjacks. These fish have high
levels of histidine in their flesh and
during decomposition, the histidine
is converted into histamine which
causes consumers to suffer an allergic-like reaction. The symptoms of
this illness, among other things,
mimic a heart attack. Histamine is
not destroyed by cooking.

MSG added to enhance the

flavor of food.

FOOD ALLERGIES

n allergy is a reaction to a food

or ingredient that the body
mistakenly believes to be harmful.
Millions of Americans suffer from
allergic reactions to food each year.
Most of these food allergies are
mild in nature, but some food
allergies can cause severe reactions,
and may even be life-threatening.
There is no cure for food allergies.
Avoidance of food allergens and
early recognition and management
of allergic food reactions are crucial
to prevent serious health consequences.

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* The use of Nitrites and Sulfites in the

retail food industry is not permitted.
Hidden Ingredients

Sometimes a dish may contain a

very insignificant amount of common
allergens and only the chef may be
aware of it. Never guess! Always ensure
that a dish is 100% free of allergens.
Review the ingredients list for every
dish requested by the customers and
check labels on packaged and readyto-eat food products.
Customer Safety

In order to protect the customers,

it is important that there is full disclosure of the use of these eight
common allergens to the customers.
This can be done in the following
manner:
By describing details of menu
items.
When uncertain about any
ingredient, inform the customer
immediately.
Ensure that food has no contact
with ingredients to which customer
is allergic. Even the smallest
amount of allergen can cause a
serious reaction.
Wash hands thoroughly and use
new sanitary gloves before

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preparing dishes for guests with
food allergy.
Clean and sanitize all equipment,
cooking and eating utensils, and
food contact surfaces with hot
soapy water before preparing
allergen-free foods.
Never use any equipment or
utensils previously used to cook
other foods.
Never cook with oils that were
used to prepare other foods. Heat
does not destroy allergens.
Look out for splashes and accidental spills.
It is important to remember that
removing allergens from a finished
dish, such as nuts, shellfish etc, does
not make the dish safe.
If a guest has an allergic reaction,
call 911 immediately. To prevent
future mistakes, find out what
went wrong.

P R O T E C T I O N

T R A I N I N G

QUICK REVIEW
The presence of the following in food constitutes a physical hazard:
1. Pieces of glass TRUE FALSE
2. Metal shavings TRUE FALSE
TRUE FALSE

3. Piece of wood

4. Pebbles and stones TRUE FALSE

5. MSG TRUE FALSE
6. Toothpick TRUE FALSE
The presence of the following in the food constitutes a chemical hazard:
7. Ciguatoxin

TRUE FALSE

8. Prescription medicines TRUE FALSE

9. Roach spray TRUE FALSE
10. Hair TRUE FALSE
11. False fingernails TRUE FALSE
12. Hair dye TRUE FALSE
13. Sulfites can be used in food preparation as long as their use is disclosed
on the menu. TRUE FALSE
14. Some wild mushrooms can be very toxic; therefore mushrooms must
always be purchased from a reliable and trustworthy commercial source.
TRUE FALSE
15. Use of MSG ( Monsodium Glutamate) in foods is a very dangerous practice
and is not allowed under any circumstances. TRUE FALSE

Spirilla are spiral or comma

shaped.

MICROBIOLOGY OF FOODS BACTERIA

n order to understand the reasons

behind food sanitation practices, it
is necessary to know a few facts about
the microorganisms which cause food
spoilage and foodborne disease.
Bacteria

Bacteria, commonly called germs,

are extremely small, plant-like
organisms which must be viewed
through a microscope in order to be
seen. If 25,000 bacteria are placed
in a line, that line would only be
one inch long; one million could fit
on the head of a pin. Like any living
thing, bacteria require food, moisture
and the proper temperature for growth.
Most of them need air (these are called
aerobes), but some can survive only in
the absence of air (these are called
anaerobes) and some can grow with or
without air (these are called facultative).
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Bacteria are found everywhere on

the earth, in the air and in water.
Soil abounds with bacteria which
grow on dead organic matter.
Shapes of Bacteria

One method of classifying bacteria

is by their shape. All bacteria can be
assigned to one of the following categories:
Cocci are round or spherical in
shape. While they are able to live
alone, they often exist in groups.
Single chains are called streptococci.
Those which form a grape-like
cluster are called staphylococci
while those that exist in pairs are
called diplococci.
Bacilli are rod shaped. Some of
these also congregate in the single
chain form and are called streptobacilli.

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Spores

Some bacteria are able to protect

themselves under adverse conditions
by forming a protective shell or wall
around themselves; in this form they
are in the non-vegetative stage and
are called spores. These bacterial
spores can be likened to the seeds of
a plant which are also resistant to
adverse conditions.
During the spore stage bacteria
do not reproduce or multiply. As
soon as these spores find themselves
under proper conditions of warmth,
moisture and air requirement, they
resume their normal vegetative stage
and their growth . Since spores are
designed to withstand rigorous conditions, they are difficult to destroy
by normal methods. Much higher
killing temperatures and longer time
periods are required. Fortunately,
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there are only a relatively few pathogenic or disease causing bacteria

which are spore-formers. Tetanus,
anthrax and botulism are diseases
caused by spore-formers.

T R A I N I N G

neither helpful nor harmful to

humans. Of the hundreds of
thousands of strains of bacteria,
most fall in this category.
It must be realized that many
bacteria are essential in the balance of nature thus the destruction of all bacteria in the world
would be catastrophic. Our main
objective is public health protection through the control and
destruction of pathogenic (disease
causing) bacteria and those that
cause food spoilage.

Bacterial Reproduction

Bacteria reproduce by splitting in

two; this is called binary fission. For
this reason, their numbers are always
doubling: one bacterium generates two;
each of these generates another two
resulting in a total of four and the
four become eight and this goes on
and on.
The time it takes for bacteria to
double (generation time) is roughly
twenty to thirty minutes under
favorable conditions.

Bacterial Growth

Bacteria require certain conditions

in order to multiply. They need
moisture, warmth, nutrients and time.
It is rapid bacterial multiplication
that often causes problems with
regard to the safety of a food product. Under ideal conditions rapid
growth can mean that one organism
can become two in as little as
2030 minutes.

Types of Bacteria According to

Their Effect on Humans

Types of bacteria classified

according to their effect on us are:
Harmful or disease-causing bacteria are known as pathogenic
bacteria or pathogens. They cause
various diseases in humans,
animals and plants.

The Bacterial Growth Curve table

assumes that a certain food initially
contains 1,000 organisms. The ideal
rapid growth takes place during the
log phase and all bacteria will reach
this rapid part of their growth if
given the correct conditions.
Bacteria begin their growth cycle by
adjusting to any new environment or
condition by being in a resting or
lag phase. Stationary and death
phases are usually brought about by
the depletion of available
nutrients and the production of their waste.

Undesirable bacteria which cause

decomposition of food are often
referred to as spoilage bacteria.
Beneficial bacteria are used in
the production of various foods
including cultured milk, yogurt,
cheese and sauerkraut.
Benign bacteria, as far as we
know at the present time, are
Bacterial Growth Curve
Growth Phases
1,000,E+07

Stationary
1,000,000

Death

100,000

10,000

Log

1,000

Lag
100
10
1:00

3:00

5:00

7:00

9:00

11:00

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5:00

Conditions Necessary
for the Growth of
Bacteria (FATTOM)

FoodBacteria require
food for growth. The
foods that they like the
most are the same ones we
do. These are generally

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Growth of Bacteria

Time
30 minutes later
1 hour later
11/2 hours later
2 hours later
21/2 hours later
3 hours later
31/2 hours later
4 hours later

Number of
Organisms
2,000
4,000
8,000
16,000
32,000
64,000
128,000
256,000

high protein foods of animal

origin, such as meat, poultry, fish,
shellfish, eggs, milk and milk
products. They also love plant
products that are heat treated, such
as cooked potato, cooked rice,
tofu, and soy protein foods.
AcidityBacteria generally prefer
neutral foods. They do not fare
well in foods that are too acidic
or too alkaline. This is why vinegar is used as a preservative.
Acidity is measured in pH. Any
food with a pH value of 4.6 or
less is considered too acidic for
bacteria to grow, therefore, these
foods are relatively safer.
pH Values of Some Popular Foods
Product

Approximate
pH range

Ground beef
Ham
Fish (most species)
Clams
Oysters
Crabs
Butter
Buttermilk
Cheese
Milk
Yogurt
Vegetables
Fruits
Orange juice
Melons
Mayonnaise

5.1
5.9
6.6
6.5
4.8
7.0
6.1
4.5
4.9
6.3
3.8
3.1
1.8
3.6
6.3
3.0

to 6.2
to 6.1
to 6.8
to 6.3
to 6.4
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

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7.0
4.2
6.5
6.7
4.3
6.7
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TemperatureIn general, bacteria
prefer warm temperatures. Those
that prefer our food grow
between 41140F (Temperature
Danger Zone). This temperature
range includes normal body temperature and usual room temperature. However, different types of
bacteria prefer different temperatures.
Mesophilic Bacteria grow best at
temperatures between 50110F.
Most bacteria are in this group.
Thermophilic Bacteria prefer
heat and grow best at temperatures
between 110150F or more.
Psychrophilic Bacteria prefer cold
and grow at temperatures below 50F.
One way to control the growth of
bacteria is to ensure that they are
not within the Temperature Danger
Zone (See Page 2).
Time Bacteria require time to
grow and multiply. When conditions are favorable, one bacterium
will split and become two every
twenty to thirty minutes. Thus,
the more time they have, the more
bacteria will be produced. The
simplest way of controlling bacteria is to minimize the time foods
stay in the temperature danger
zone.
OxygenSome bacteria need
oxygen from the air in order to
grow; these are called aerobes.
Others prefer it when there is no
air or oxygen; these are called
anaerobes. There are yet others
that will thrive whether oxygen is
present or not; these are called
facultative aerobes or facultative
anaerobes.
MoistureBacteria need moisture or water in order to survive.
Food is absorbed in a liquid form
through the cell wall. If moisture
is not present in sufficient quantity,
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bacteria will eventually die.

Bacteria can be controlled by
removing moisture from
foods by the processes of
dehydration, freezing and
preserving in salt or sugar.

Water Activity of Some Popular Foods

Locomotion

Bacteria cannot crawl, fly or

move about. A few types do
have thread-like appendages
called flagella with which they
can propel themselves to a very limited extent. Therefore they must be
carried from place to place by some
vehicle or through some channel.
The modes of transmission
include: air, water, food, hands,
coughing, sneezing, insects, rodents,
dirty equipment, unsafe plumbing
connections and unclean utensils.
Hands are one of the most dangerous vehicles. There is no doubt that
that if food workers would take better care of their hands then the incidence of foodborne disease would
be reduced greatly.
Destruction by Heat

The most reliable and time-tested

method of destroying bacteria is the
use of heat. This method is most
effective when both time and temperature factors are applied. In
other words, not only do we have to
reach the desired temperature to
destroy bacteria, but we must allow
sufficient time to permit the heat to
kill the more sturdy ones. The lower
the temperature of the heat applied,
the longer the time required to kill
bacteria; conversely, the higher the
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Water
Activity

Food

The amount of moisture in

a food is measured by Water
Activity value. Any food
with a Water Activity value
of .85 or less does not have
enough moisture to support
the active growth of bacteria.

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Fresh fruits
Pudding
Bread
Cheese
Fresh meat
Cakes
Cured meat
Jam
Honey
Dried fruit
Chocolate candy
Caramels
Dried milk
Dried vegetables
Crackers

.97
.97
.96
.95
.95
.90
.87
.75
.54
.55
.55
.60
.20
.20
.10

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

1.0
.99
.97
1.0
1.0
.94
.95
.80
.75
.80
.80
.65

temperature, the less time is necessary. An example of this principle

involves the two accepted methods
for pasteurizing milk. In the holding method, milk is held at a temperature of 145F for thirty minutes
while in the flash or high temperature short time method, milk
is held at 161F for fifteen seconds.
Destructon by Chemicals

Bacteria can be destroyed by

chemical agents. Chemicals that kill
bacteria are called germicides or
bactericides. Examples are carbolic
acid, formaldehyde, iodine, chlorine
and quaternary compounds. The
effectiveness of a bactericide
depends on the concentration used.
When used to kill pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms, it is called
a sanitizer. The most popular sanitizer used in the food industry is
chlorine.
Other Methods of Destruction

When exposed to air and sunlight, bacteria are destroyed due to

the combined effects of the lack of
moisture and exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
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Refrigeration

Refrigeration of foods does not

destroy the bacteria already present.
Cold temperatures from 0F to

T R A I N I N G

41F will inhibit or slow the growth

of bacteria. Thus, a food item will
still be safe after several days in a
refrigerator but not indefinitely.

MICROBIOLOGY OF FOODS OTHER MICROORGANISMS

Viruses

Viruses are minute organic forms

which seem to be intermediate
between living cells and organic
compounds. They are smaller than
bacteria, and are sometimes called
filterable viruses because they are so
small that they can pass through the
tiny pores of a porcelain filter which
retain bacteria. They cannot be seen
through a microscope (magnification of 1500x), but can be seen
through an electron microscope
(magnification of 1,000,000x).
Viruses cause poliomyelitis, smallpox, measles, mumps, encephalitis,
influenza, and the common cold.
Viruses, like bacteria, are presumed
to exist everywhere.

highly contagious and can spread

very quickly. Hepatitis A virus can
be fatal as it affects the liver.
Parasites

Parasites are organisms that live

in or on other organisms without
benefiting the host organisms. Parasites
are not capable of living independently. The two most common parasites
that affect the food industry include
trichinella spiralis, which is commonly associated with pork, and the
round Anisakid worm that is associated with many species of fish.
With the growing interest in eating
raw marinated fish such as sushi, sashimi, ceviche etc., there is an increased
risk of illnesses such as Anisakiasis.
Yeasts

Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot

reproduce in the food. Food only
serves as a reservoir and a transporting mechanism until it is
ingested. Once viruses invade our
body, they use our cells to duplicate
themselves. Most often, the presence
of viruses in food supply is an indication of contamination through
human feces. Food workers poor
personal hygiene for instance, not
washing hands thoroughly after
using the toilet, is a major cause of
these viral infections. The two most
common types of viruses in the
food industry are Hepatitis A, and
Noroviruses (previously known as
Norwalk Virus). Noroviruses have
been recently implicated in various
food borne illness outbreaks involving cruise ships. Noroviruses are

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Yeasts are one-celled organisms

which are larger than bacteria.
They, too, are found everywhere,
and require food, moisture,
warmth, and air for proper growth.
Unlike some bacteria which live without air, yeasts must have air in order to
grow. They need sugar, but have the
ability to change starch into sugar.
When yeasts act on sugar, the formation of alcohol and carbon dioxide results. In the baking industry,
yeast is used to raise dough
through the production of carbon
dioxide. The alcohol is driven off by
the heat of the oven. In wine production, the carbon dioxide gas bubbles off, leaving the alcohol. The
amount of alcohol produced by
yeasts is limited to 18%, because
yeasts are killed at this concentra-

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Freezing foods at or below 0F
will further slow or even stop the
growth of bacteria but will not kill
them.

tion of alcohol.
Yeasts reproduce by budding, which
is similar to binary fission. Generally,
the methods described for destruction
of bacteria will kill yeasts as well.
Yeasts are not generally considered to be pathogenic or harmful,
although a few of them do cause
skin infections. Wild yeasts, or those
that get into a food by accident
rather than by design of the food
processor, cause food spoilage and
decomposition of starch and sugar,
and therefore are undesirable.
Molds

Molds are multicellular (manycelled) microscopic plants which

become visible to the naked eye
when growing in sufficient quantity.
Mold colonies have definite colors
(white, black, green, etc.). They are
larger than bacteria or yeasts. Some
molds are pathogenic, causing such
diseases as athletes foot, ringworm,
and other skin diseases. However,
moldy foods usually do not cause
illness. In fact, molds are encouraged
to grow in certain cheeses to produce a characteristic flavor.
The structure of the mold consists of a root-like structure called the
mycelium, a stem (aerial filament)
called the hypha, and the spore sac,
called the sporangium. All molds
reproduce by means of spores. Molds
are the lowest form of life that have
these specialized reproductive cells.
Molds require moisture and air
for growth and can grow on almost
any organic matter, which does not
necessarily have to be food. Molds
do not require warmth, and grow
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very well in refrigerators. Neither do

molds require much moisture,
although the more moisture present,
the better they multiply.
Methods of destruction for molds
are similar to those required for bacteria. Heat, chemicals, and ultraviolet rays destroy mold spores as well

T R A I N I N G

as the molds. Refrigeration does not

necessarily retard their growth.
Certain chemicals act as mold
inhibitors. Calcium propionate
(Mycoban) is one used in making
bread. This chemical when used in
the dough, retards the germination of
mold spores, and bread so treated will
remain mold-free for about five days.

M A N U A L

One of the most beneficial molds

is the Penicillium mold from which
penicillin, an antibiotic, is extracted.
The discovery, by Dr. Alexander
Fleming, of the molds antibiotic
properties opened up a whole field
of research, and other antibiotic
products from molds have been
discovered.

QUICK REVIEW
1. Foods that have been contaminated with pathogenic bacteria ( will will not) change in taste and smell.
2. Under favorable conditions bacteria can double their population every 20 to 30 minutes. TRUE FALSE
3. At what temperature is rapid growth of pathogenic bacteria possible?

65F 140F

4. What are the six factors that affect the growth of bacteria?_______, _______, _______, ________, ________, ________.
5. Which of the following foods may encourage rapid growth of bacteria?: Cooked rice/Hard boiled air cooled shell egg
6. What type of bacteria grows best at temperatures between 50-110F? _______________
7. What is the water activity level at which bacteria have difficulty reproducing? _______________
8. In the life cycle of bacteria, during which phase do bacteria grow most quickly? _______________
9. Most viral food-borne diseases are the result of poor personal hygiene. TRUE FALSE
10. The food-borne parasite typically found in under-cooked pork is: _____________
11. A food-borne parasite typically found in marine fish is: _______________
12. The most popular chemical sanitizer is _______________
13. Food held under refrigeration must be at or below: __________F
14. The reason for refrigerating potentially hazardous foods is to: _______________

FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

here are three categories of

foodborne illnesses: infection,
intoxication and toxin mediated
infection.

Foodborne Infection

This is an illness that is caused by

eating a food that has large numbers
of microorganisms on it. These microorganisms enter the human digestive
tract and disrupt the functions of the
intestines resulting in diarrhea and
other problems. The severity of the
problem depends on the dosage
ingested and the particular bacterium.
The first symptoms of an infection
will occur from as early as six hours to
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as long as forty eight hours after the

contaminated food is eaten.
Foodborne Intoxication

This is an illness that is caused by

eating a food that has the toxins that
are generated by certain microorganisms. The longer a micro-organism is on a food, the more time it has
to multiply and produce its waste
products. These waste products are
toxins and result in an intoxication
when that food is eaten.
It is important to note that an
intoxication will cause nausea and
vomiting, either immediately after
the food is eaten or within the first

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six hours. Also, toxins are not

destroyed by heat so once they are
formed no amount of cooking afterwards will inactivate them.
Foodborne Toxin Mediated
Infection

This illness occurs when one ingests

a food that has microorganisms on
it. These micro- organisms find
favorable conditions to grow in the
intestines and produce their toxins
which will then cause a foodborne
illness.

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COMMON FOODBORNE ILLNESSES

ONSET TIME:
TYPE OF ILLNESS:
SYMPTOMS:

ILLNESS:

Salmonellosis
Salmonella enteritidis
SOURCE:
Animals, poultry, eggs, and humans
FOODS INVOLVED: Chicken, other poultry, eggs
ONSET TIME:
648 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Infection
SYMPTOMS:
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, chills, fever,
nausea, vomiting, and malaise
BACTERIA:

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210 days
Infection
Diarrhea (often-times bloody), severe
abdominal pain, fever, anorexia,
malaise, headache and vomiting.

CONTROL MEASURES

Proper sanitization of equipment in order to prevent cross contamination.

Thoroughly cook meat, poultry and poultry products.
Use only pasteurized milk.
Use potable water.

CONTROL MEASURES

Cook chicken, poultry and stuffing to 165F for at

least 15 seconds.
Refrigerate raw chicken, poultry, and other meats
to 41F or lower.
Pay close attention to eggs: store eggs in a refrigerator at 45F or lower. Cook eggs to 145F or higher, (or
per customer request), break and cook eggs to order,
and use pasteurized eggs instead of raw eggs if a food
is not going to be cooked to at least 145F.
Prevent cross contamination.
ILLNESS:

Staphylococcal gastroenteritis
BACTERIA:
Staphylococcus aureus
SOURCE:
Healthy human beings: in nose,
throat, hair, on infected cuts, bruises,
abscesses and acne.
FOODS INVOLVED: Baked goods, custards, pastry, and
cooked foods traditionally left out at
room temperature: ham, sliced meats
and other foods with low water activity
ONSET TIME:
648 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Infection
SYMPTOMS:
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, chills,
fever, nausea, vomiting, and malaise
CONTROL MEASURES

Prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

Practice good personal hygiene.
Prevent infected food workers from working. Look
out for any worker that has an infected cut or
wound on the hands or skin.
Keep all foods at 41F or below; cool foods rapidly.
ILLNESS:

Campylobacteriosis
Campylobacter jejuni
SOURCE:
Poultry, pigs, sheep and cattle
FOODS INVOLVED: Chicken, other poultry, beef, liver
and water
BACTERIA:

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ILLNESS:

Listeriosis
BACTERIA:
Listeria monocytogenes
SOURCE:
Soil, infected animals or humans,
and water
FOODS INVOLVED: Unpateurized milk, raw vegetables,
poultry, raw meats, cheese
ONSET TIME:
1 day3 weeks
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Infection
SYMPTOMS:
Low grade fever, flu-like symptoms,
stillbirths, meningitis and encephalitis. *
Fatalities may occur
CONTROL MEASURES

Cook foods thoroughly and to required minimum

temperatures.
Use only pasteurized milk and dairy products.
Thoroughly wash raw vegetables before eating.
Avoid cross contamination.
Clean and sanitize all surfaces.
ILLNESS:

Shigellosis
BACTERIA:
Shigella species
SOURCE:
Human
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw produce, moist prepared foods
tuna, macaroni, potato salads, etc.
ONSET TIME:
17 days
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Infection
SYMPTOMS:
Abdominal pain, diarrhea bloody
stools and fever.
CONTROL MEASURES

Practice good personal hygiene with special emphasis

on hand washing, especially after using the toilet.
Avoid bare hands contact with ready-to-eat foods.
Rapidly cool foods to 41F or below.
Avoid cross contamination.
Eliminate flies from the facility.
Clean and sanitize all surfaces.
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ILLNESS:

Botulism
Clostridium botulinum
SOURCE:
Soil, water, intestinal tract of animals
and fish
FOODS INVOLVED: Home-canned foods, smoked and
vacuum packaged fish, garlic in oil,
baked potatoes, and thick stews
ONSET TIME:
1236 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication
SYMPTOMS:
Gastrointestinal symptoms may precede neurological symptoms: vertigo,
blurred or double vision, dryness of
mouth, difficulty swallowing, speaking and breathing, muscular weakness and respiratory paralysis. This
illness may cause fatalities.

ILLNESS:

BACTERIA:

BACTERIA:

CONTROL MEASURES

CONTROL MEASURES

Never use home-canned or home-jarred products.

Store smoked fish at 38F or below. Store all vacuum
packaged foods according to manufacturers recommended instructions (time and temperatures).
Keep commercially prepared garlic and other
herbs in oil refrigerated at all times.
Avoid cross contamination.

ILLNESS:

Scombroid poisoning
Bacteria that help produce histamine
SOURCE::
Tuna, bluefish, mackerel, bonito, and
mahi mahi
FOODS INVOLVED: Cooked or raw tuna, bluefish, mackerel, bonito, and mahi mahi
ONSET TIME:
Minutes2 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication
SYMPTOMS:
Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
peppery taste, burning sensation in the
throat, facial swelling and stomach aches.

M A N U A L

Hemorrhagic colitis
Shiga toxin producing escherichia coli
such as e.coli 0157:h7
SOURCE:
Cattle, humans, unpasteurized milk,
untreated water
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw and undercooked ground meats,
fresh produce, unpasteurized milk
and untreated water
ONSET TIME:
1272 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication as well as infection
SYMPTOMS:
Diarrhea (often bloody), severe
abdominal pain nausea, vomiting,
chills. In children it may complicate
into hemolytic uremic syndrome
(hus), responsible for kidney failure
and blood poisoning.
Cook ground beef and all ground meats to
158F or higher.
Cook all foods to required minimum cooking
temperatures.
Use pasteurized milk.
Reheat all foods to 165F within 2 hours.
Avoid cross contamination.
Practice good personal hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly after touching raw foods or after any
activity that may have contaminated them.

BACTERIA:

CONTROL MEASURES

Use a reputable supplier.

Refuse fish that have been thawed and re-frozen.
Signs that fish have been re-frozen include dried
or dehydrated appearance; excessive frost or ice
crystals in the package; or white blotches (freezer
burns).
Check temperatures. Fresh fish must be between
32F and 41F.
Thaw frozen fish at refrigeration temperature of
41F or below.

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ILLNESS:

Clostridium perfringens
enteritis
BACTERIA:
Clostridium perfringens
SOURCE:
Soil, water, gastrointestinal tract of
healthy humans and animals (cattle,
poultry, pigs, and fish)
FOODS INVOLVED: Meat, stews, chilli, gravies, poultry, beans
ONSET TIME:
822 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication as well as infection
SYMPTOMS:
Diarrhea and abdominal pain
CONTROL MEASURES

Rapidly cool meat dishes. (cooling methods are

discussed in detail on pages 28-29.
Rapidly reheat foods to 165F within 2 hours.
Avoid preparing foods days in advance.
Do not reheat foods on the steam table or any
other hot holding equipment.
Hold hot foods at 140F or above.

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ILLNESS:

ILLNESS:

BACTERIA:

VIRUS:

Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis

Bacillus cereus
SOURCE:
Soil and dust, cereal crops
FOODS INVOLVED: Rice, starchy foodspasta, potatoes,
dry food products, meats, and milk.
ONSET TIME:
30 minutes5 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication as well as infection
SYMPTOMS:
Nausea, abdominal pain and watery
diarrhea
CONTROL MEASURES

Do not keep foods at room temperature.

Rapidly cool meat dishes.
Rapidly reheat foods to 165F within 2 hours.
Serve cooked foods quickly after preparation.

ILLNESS:

Vibrio parahaemolyticus
gastroenteritis
BACTERIA:
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
SOURCE:
Clams, oysters, scallops, shrimp, crabs
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw or partially cooked shellfish
ONSET TIME:
30 minutes5 hours
TYPE OF ILLNESS: Intoxication as well as infection
SYMPTOMS:
Nausea, abdominal pain and watery
diarrhea
CONTROL MEASURES

Avoid eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

Purchase seafood from approved sources.
Keep all seafood refrigerated at 41F or lower.
Avoid cross contamination.

ILLNESS:

Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A virus
SOURCE:
Human feces, fecal contaminated
waters, fecal contaminated produce
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw or partially cooked shellfish,
fruits and vegetables, salads, cold
cuts, water and ice.
ONSET TIME:
1550 days
SYMPTOMS:
Fever, malaise, lassitude,nausea,
abdominal pain and jaundice
VIRUS:

Obtain shellfish from approved sources.

Ensure that food workers practice good personal
hygiene.
Avoid cross contamination.
Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces.
Use potable water.

NEW

Norovirus gastroentritis
Norovirus (aka norwalk-like virus)
SOURCE::
Human feces, fecal contaminated
waters, fecal contaminated produce
FOODS INVOLVED: Ready-to-eat foods such as salads,
sandwiches, baked products,oysters,
fruits and vegetables.
ONSET TIME:
1248 hours
SYMPTOMS:
Fever, vomiting, watery diarrhea,
abdominal pains
CONTROL MEASURES

Prevent ill food workers from working until fully

recovered.
Ensure that food workers practice good personal
hygiene.
Obtain shellfish from approved sources.
Avoid cross contamination.
Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces.
Use potable water.

ILLNESS:

Rotavirus gastroenteritis
Rotavirus
SOURCE:
Human feces, fecal contaminated
waters, fecal contaminated food
FOODS INVOLVED: Ready-to-eat foods such as salads,
sandwiches, baked products, contaminated water
ONSET TIME:
13 days
SYMPTOMS:
Vomiting,watery diarrhea, abdominal
pains and mild fever
VIRUS:

CONTROL MEASURES

Prevent ill food workers from working until fully

recovered.
Ensure that food workers practice good personal
hygiene.
Avoid cross contamination.
Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces.
Use potable water.

ILLNESS:

CONTROL MEASURES

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DEPAR TMENT

Astrovirus gastroenteritis
Astrovirus
SOURCE:
Human feces, fecal contaminated
food
FOODS INVOLVED: Ready-to-eat foods such as salads,
sandwiches, baked products, contaminated water.
ONSET TIME:
1070 hours
VIRUS:

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SYMPTOMS:

P R O T E C T I O N

Vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pains and mild fever.

Outbreaks are more likely to occur in
daycare and eldercare facilities.

CONTROL MEASURES

Prevent ill food workers from working until fully

recovered.
Ensure that food workers practice good personal
hygiene.
Avoid cross contamination.
Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces.
Use potable water.

T R A I N I N G

M A N U A L

ILLNESS:

Anisakiasis
Anisakis simplex
SOURCE:
Marine fish (saltwater species)
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw, undercooked, or improperly
frozen fish like pacific salmon, mackerel,
halibut, monkfish, herring, flounder,
fluke, cod, haddock, and other fish
used for sushi, sashimi, and ceviche.
ONSET TIME:
Within hours
SYMPTOMS:
Mild cases include tingling or tickling
sensation in throat, vomiting, or coughing
up worms. Severe cases include debilitating
stomach pains, vomiting, and diarrhea.
PARASITE:

CONTROL MEASURES
ILLNESS:

Trichinosis
PARASITE:
Trichinella spiralis
SOURCE:
Pigs, wild game such as bear and walrus
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw and undercooked pork, pork
products, bear , walrus and any other
food products contaminated with
the former.
ONSET TIME:
428 days
SYMPTOMS:
Gastroenteritis, fever, facial edema,
muscular pains, prostration, and
labored breathing.
CONTROL MEASURES

Cook pork and pork products to 155F or higher

for at least 15 seconds.
Wash, rinse and sanitize equipment used to process
pork and pork products before use.
Purchase all pork and pork products from
approved suppliers.

Obtain seafood from approved sources.

Thoroughly cook all seafood to 145F or higher.
Only use sushi-grade fish for sushi and sashimi.
Any fish to be consumed raw should be frozen at
minus 31F for 15 hours.

ILLNESS:

Cyclosporiasis
PARASITE:
Cyclospora cayetanensis
SOURCE:
Human feces; fecal contaminated water
FOODS INVOLVED: Raw produce, raw milk, water.
ONSET TIME:
About a week
SYMPTOMS:
Watery diarrhea, mild fever, nausea,
abdominal pains.
CONTROL MEASURES

Ensure food workers practice good personal hygiene.

Wash all produce- fruits and vegetables, especially
berries, thoroughly.
Use potable water.

QUICK REVIEW
1. Salmonella enteritidis is mainly associated with: ___________
2. Food workers sick with an illness that can be transmitted by contact with food or through food should be: ___________
3. We can control the growth of the microorganism clostridium perfringens by _________ ,_________,___________.
4. Ground meats such as hamburgers must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 158F to eliminate: ___________
5. Clostridium botulinum causes the disease known as botulism. TRUE FALSE
6. The microorganism Clostridium botulinum is mainly associated with the following: Smoked fish/tuna fish
7. The following illness has been associated with under-cooked shell eggs: ___________
8. Staphylococcal food intoxication is a common cause of food-borne illness that can be prevented by cooking foods thoroughly.
TRUE FALSE
9. Shigellosis can be eliminated by cooking pork to 155F for 15 seconds. TRUE FALSE
10. Scombroid poisoning occurs when someone eats decomposing: ___________
11. Viral Hepatitis is caused by Bacillus cereus. TRUE FALSE
12. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is responsible for causing Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) among children. TRUE FALSE
13. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is mainly associated with ground poultry. TRUE FALSE
14. The illness trichinosis is caused by a parasite known as Trichinella spiralis. TRUE FALSE
15. To avoid trichinosis, NYC Health Code requires pork to be cooked to a minimum temperature of: ___________
16. Shellfish tags must be kept with the product until it's used up and then filed away for: ___________
17. Raw, marinated or partially cooked fish is made safe by freezing at ______F for ______

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M A N U A L
The Steps of
Proper Hand Washing

PERSONAL HYGIENE

ersonal hygiene simply means

keeping yourself, and your clothes
as clean as possible. Proper personal
hygiene is extremely important in
preventing food borne illness since
people are the main source of food
contamination. Food workers should
always practice the highest standards
of personal hygiene to ensure that
food is safe from biological, chemical,
and physical hazards. Personal hygiene
enhances the good public image that is
so essential to a good food business.
Highest standards of personal hygiene
include proper hand washing, short
and clean fingernails, notifying supervisor when ill, use of proper hair
restraints, proper use of disposable
gloves, refraining from wearing jewelry,
avoid eating, drinking, smoking or
otherwise engaging in any activity that
may contaminate the foods.
Personal hygiene is a combination
of several components described below:

Proper Work Attire

Employees who prepare or serve food

products, or wash and sanitize equipment
and utensils must wear clean outer garments. It is recommended that aprons,
chef jackets, or smocks are worn over
street clothing. Whenever food workers
leave the food area, they should remove
their apron and store it properly. For
example, when using the bathroom, on
breaks, taking out trash, or delivering
food.
Keep personal clothing and other
personal items away from food handling and storage areas. Employers
must provide adequate storage areas
for employees personal belongings.
Hair Restraints

Food workers are required to wear

hair restraints such as hair nets, caps,
hats, scarves, or other form of hair

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restraints that are effective (facial hair

included). This is necessary to prevent them from touching their hair as
well as to prevent hair from falling into
the food.

Use hot and cold running water

Wearing of Jewelry

Wearing jewelry such as necklaces,

bracelets, earrings, and other jewelry
while working poses a physical hazard
and as such should not be worn by
food workers when preparing or
serving food (a wedding band is an
exception to this rule.)

Wet hands and apply soap,

lather generously up to the elbow

Importance of Clean Hands

Clean hands are extremely important

for the safety of food. Most people do
not realize that as part of the normal
flora, we carry a lot of different disease
causing microorganisms on our hands.
For instance, it is estimated that roughly
5075 % of all healthy humans carry
the Staphylococcus bacteria (mainly in
the nasal passage which can easily be
transferred to hands by simply touching
or blowing the nose). About 6070%
of the healthy humans carry Clostridium
perfringens, which can also be easily
transmitted onto foods with hands.

Use a brush on the nails.

Rub hands together for 20 seconds

In addition to the normal flora, there

are also transient microorganisms
found on our hands that we pick up
through incidental contact by touching
various objects. For instance, traveling
to work from home, we may end up
touching various contaminated surfaces, e.g., door handles, turnstiles, etc.
This is the reason why hands must be
washed often and thoroughly.

Rinse hands thoroughly

Hand washing

Washing hands properly is the

most effective way of removing
microorganisms. Proper hand washing involves the use of both hot and
cold running water, soap, and paper
towels or a hot air dryer.
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Dry hands on disposable paper

towels or a hot air dryer
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Always ensure that hands are

washed and dried thoroughly before
starting work, between tasks, and
before working with food products,
equipment, utensils, and linen.
Correct hand washing includes
cleaning the backs of hands, palms,
forearms, between fingers and under
the fingernails using hot water,
soap, and a fingernail brush.
Hand-washing sinks must be
located within 25 feet of each food
preparation, food service and warewashing area, and in or adjacent to
employee and patron bathrooms.
Doors, equipment and other material
cannot block hand-washing sinks.
Bare hand contact

The New York City Health Code

prohibits the handling of ready-toeat foods with bare hands. Although
proper hand washing reduces a significant number of microorganisms
from hands, but never removes all
of them. In addition to that, many
people can also be carriers of disease
causing microorganisms without

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getting sick themselves. These individuals may not show the symptoms
(asymptomatic) or they may have
recovered from an illness, but they
can easily pass these germs to others
through contact with food or food
areas. This is why it is important to
prevent bare hand contact with
ready-to-eat foods by means of sanitary gloves or other utensils such as
tongs, spatula, deli paper (tissue), or
other utensils.
Exclusion of sick Employees

Any food employee who is sick

with an illness that is transmissible
through contact with food must be
excluded from working in the food
establishment until fully recovered.
Some of these illnesses include:
Amebiasis
Cholera
Cryptosporidiosis
Diptheria
E. Coli 0157:H7
Giardiasis
Hepatitis A
Poliomyelitis
Salmonellosis

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Shigellosis
Streptococcal sore throat
(including scarlet fever)
Superficial staphylococcal
infection
Tuberculosis
Typhoid
Yersiniosis
Infected cut or boil
Any other communicable disease
It is the employees responsibility
to inform the supervisor in case of
an illness, however; supervisors
should be vigilant and observe any
signs that may indicate that the
employee may be sick. Train
employees properly on the hazards
of working while ill with a disease
transmissible through contact with
or through food.
Cuts, Wounds, and Sores

All cuts and wounds that are not

infected on the hands and arms
must be completely covered by a
waterproof bandage. Wear singleuse gloves or finger cots over any
bandages on the hands and fingers.

The Dont Habits

Personal Hygiene Checklist

1) Dont smoke or use tobacco in any form while in the

food preparation area.
2) Dont work when you have a fever, cough, cold, upset
stomach or diarrhea.
3) Dont store personal medication among food.

At the beginning of each work day ask yourself the

following questions:

4) Dont work if you have an infected, pus-filled wound.

5) Dont use a hand sanitizer as a substitute for hand
washing. A hand sanitizer may be used in addition to
proper hand washing.
6) Dont spit about while preparing food.

4
4
4
4
4
4
4

Did I shower or take a bath before coming to work?

Am I sick with a fever, cold or diarrhea?
Do I have any infected cuts or burns?
Are my nails clean, trimmed and free from nail polish?
Are my apron and clothing clean?
Did I remove my jewelry?
Am I wearing my hat, cap or hairnet?

QUICK REVIEW
1. As Per New York City Health Code, hands must be washed thoroughly at least 3 times every day. TRUE FALSE
2. Sick food workers who can transmit their illness thorough contact with food should be prevented from working until
they are well. TRUE FALSE
3. Hands must be washed thoroughly after: ________, __________, ___________, ___________, __________, __________.
4. The NYC Health Code requires hand wash sinks to be readily accessible at all ____________ and ______________.
5. The hand wash sinks must be provided with: ________ and ________ running water, ________ and ________.
6. The NYC Health Code requires that all food workers wear proper hair restraint. TRUE FALSE
7. A food worker with an infected cut on his/her hand: ____________________
8. During hand washing hands must be rubbed together for at least: __________________
9. Clean aprons can be used for wiping hands. TRUE FALSE
10. Hand sanitizer can be used in place of hand washing during busy periods. TRUE FALSE

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perature danger zone must be controlled. Preparing or processing the

item in batches will minimize the
amount of time that item is out of
refrigerated storage and the opportunity for microorganisms to grow.

FOOD PREPARATION

his is another step during

which care is needed to maintain food safety. Preparation refers
to the actions that are necessary
before a food item can be cooked,
or in the case of a food that is
served raw, actions that are necessary before it can be served.

are needed. In this way the frozen

item will defrost but will not go
above 41F.

Thawing

3) Frozen foods may be thawed

in a microwave oven but this may
only be done if:

Thawing is also referred to as

defrosting. The Health Code
requires that whole frozen poultry
must be thawed before being
cooked, however, a single portion
may be cooked from a frozen state.
Other potentially hazardous
products should be treated in the
same way: individual portions may
be cooked from a frozen state, while
all others should be thawed before
cooking. It is important to use
methods that will allow the entire
mass to thaw evenly. Any method
that only allows the outside surface
to thaw while the inner portion
remains frozen is unacceptable,
since the outside surface will be in
the danger zone for a prolonged
period of time.
The New York City Health Code
allows the following acceptable
thawing methods:
1) Frozen foods can be removed
from the freezer and stored in a
refrigerator a day or two before they

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After preparation, if the food is

not cooked immediately, it must
again be refrigerated until it is ready
for cooking. Care must be taken to
ensure that potentially hazardous
foods are never left out in the temperature danger zone except for very
short periods during preparation.

2) Frozen foods may be submerged under water with the cold

water faucet open and the water
running continuously so that any
loose particles may float and run off.

After thawing, the food item is

removed immediately for cooking
in the regular oven or stove.
The entire cooking process takes
place without interruption in the
microwave oven.
Cutting, Chopping, Mixing,
Mincing, Breading

Any necessary process that will

place a food item within the tem-

Cross contamination

This is a term typically used for

any situation where harmful
microorganisms transfer from a raw
or contaminated food to a cooked
or ready-to-eat food. All raw products,
particularly meat, fish and eggs, have
harmful microorganisms. Therefore,
it is important to keep them separate
from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
Cross-contamination can happen in
many ways, the following are but a few:

NEW
DEDICATED FOOD-WASHING SINKS
Cross-contamination happens when bacteria from one food spread to another.
This is a common cause of foodborne illnesses. One way to prevent this is to
keep cooked and ready-to-eat foods away from potentially hazardous raw foods,
such as meat, poultry and fish. To reduce the risk of cross-contamination, the
Health Code now requires washing food in:
1. A single-compartment culinary sink used for this purpose only.
2. A dedicated compartment of a multi compartment sink.
3. A food-grade container or colander (if neither of the above is available).
4. Food-washing sinks must be cleaned and sanitized prior to use and after the
washing of raw meat.
5. A sink in which food is washed may not be used as a slop or utility sink or
for hand-washing.

Thawing Methods

Cold Running Water

Refrigerator

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Microwave
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Preparing raw chicken for cooking and then preparing a fresh
salad without washing hands
thoroughly.
Preparing raw chicken and then
cutting the cooked chicken on
the same cutting board.
Storing a raw product above a
cooked product in such a manner
that the juices of the product
above fall on the product below.
In all three examples, as in most
cases in which cross contamination
is the cause of a foodborne illness,
human errors play a major role.
Therefore, food workers have to be
vigilant to prevent these situations
from occurring.
Bare hand contact

Ready-to-eat foods served by

infected food workers have proven
to be a serious public health problem
and as such, regulations were put in
place to prohibit bare hand contact
with foods that will not be later
cooked or reheated before serving.
What kind of foods may not be
prepared with bare hands?
Ready-to-eat foods such as salads
and sandwiches; foods that will not
later be cooked to a temperature

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required by the Health Code; and

food that is not later reheated to
165F before serving.
What are acceptable practices to
prepare ready-to-eat foods?
The use of utensils, tongs, deli
paper or sanitary gloves are acceptable for preparing ready-to-eat foods.
May ready-to-eat foods be touched
with bare hands if the hands are
washed, or a germicidal soap or
hand sanitizer is used?
No. Although hand washing is
effective in reducing contamination,
not all of the contamination can be
removed from the hands.
Germicidal soaps and hand sanitizer
are not effective in food industry
because of the high levels of fat
molecules on worker's hands. These
molecules allow microbes to survive.
What happens if gloves, deli paper
or other utensils are not available
to prepare ready-to-eat foods?
If appropriate utensils are not
available, ready-to-eat foods may
not be prepared until bare hand
contact with food can be prevented.
If bare hand contact with ready-toeat foods is observed by health
department inspectors, a violation
will be recorded on the inspection
report and enforcement action will

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be taken. Any ready-to-eat food that

has been prepared with bare hands
is considered to be contaminated
and should be discarded.
How often should disposable
gloves be changed?
Disposable gloves must be changed
when they become contaminated,
torn or when the food service worker
leaves the food preparation area.
They should also be changed frequently to minimize build-up of perspiration
and bacteria inside the gloves.
May I use the same pair of disposable gloves to prepare raw meat or
poultry and then prepare readyto-eat food?
No. This is an example of crosscontamination. Disposable gloves
worn during preparation of raw
foods, such as uncooked meat and
poultry, must not be used to prepare ready-to-eat food.
How can ready-to-eat foods be
prepared during grilling and slicing operations?
A glove can be worn on the hand
that is used to prepare ready-to-eat
ingredients, leaving the other hand
uncovered for placing raw ingredients
on the grill. Wear tight fitting gloves
when operating a slicing machine or
chopping or cutting food. It is safer
to use tight fitting gloves.

COOKING, HOT HOLDING, COOLING, REHEATING

ooking is a critical step in the

food preparation process. It is at
this stage that we have the opportunity to destroy microorganisms or
germs that are on raw foods.
Cooking food to an internal temperature that will destroy the microorganisms normally found on it will
ensure the safety of that food. The
required internal temperature must
be reached without any interruption of the cooking process. It is
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important to use a sanitized, properly

calibrated thermometer to verify
that the required minimum cooking
temperature is reached.
Rare Roast Beef
Rare roast beef and/or rare beef
steaks are to be cooked to the following minimum temperatures and
times, unless otherwise requested by
the customer.

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Temperature
130
132
134
136
138
140
142
144
145

MENTAL

Time

F 121 minutes
F 77 minutes
F 47 minutes
F 32 minutes
F 19 minutes
F 12 minutes
F
8 minutes
F
5 minutes
F
3 minutes

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Cooking Temperatures for Various Foods

Minimum Internal
Cooking Temperature

Product
Poultry, stuffed meats,
and stuffing containing
meats

165 F
(for 15 seconds)

Ground meats, and foods

containing ground meats

158 F
(for 15 seconds)

Pork and foods

containing pork

155 F
(for 15 seconds)

Notes
Take special precautions with poultry, since there are more
types and higher counts of microorganisms present. Always
cook stuffing separately from the poultry, because stuffing
acts as insulation.
Most meats are likely to be contaminated with harmful
microorganisms on the surface. When meat is ground, the
surface microorganisms are mixed throughout the product.
This is the temperature needed to destroy the trichinella spp.,
as well as other microorganisms such as toxoplasma gondii.

Shell eggs and foods

containing shell eggs

145 F
(for 15 seconds)

Exception: Eggs may be prepared at a lower temperature

when requested by customer. Pooling of eggs is not permitted.
Only use pasteurized eggs for recipes that call for no cooking or limited cooking. (e.g. Caesar Salad dressing, eggnog,
hollandaise sauce, etc.)

All other meats and fish

145 F
(for 15 seconds)

This includes lobsters, shrimps, clams, oysters, mussels,

lamb, goat, etc.

NEW
OUTDOOR COOKING REQUIREMENTS
Cooking outdoors is now allowed provided the establishment protects food and equipment. To cook outdoors, the establishment must:
1. Have permission to cook outdoors from the Buildings and Fire Departments and any other agency as required by law.
2. Maintain complete control of the outdoor cooking space.
3. Provide a hand wash sink if food is prepared outdoors.
4. Protect food, utensils and cooking equipment from contamination using awnings, tents, screens or vermin-resistant
containers.
5. Store food, utensils and equipment indoors when the outdoor area is not in operation.
6. Prevent nuisances, such as from smoke, garbage, noise or pests.
7. Construct the floor using smooth, durable, non-absorbent and easily cleanable material that is free of gaps.
8. Have sufficient lighting to allow safe operations and cleaning.
The Health Code requires 540 Lux (50 foot candles) of lighting at surfaces where food workers are preparing and
processing food or using utensils or equipment such as knives, slicers, grinders or saws.
Note: Cooking is not allowed on a street or sidewalk, except during street fairs or other events where City permission has
been granted.

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NEVER

ALWAYS

Foods must be hot at

140 or higher before
they are placed in the
Hot Holding Unit

Never place cold foods in

the Hot Holding Unit

Proper Hot Holding

The Hot Holding Unit

must be preheated
before foods are
placed in it.

Never double stack food

containers in the steam table.

Check food temps frequently.

Cooking in a Microwave Oven

Microwave cooking allows for a

faster cooking process, however the
cooking is uneven and can lead to
"cold spots" where bacteria can easily multiply to a dangerous level. It is
important to follow the guidelines
below to ensure proper cooking:
Arrange food items evenly and
cover the dish with a lid or plastic
wrap; the moist heat will help
destroy harmful bacteria and
ensure uniform cooking.
When cooking large cuts of
meats, adjust the settings to
medium power, and cook for
longer periods of time to ensure
proper cooking.
Stir or rotate food halfway through
the process to eliminate cold spots
where harmful bacteria can survive, and for more even cooking.
Foods may be partially cooked in
the microwave oven and then
transferred to conventional oven
for completion, however this transfer must be done immediately.
Let food stand for at least two
minutes after microwaving to
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allow even distribution of heat

throughout the product.
Use a food thermometer to verify
that the proper temperature is
reached. Due to uneven cooking
process in the microwave ovens,
add 25F to the final cooking
temperature to ensure thorough
cooking.
Hot Holding

Once food is cooked, if not served

immediately, it must be held at the
proper temperature.
Potentially hazardous food (PHF)
that have just finished the cooking
process or that have just been reheated
must either be served immediately
or held hot for future service. These
foods must be held constantly at 140F
or higher. Failure to hold such foods
at the adequate temperature will
result in the growth of bacteria.
This common error results in many
cases of food borne illness each year.
A hot holding unit must be used
to hot hold potentially hazardous
foods properly. This unit must hold
foods at 140F or higher. Care and
constant monitoring are required to

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ensure that foods do not fall below

140F. These foods should never be
stored at room temperature.
Place only hot foods (140F) in
a hot holding unit, never cold or
warm foods. The unit must first be
pre-heated. The water in the reservoir should be approximately 180F
before use. Hot holding units should
not be used to re-heat cold foods unless
they are designed for this purpose.
Constant monitoring of these foods
is required to ensure that they remain
at 140F. Assign an employee to
check food temperatures frequently
and have these temperatures recorded.
An adequate number of properly
functioning hot holding units are
needed to store all potentially hazardous foods adequately. Foods
placed in an overcrowded or overstocked steam table will not receive
sufficient heat and will drop into the
temperature danger zone. All foods
must be placed directly in or near
enough to the heat source to provide
adequate heating. Food trays should
not be stacked on top of each other
(double-stacked) as this results in
insufficient heating of the upper trays
and possible contamination of the
lower tray.
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NEW

Microwave

PLASTIC MICROWAVABLE CONTAINERS

ALLOWED
Microwave-safe containers prevent harmful
substances from leaching into foods. To protect
diners, food establishments must use containers
that display the words microwave safe or one
of these symbols:

Safe

Always:

Place hot foods ONLY (140F or

higher) on a hot holding unit.
Place foods on the steam table
after the water has been heated to
approximately180F.
Check the temperature frequently
and enter the results on the log sheet.
Keep food covered as this will help
retain heat and moisture and also
protect the food from contamination.
Store food in the tray wells of the
unit. Food in double stacked or
over-filled trays will not receive
sufficient heat.
Food in deep containers should
be stirred occasionally to distribute heat evenly.
Never:

Never mix freshly prepared food

with foods that have been reheated.
Never reheat food in the hot
holding unit, unless the unit is
designed for such purpose.
Never place any food in a hot
holding unit that has not been
pre-heated.
Cooling

Cooked potentially hazardous

food items that are held for later

140
2

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service must be cooled rapidly and

stored in a refrigerator until ready
for use. When foods are allowed to
cool over a long a period of time,
bacteria grow to sufficient numbers
that may cause food-borne illnesses.
The NYC Health Code requires
that all potentially hazardous foods
prepared for later service be cooled
down rapidly. This means that within the first two hours of cooling, the
foods must be cooled from 140F
to 70F and then go from 70F to
41F within an additional four
hours or less. This rapid cooling
requirement limits the length of
time that potentially hazardous food
spends in the temperature danger
zone thus limiting the opportunity
for growth of harmful bacteria.
Food in large, deep containers
and large thick pieces of meat are
difficult to cool down quickly.
Great care must be taken during the
cooling of soups, sauces, gravies,
stews, rice, chili, whole turkey,
turkey breast and whole roast beef.
The temperature of cooling foods
must be monitored and documented with a food product thermometer. Take the temperature of the
cooling food each hour to ensure that
it is cooling within the required time.
Start these measurements at 140F.
Potentially hazardous foods that
have been allowed to cool over an
extended period of time- more than
2 hours when cooling from 140F
to 70F, and more than 4 hours when
cooling from 70F to 41F or below,

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are considered contaminated and

must be discarded.
It is a fact that smaller portions of
food cool down faster than larger
portions. Hence, to encourage faster
cooling, roasts and other large cuts
of meat should be cut into portions
no larger than 6 pounds. Thick foods
like chili and refried beans should be
poured out into shallow pans 4 inches
deep. In both these cases, there is more
surface area thus heat escapes faster.
Cooling must take place in the
refrigerator or in an ice bath. Never
cool foods down by simply leaving
them out at room temperature.
Foods do not cool at a constant
rate. Hot food tends to cool relatively
quickly while still very hot; the rate
of cooling then slows greatly as the
food temperature gets closer to the
temperature of the refrigerator. The
cooling tracking sheet is a good
guide to show if foods are cooling
properly. The food temperature must
drop from 140F to 90F or lower by
the end of first hour. If this doesnt
happen, it clearly means that the rate
of cooling is too slow and foods will
never reach 70F within 2 hours.
Many food workers underestimate
the amount of time it takes for foods
to cool down. Under typical restaurant kitchen refrigeration, a one-gallon
container of cooked ground meat may
take up to 15 hours to cool down.
For this reason, it is essential to
monitor food temperatures during
the cooling process.

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Cooling Tracking Sheet
Hour
Start
1
2
3
4
5
6

Temperature
140

Recommended
90
70

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Do not cool foods in large deep

pots. Pour out the contents of
large containers into much smaller
ones or into shallow pans 4 inches
deep with the product depth of 1
to 2 inches.
You may combine methods
above, e.g., cut foods into small
pieces and place in shallow pans
in an ice-water bath.

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1" to 2"

Established Methods to Assist

Rapid Cooling:

Always leave food uncovered during cooling; this will hasten the
cooling process, replace the cover
or lid only after the food has
cooled down to 41F.

Use an ice water bath. An ice

water bath can be made up by
filling a sink or other large container with ice and water. Place
the container of hot food into the
ice water bath. While foods are
cooling in this ice bath, stir the
food periodically. Do not forget to
replace the ice as it melts away.

Foods must be cooled in a refrigerator or in an ice bath. They

should never be allowed to cool
while stored at room temperature,
for example, being left out on top
of a counter.

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Cut large pieces of meat into

smaller pieces, 6 pounds or less. Such
small portions will cool rapidly.
Larger pieces take longer to cool.

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Metal containers such a stainless

steel or aluminum are great conductors of heat. Use metal containers for all cooling operations.
Reheating

The Health Code requires that

potentially hazardous food that is
cooked, cooled and reheated for hot
holding must be reheated to 165F
or above for 15 seconds within two
hours and held at 140F or above
until served. This procedure destroys
the bacteria that cause food poisoning and prevents them from growing in the food.
Potentially hazardous foods
reheated in a microwave oven must
be covered and reheated to a temperature of at least 190F and
allowed to stand covered for two
minutes afterwards. Microwave
ovens cook unevenly and standing
allows the temperature to be equally
distributed throughout the food.

Use a Rapid Chill unit or a Blast

chiller.

Ready-to-eat food taken from a

commercially processed, hermetically sealed container or from an intact
package from a food processing
plant that is subject to City, State or
Federal inspection, needs to be
heated to 140F within two hours
from removal from container or
package and held at that temperature until served.

Insert an ice paddle into food

and stir.

Cooked and refrigerated food

that is prepared for immediate

You may apply ice directly into

food as an ingredient. Thick soups
and gravies may be cooled down
rapidly by adding ice directly into
the food.

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service to an individual customer

may be served at any temperature
that customer requests.

Foods should be prepared as close

to the serving time as possible and
in quantities that will minimize left-

overs, thus eliminating any need for

cooling and reheating.

Time as a Public Health Control

Food establishments can now

hold potentially hazardous foods
without temperature control for
four to six hours if they meet certain time limits and other guidelines. Before this Health Code
change, potentially hazardous hot
foods had to be maintained at a
minimum hot temperature, and
cold foods at a maximum cold temperature, at all times. To use Time
as a Public Health Control, take the
food from temperature control and:

foods starting temperature and the

time it will be four hours later.
For cold food, write down the time
it will be six hours later. Serve hot
food within four hours or discard it.

A Health Code change allows food

establishments to hold potentially
hazardous foods without temperature
control if certain time limits and
other guidelines are met. Using time
only to monitor food, instead of
time and temperature, is called Time
as a Public Health Control. Using
time as a public health control is a
concept that recognizes that significant bacteria growth or toxin production are not possible within a
limited time period. The Health
Code allows food service establishments to use Time as a Public Health
Control to hold hot or cold foods for
a limited time without the use of
heat or refrigeration. This cannot be
done haphazardly.

Measure the foods temperature.

Cold food must be 41 or colder
and hot food 140 or hotter when
removed from temperature control.
Place a label on the food and write
the time the food was removed
from temperature control, the

For cold food, take the foods

temperature after four hours and
write that temperature on the label.
If the temperature is more than 70
at four hours, immediately discard
the food. If the temperature is less
than 70, you can hold the food for
an additional two hours. You must
throw away any food not served
within six hours.
For more information on these
items, see Page 81 or visit
nyc.gov/health/foodservice.

QUICK REVIEW
1. Previously cooked and refrigerated foods that will be served from a hot holding unit must be rapidly reheated to
165F using: _______________
2. When bacteria from a raw food get into a cooked or ready-to-eat food, this is called: _______________
3. The correct cooking temperature for poultry, stuffed meat and stuffing is: _______________
4. Thick foods cool faster..: _______________
5. It is a good practice to thaw frozen foods by leaving them out on the kitchen counter overnight. TRUE FALSE
6. Hot foods placed in a refrigerator for cooling must never be covered. TRUE FALSE
7. To prevent illness, pork must be cooked to an internal temperature of: _________ F
8. Placing food on the counter overnight can be used as an effective rapid cooling technique: TRUE FALSE
9. The Health Code requires that frozen foods be properly thawed before being cooked. The exception to this rule
is: _________
10. Ground meat and foods containing ground meat must be cooked to an internal temperature of: _______________
11. Clean bare hands may be used when working with ready-to-eat foods: TRUE FALSE
12. When using disposable gloves, they must be changed often to prevent contamination of food: TRUE FALSE
13. Hot holding units can be used for reheating foods as long as the temperature reaches 165F within two hours:
TRUE FALSE

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CLEANING AND SANITIZING

he Center for Disease Control

(CDC) cites contaminated
equipment (utensils, meat slicers, cutting boards etc.) as a leading cause of
food borne disease outbreaks.
Cleaning and sanitizing are often
confused as one and the same, however; these are two separate and distinct processes. Cleaning is the
process of removing visible contamination soil, grease, food particles,
dirt, etc., from any equipment or
utensil. Sanitizing on the other
hand, reduces harmful microorganisms to an acceptable level, which in
turn reduces the possibility of disease transmission.
It is extremely important that all
food contact surfaces are clean and
sanitary. Any part of utensil or
equipment that comes in contact
with food is called food contact surface. These may also include surfaces from which food may drip,
drain, or splash back on to other
food contact surfaces or food. For
example, when using microwave
ovens, the food particles stuck on
the sides or top of the interior of
microwave oven may splash or drip
back on to the foods being reheated
or cooked in the microwave oven.
It is important to note that although
most people are familiar with the
concept of sanitizing, the proper
procedures are often overlooked or
misunderstood, especially when it
comes to the chemistry and exactness of the process. There are two
acceptable methods of sanitizing
hot water sanitizing and chemical
sanitizing.
Hot water sanitizing
This method of sanitizing
involves the use of hot water and a

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Chemical
Solution

Method

Temperature

Time

Chemical Strength
(Concentration)

Chlorine

Soaking / immersion

75140 F

1 minute

50 PPM

Chlorine

Swabbing wiping
spraying, pouring

75140 F

n/a

100 PPM

75+*

1 minute

12.5 PPM

(household bleach
With 5.25% Sodium
Hypochlorite)

(household bleach
With 5.25% Sodium
Hypochlorite)

Soaking / immersion

Iodine

*High temperature not

recommended

Soaking / immersion

Quaternary
Ammonium
Compounds

*As specified by the manufacturer.

See label for instructions.

three compartment sink. Items to

be sanitized are soaked in hot water
at a temperature of 170F for at
least 30 seconds. Generally, the
third compartment sink is filled
with hot water and heated by as a
gas burner or electrical coils; water
is heated to 170F and then maintained at that level. A long handled
mesh basket is needed to soak utensils. A thermometer must be used to
determine temperature readings.
Chemical sanitizing
This method requires even more
precise knowledge and greater controls than the hot water sanitizing
method since the effectiveness of
the sanitizer is dependant upon exact
amounts of chemicals used. When
using commercially prepared sanitizers,
simply follow the manufacturers
instructions. The most common way
of making a sanitizing solution is by
using regular household bleach (5.25%
Sodium Hypochlorite). In this respect,
ensure that the bleach is not ultra bleach
or extra strength bleach. It is also worth

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noting that only pure bleach should be

used without any additional additives,
and it should never be mixed with
detergent which will reduce the
strength of the sanitizing solutions.
The following table explains how
to make various sanitizing solutions
using household bleach (5.25%
Sodium Hypochlorite).
Chlorine Strength
(Concentration)

Amount
of Bleach

Amount
of water

1/2 Oz.

1 gallon

100 PPM

1 Oz.

1 gallon

200 PPM

2 Oz.

1 gallon

50 PPM

The table above provides a guide

to using sanitizing solutions for
manual sanitizing with different
chemicals.
Wiping Cloths

Sufficient number of wiping

cloths for cleaning and sanitizing
must be available in every work
area. Due to the fact that bacteria
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PRE-RINSE

Scrape and
Pre-Rinse with
warm water
from a spray
type nozzle all
dishes and
utensils
promptly
before food
can dry on them. This step keeps
the wash water free of large food
particles; loosens dried-on foods;
reduces stains on dishes; saves
detergent.

Wash in first compartment with warm

water at 110120F
using a good washing compound, brush
and elbow grease.
Washing compound
does not sanitize
utensils.

grow and multiply in moist environments, moist wiping cloths must

be stored in a bucket of sanitizing
solution when they are not in use.
The strength of this solution must
be at least 50 PPM. The sanitizing
solution must be changed frequently since food debris uses up the sanitizer quickly.
Ware Washing

Manual Facilities
For manual washing and sanitizing of utensils, a stainless steel sink
with no fewer than three compartments should be provided. A two
compartment sink may be used for
the washing and sanitizing of bar
glasses. In these cases an electrical
brush device should be used in conjunction with a combination detergent-sanitizer in the sink compartment used for washing utensils. The
sink compartments must be large
enough to accommodate the largest
piece of equipment or utensil to be
cleaned and each compartment
should be supplied with adequate
hot and cold potable running water.
In the case of equipment too
large to be sanitized by immersion,
the swabbing of such equipment
with a solution of at least twice the
concentration required for the
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Approved Method for Hand-Washing Dishes and Utensils

WASH

SCRAPE

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RINSE

DRAIN

SANITIZE

Drain and Air Dry. Do

not towel dry. Toweling
re-contaminates utensils. Store utensils,
glasses and cups
(inverted) in a clean
dry place.

Rinse utensils in second

compartment by immersion in clean, warm
water. Washing compound is rinsed off.
Change the rinse water
frequently. Do not rinse
dishes in dirty water.

sanitizing solution when used for

immersion is also acceptable.
Mechanical Facilities
A commercial dishwashing machine
approved by NSF under Standard
#3 should be provided. The installation and required appurtenances
should be in conformance with NSF
Standard #34, the NSF Manual on
Sanitation Aspects of installation of
Food Service Equipment, and applicable code requirements.
Among the specific requirements
for installation of machines that use
chemicals to achieve sanitization are
the following:
The chemical sanitizing feeder
should be approved for use with
the specific make and model of
the machine in question.
A visual flow indicator is suggested to facilitate monitoring of the
operation of the sanitizing agent
feeder. Other indicating devices
such as audible alarms may also
be used. The flow indicating
devices should be installed so as
to be easily viewed by the operator.
General
Adequate facilities should be provided for pre-flushing or pre-scraping equipment and utensils.
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Sanitize utensils in third

compartment by use of
hot water or a chemical
sanitizer. Rinse utensils
making use of a long-handled wire basket, in
clean hot water at a temperature of at least 170
for no less than 1/2 minute. Auxiliary heat is necessary. An alternate method is utensil immersion
for a least one minute in a sanitizing solution
containing at least 50 ppm available chlorine at a
temperature of at least 75F.

A floor drain is recommended in

the immediate vicinity of the washing
area and any area where wet pots,
utensils and equipment are air drying.
Drying Facilities
Adequate facilities must be provided to air-dry washed utensils and
equipment.
Adequately sized drain boards, or
easily moveable dish tables, fabricated
in conformance with NSF standards
and separate for soiled and cleaned
utensils should be provided.
The drain boards and dish tables
should be pitched a minimum of 1/8
inch per foot and drainage directed
into a sink so as to prevent contamination of other areas of the dish table
or drain board. Drain boards may
generally be at least 36 inches to 48
inches long and 30 inches wide.
Principles of Food Preparation
and Service

During food preparation, improper

techniques may contaminate the
product with disease-causing organisms.
It is for this purpose that sanitary
procedures must be observed. Listed
below are some principles which
should be followed.
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Food that is to be served cold
should be kept cold (41F or less)
through all stages of storage, processing, and serving. Thawing of
frozen foods should be accomplished in such a manner as to
keep the surface and internal
temperatures of the product 41F
or less at all times. If frozen food
is to be thawed in water, then
cold running water is to be used.
Foods to be served hot are to be
kept so that the internal and surface temperatures do not fall
below 140F. Care must be taken
in the cooling of hot foods so
they do not become contaminated by dust, contact with work
clothes, human contact, etc.
Cooling should be accomplished
as quickly as possible by the use
of an ice water bath, fans, refrigeration, etc. To determine the
temperature of foods, a food thermometer is to be used.
Partially processed and leftover
foods are to be refrigerated at
41F or below. Just prior to placing the food on the hot-holding
unit they are to be removed from
the refrigerator and heated rapidly
so that the internal temperatures
reach 165F within two hours.
The holding of perishable foods
between the temperatures of
140F and 41F is to be kept at a
minimum.
Contact of ready-to-eat foods
with bare hands is prohibited.
Utensils must be used.
Do not place packing cases and
cans on food work surfaces.
When it is necessary to taste
foods during processing, a clean
sanitized utensil should be used.
Foods are to be cooked and
processed as close to the time of
service as possible.
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Menu planning should prevent

excessive leftovers, and leftovers
are not to be pooled with fresh
foods during storage.

Cold foods are to be held at temperatures of 41F or less before

being displayed and must be
maintained at 41F or less while
being held for service.

Transportation of Foods

All foods displayed are subject to

contamination and as such must
be discarded at the conclusion of
the buffet service.

In some food operations, it is

necessary to transport food from a
central kitchen (commissary) to a
location where it is finally served.
The food transported can be in a
ready-to-eat state or a pre-cooked
stage, which is finally processed at
the place of service. The following
practices should be observed to see
that contamination is not introduced, or possible previous bacterial
contamination not afforded means
for extensive multiplication during
this period.
Transporting containers and vehicles should be clean and of sanitary design to facilitate cleaning.
Transporting containers and vehicles should have acceptable refrigerating and/or heating facilities
for maintaining food at cold (41F
or below) or hot (above 140F)
temperatures while in transit.
Food stored in transporting containers and vehicles should be
protected from contamination.
A minimum amount of time is to
be taken for the loading and
unloading of foods from transporting vehicles so foods will not
be exposed to adverse temperatures and conditions.
Food Processing Techniques for
Specific Types of Service

Displayed Food
(Buffet, Smorgasbord, etc.)
Hot foods are to be kept at or
above 140F on the display table
by use of chafing dishes, steamtables or other suitable methods.

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Protein Type Salads

(Tuna, Ham, Shrimp, Egg, Chicken,
Lobster, etc.)
These salads are always served
cold and, therefore, all salad ingredients except the seasoning and
spices are to be chilled to 41F or
less before use. Celery, which is
almost always a component of these
salads, should be treated so as to
minimize its bacterial content by
immersing the chopped celery in
boiling water for 30 seconds, using
a hand strainer or colander, thenchilling immediately either by holding under running cold tap water or
by immersing in ice water.
Before the mixing operation, the
previously washed can opener and
tops of cans and jars holding salad
ingredients should be wiped with a
clean cloth. The salad ingredients
should be prepared in, and mixed
with clean, sanitized equipment (sanitary type masher, sanitary mixing
bowl, stainless steel long-handled
spoon or fork, mechanical tumblertype mixer, etc.). The mixing operation is to be completed as quickly as
possible and the finished salad
immediately served or refrigerated.
Additional Instructions for
Specific Salads
Shrimp and Lobster Salad
Immerse shrimp or lobster meat
in boiling water for 30 seconds
and then chill to 41F or less
before preparing the salad. Fast
chilling can be accomplished by
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placing the meat in shallow pans

in the freezer or refrigerator or on
top of cracked ice.
Egg SaladAfter removing
shells, use a hand strainer or
colander to immerse hard-boiled
eggs in boiling water for 30 seconds and then chill to 41F or less
before preparing the salad. Chill the
eggs by refrigerating or by placing
them under cold running water.
Chicken and/or Turkey Salad
After removal from bones,
immerse chicken or turkey meat
in boiling water or boiling stock
for 30 seconds and then chill to
41F before preparing the salad.
Fast chilling can be accomplished
by placing the meat in shallow
pans in the freezer, refrigerator or
on cracked ice.
Ham SaladImmerse diced
ham in boiling water or boiling
stock for 30 seconds and then
chill to 41F or less before
preparing the salad. Fast chilling
can be accomplished by the same
method used for chicken and
shrimp.
Hot Meats and Poultry Served
from Steam-tables or Warming
Devices
Schedule the cooking of meats so
they will be completed as close as
possible to desired time of service.
Upon removal from the oven or
stove, cooked meats are to be
kept at an internal temperature of
140F or higher in a steam-table
or other suitable device.
Maintain the water in the steamtable at a temperature in excess of
180F. The water must be brought

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to this temperature before placing

any foods in the steam table. Water
in the steam-table shall be kept at a
depth level so as to be in contact
with the bottom and upper portions
of the sides of the food container.
Refrigerated ready-to-eat cooked
meats, especially leftovers, gravies
and stocks, are to be heated rapidly
to an internal temperature of 165F
or higher before being placed in the
steam-table or warming device. Hot
stock or meat gravies may be used
to reheat meats. Steam-tables or
other warming devices should never
be used to heat up cold foods.

M A N U A L
6) Place diced celery, including
pre-cut packaged celery in a strainer
and immerse in boiling water for 30
seconds, then chill to 41F or less.
7) Use clean sanitized utensils in
mixing and handling of foods.
Avoid hand contact with foods.
8) Refrigerate final salad product
immediately in shallow pans.
9) Salads placed in bain-marie
cold plates should have a minimum
internal temperature of 41F.
10) Do not fill trays above spill line.

Cautions noted previously relative

to hand contact, care of equipment storage, and menu planning
should also be followed.
Salad Preparation Guide

1) Refrigerate all salad ingredients

except seasoning and spices overnight
or chill to 41F or lower before use.
2) Clean work surfaces, equipment
and utensils (pots, pans, spoons,
spatula, etc.) with soap and hot
water, rinse with clean water, and
then give a final rinse with sanitizing
solution. Stainless steel utensils and
equipment are preferred in preparation of these foods.
3) Clean hands, fingernails, and
arms thoroughly with soap and hot
water and dry with single use paper
towels.
4) Individuals preparing cold salads must not touch the ingredients
or finished product with bare hands.
5) Clean and sanitize tops of cans
and jars before opening. Do not use
fingers to pry off can lids or drain
off liquid contents.

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HACCP FOOD PROTECTION SYSTEM

he Hazard Analysis Critical

Control Point system was pioneered by the Pillsbury Company in
the 1960s. During this period, the
space program was escalating and
there was a great need to provide a
supply of safe food for the astronauts.

action can be taken at every step to

prevent problems. However, it is at
the steps that are determined to be
critical control points that some
action must be taken.

This system involves following

the flow of food through every step
of the way, from the time the raw
products are brought into the establishment to when the finished product is ready to be served to the consumer. By observing food at each step
of the production process, it is easy
to recognize potential problems and
take actions to prevent these problems before they occur.

Microorganisms are allowed to grow by:

HACCP is an acronym. Its various

parts are:
H = Hazard
A hazard is any condition in which
foods are contaminated by microorganisms, foreign matter or chemicals and in which the microorganisms are allowed to grow or survive.
A = Analysis
This is the process by which a
food item is studied to determine
the problems that are likely to occur
and how these can be prevented.
Not only the ingredients are studied
but the analysis includes the available equipment, personnel and the
population to be served.
CCP = Critical Control Point
This is the step at which action
MUST be taken to prevent, reduce
or eliminate a hazard. Failure to do
so at this point will render that food
unfit for human consumption.
Critical control points will vary
depending on the food ingredients,
method of preparation and whether
it is a hot or cold food. In every
food preparation process, some
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Some Frequently Found Hazards

Improper cooling procedures: not

using a method that will reduce
food from 140F to 70F within
two hours and from 70F to 41F
or less in an additional 4 hours.
Inadequate hot holding: holding
prepared foods at less than 140F
while awaiting service.
Inadequate reheating: previously
cooked foods not reheated to
165F within two hours using a
stove or an oven.
Microorganisms are allowed to survive by:
Inadequate cooking: not cooking
potentially hazardous foods to the
required temperatures.
Improper sanitization: dishes,
utensils and equipment are not
subjected to adequate temperatures or chemicals to destroy
microorganisms.
Microorganisms, chemicals and foreign
matter are allowed to contaminate food by:
Poor personal hygiene: food
workers do not wash their hands
before handling food and food
related equipment.
Ill food workers: food workers
allowed to work while suffering
from illness that is transmissible
through foods.
Cross-contamination: allowing
ready-to-eat foods to come into
contact with raw foods or contaminated equipment.

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Use of contaminated food or

ingredient: using shellfish from
unapproved source or meat and
meat products from uninspected
or unreliable suppliers.
Storing acidic foods in metal containers: storing barbecue sauce in
galvanized containers.
Seven Steps of HACCP

The HACCP system as described

by the International Association of
Milk, Food and Environmental
Sanitarians has a series of seven
inter-related steps:
1) Identify hazards and assess
their severity and risks
The first step in this system is to
review recipes to identify potentially
hazardous foods or foods containing
potentially hazardous ingredients, and
set out the preparation process in a
flow chart and identify the hazards
that can occur at each step in the
process.
2) Determine critical control point.
The second step is to identify the
critical control points, that is, those
steps where action MUST be taken
to prevent, reduce or eliminate a
hazard.
3) Institute control measures
and devise criteria to establish
control. (setting critical limits)
The third step is to determine the
measures or the actions that are
needed to prevent, reduce or eliminate hazards that are anticipated.
This is also called the critical limit.
4) Monitor critical conrol points
The fourth step is to monitor
what is being done at each critical
control point to determine whether
the hazards are controlled by the
actions set up in the third step.
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5) Take action whenever monitoring results indicate criteria are

not met.
The fifth step is to put in place
immediate corrective action if the
hazards are not controlled at the
critical control points.
6) Verify that the system is
working as planned.
The sixth step is to review the
system to ensure that it is working,
that hazards are identified, corrective actions are taken and that a safe
food product is produced.
7) Record keeping.
Record keeping is done to support and revise HACCP plans as
necessary.

T R A I N I N G

The Food Flow Diagram

The food-flow chart and an

HACCP evaluation can be applied
to any potentially hazardous food
item or food containing potentially
hazardous ingredients. The critical
control points will vary in foods
depending on the ingredients, method
of preparation and whether served
hot or cold.
The following diagrams illustrate
the process generally involved in the
preparation of fried chicken and
tuna salad. (see next page.)

M A N U A L
sufficient quantities and workers
properly trained in their use. Staff
must be trained to identify hazards
and be provided with written procedures on how to prevent, reduce or
eliminate them. These procedures
must be reviewed periodically and
updated when changes are necessary.
Inspectors from the Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene are
familiar with this food safety system
and are willing to provide guidance.

This system is an invaluable tool

when there is cooperation between
management and staff. Appropriate
equipment must be provided in

QUICK REVIEW
1. HACCP is an acronym that stands for: ______ ______ ______ ______ ________.
2. What are the seven principles of HACCP? ___________, ___________, __________, __________, __________,
__________, __________.
3. HACCP is a system of _______________
4. What hazard is HACCP mostly concerned with?

Physical Chemical Biological

5. What is a Critical Control Point (CCP)? ______________________________________________________________________

6. If potentially hazardous foods are left in the Temperature Danger Zone for more than two hours, what corrective action
should be taken? ________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Potentially hazardous foods in the refrigerator storage must be discarded when the temperature reaches _____F
8. When making cold salads such as tuna, it is recommended that ingredients be pre-chilled. TRUE FALSE
9. Foods can be kept uncovered during the cooling step? TRUE FALSE

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Food Flow DiagramFried Chicken

Process

Hazards

CCP

Criteria for control

Monitoring procedure

Action when criteria not met

Receiving

Unapproved source
Salmonella contamination
Out of temperature

No

Inspect source.
Temperature 41F.
No foreign matter.

Check inspection stamp.

Measure temperature.
Inspect for spoilage.

Return to supplier or discard.

Storage

Insufficient refrigeration space

Improper equipment temperature
Raw stored over cooked

No

Check food and

refrigerator
temperatures
Store cooked over raw
Practice FIFO

Place thermometer in
refrigerated equipment
Check food temperature
Date products
Observe storage practices

Provide more refrigeration

space and efficient units
Discard food if temp. >41F
for > 2 hours
or at 70F or higher

Preparation

Too much out at one time

Use of contaminated equipment

No

Practice batch preparation

Use sanitized equipment

Maintain food 41F

Ensure amount of food out
can be processed <2 hours

Discard food if temp. >41F

for more than 2 hours
or at 70F or higher

Cooking

Required temp. not reached

resulting in survival
of salmonella.

Yes

Uninterrupted cooking
to 165F

Measure temperature
at thickest part

Continue cooking until

food temp. at thickest part
is 165F.

Hot holding

Insufficient equipment
Improper holding temp.
Patron contamination

Yes

Enough equipment
Food at 140F
Sneeze guards and utensils

Check equipment and

food temperatures
every hour

If food between 140120F

more than 2 hours, discard
If <2 hours -reheat to 165F.

Slow cooling allows for

growth of microorganisms

Yes

Reduce from 140 to 70F

within 2 hours; Below 41F
within additional 4 hours
Small portions of meat
and shallow containers

Measure temp. every hour

Keep foods uncovered
during cooling

Food temp. 14070F

more than 2 hours, discard
7041F >4 hours, discard

Improper equipment
Slow reheating
Food in temperature danger zone

Yes

Reheat to 165F
within 2 hours
Use stove or oven

Check food temperature

every hour

If less than 165F

continue reheating

(Same day service)

Cooling
(Left overs)

Reheating

Food Flow DiagramTuna Salad

Process

Hazards

CCP

Criteria for control

Monitoring procedure

Action when criteria not met

Receiving

Unapproved source
Defective cans
Home prepared

No

Inspect source
No home canned products

Check cans for defects

Return to supplier or discard

Storage

Under sewer lines

No

In storage area away

from sewer lines

Observe storage

Discard

Preparation

Not using pre-chilled ingredients

Mixing with bare hands
Ill food workers
Use of contaminated equipment

Yes

No bare hand contact

Ill workers not working
Cold food at 41F or below
Equipment/utensils sanitized

Maintain food 41F

Discard food if:
Use pre-chilled ingredients
temp. >41F more than 2 hours
Sanitize equipment/utensils
or at 70F or higher
Use of gloves or utensils
Direct hand contact with
Observe hand washing technique
ready to eat food
Observe workers health
Ill worker is working
Equipment/utensils contaminated

Cold holding

Food not held at 41F

Ineffective refrigeration equipment
Patron contamination

Yes

Food temp. 41F

Measure food temperature
Effective refrigeration equipment during holding every hour
Sneeze guards and utensils

(Cans of tuna and

jars of mayonnaise)

(Same day service)

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Discard food if:

temp. >41F more than 2 hours
or at 70F or higher
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PEST CONTROL

est control is a major concern

for the operator of a food service establishment. This section
reviews the type of pests and the
means to control them.
Flies

The flying insects in the restaurant industry include the house fly
and the fruit fly. The house fly poses
the gravest risk to food safety among
all of the pests. Several species of
house flies are categorized as pathogenic or disease-causing flies,
because they have been proven to carry
shigella, salmonella, e. coli and other
microorganisms that cause food borne
illness. Common house flies are also
called filth flies, as most of their
time is spent in or around filth,
including human and animal feces.
As these flies walk around this filth,
the hair on the body and the legs of
the fly picks up the fecal matter along
with the harmful microorganisms.
Since flies cannot chew the food,
they re-gurgitate or throw-up on
the food to dissolve or soften it
before eating again. It is estimated
that one live fly may carry as many
as 28 million bacteria on its body
alone, and another 5 million inside.
Since the filth fly can travel to all areas
of a food establishment relatively
quickly and easily, it has the potential to contaminate many foods,
food areas and food contact surfaces.

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Flies: Life cycle

The life cycle of a house fly consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa
and adult. The female of the species
can be seen depositing their eggs on
suitable breeding materials. Often,
the females can be seen in clusters
of up to 50 individuals. The female
house fly lays individual eggs that
pile up in masses of 75 to 150 eggs;
in her lifetime, a single female
house fly may lay up to 900 eggs.
In warm weather, the white pupae
(or maggots) emerge from their eggs
in 8 to 20 hours. This larva goes
through three stages of development.
The total development may take one
week or less during warmer seasons,
but up to eight weeks during cooler
times. The house fly maggot and
eggs depend on damp organic material in which to develop and feed.
When it has completed its last stage,
the fly maggot will move to a cool
dry area in which to pupate. They
have been known to travel over 100
feet to locate a suitable place to
pupate. The pupa transforms into
an adult in as little as 3 days or as
long as 5 weeks. This pupation
period varies with temperature and
humidity.
Flies: Habitat

House flies prefer decaying

organic materials, such as garbage,
animal feces or a mixture of soil and
garbage on which to lay eggs. Good
sanitation and refuse management
are the most basic and critical step
to managing these pests as this will
decrease food and breeding sites.
The facility areas where wastes are
accumulated, dumpsters, etc. must
be cleaned regularly. Trash receptacles need regular washing as flies
may find ample breeding media
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stuck to the sides and bottom of
empty containers. Another good
reason sanitation helps manage flies
is that fourth stage larva typically
leave their breeding area and move
away to some distance before they
pupate. This behavior removes
them from the obvious breeding
zones, into less obvious hiding
places for safe pupation. Therefore,
frequent and thorough cleaning is
an extremely important fly management tool.
Flies: Control

Vermin-proof facility. Screen

windows, roof vents and other
openings with 18 mesh screens.
Doors should be self-closing. The
back doors or delivery entrances,
if present, must have a screened
doors.
Drain Cleaning. It is important
to realize that food establishments
can become breeding grounds for
the house flies, especially in colder months. Drains should be free
of any buildup that can attract or
provide breeding grounds. We must
recognize the importance of humidity and warm temperatures for flies
growth. Ensuring that there are no
damp areas in a food facility, and
improving drainage will often aid
fly management. The floor drains,
especially clogged drains, can provide an excellent damp environment for the flies to breed in. The
fly breeding areas can be eliminated
by keeping all drains clear and
through regular sanitation.
Fly traps. Traps can be an additional management tool to prevent solitary flies from wandering
in and contaminating food areas.
Electric fly traps. There are two
kinds of electric fly traps. Both
kinds of traps use ultra violet
light to attract flies. However, one
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electrocutes the fly through the
use of electric grid, (fly zapper),
whereas the other merely stuns and
traps the fly in a glue trap affixed to
the bottom of the trap (fly catcher).
The use of fly zappers in a food
establishment is a very high risk
activity and prohibited, because
when the flies are electrocuted,
the fly parts can become airborne
and fall on exposed food or food
areas. The use of fly catcher on
the other hands is relatively safe
as the flies are merely stunned and
trapped on the glue trap that can
be replaced from time to time.

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can prove to be effective against

flying insects of all sorts, as the
flying insects cannot pass through
the air barrier. When placed and
used correctly, in addition to flying insects, these can also be
effective in keeping out dust and
hot or cold air from outside.
Fruit Flies

Poisonous baits. The use of poisonous fly baits can be extremely

dangerous in a food establishment.
This product can only be used by
a licensed pest control officer.
Although these are able to rapidly
kill a large number of flies, their
effectiveness may be short-lived.
Work closely with your PCO as
these applications inside the facility
require special care. Remove or
cover all food and ingredients.
Cover food contact surfaces before
application. Food contact surfaces
may have to be cleaned prior to
facility start up.
Air curtains. Air curtains, depending on the season, are simply a
blast of steady cold or hot air that
flows from a device installed above
doorways. Originally designed to
cut down on energy costs, these

Once, one of the breeding

sources has been located, continue
to look for more. Fruit flies easily
follow air currents and usually have
several breeding places in any structure. Keep an eye on outside envi-

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ronment as fruit flies will also come

in from nearby dumpsters, outdoor
garbage cans or even damp compost
piles where fruits and vegetables are
disposed. Fruit fly larvae living in
fruit which is eaten can cause
intestinal discomfort and diarrhea.
Fruit Flies: Control

Fruit flies are very small flies that

measure about 1/8 inch in
length. The red eyes of the fruit fly
are key identifying characteristics.
The head and thorax are tan in
color with the abdomen somewhat
darker. The fruit fly breeds in as
well as feeds on over-ripe fruits and
vegetables, as well as moist, decaying organic matter.
As the name implies, fruit flies
generally tend to be a nuisance
when fruits and vegetables are
improperly stored or allowed to
decay. Garbage that contains fruit
peels also will be a frequent target
of these flies. When searching for
fruit fly breeding sources, look for
the decaying moist organic matter.
Some of the obvious places to check
are fruits or vegetables that are
decaying or are stored outside of
refrigerators. Other areas to inspect
include garbage cans, underneath
and behind low laying kitchen
equipment. In food service establishments, even small amounts of
organic matter can often be found
where the equipment legs, tables or
cabinets touch the floor. These tiny
spaces can harbor thousands of fly
larvae. All small cracks and crevices
at floor level need to be inspected
and thoroughly cleaned.

Trap placement. Proper trap

placement is extremely important. Whenever using traps outdoors, they should be placed
strategically to attract flies away
from the facility. When installed
inside, install them so that they
cannot be seen from the outside.
If the flies can see these traps
from outside, theyll be automatically attracted to the food facility.

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Good housekeeping and a good

sanitation program will be highly
effective in the long term elimination of this annoying pest. By
removing the breeding areas, taking
care of the trash, and ensuring
proper storage of fruits and vegetables, this problem can be easily
eliminated.
Cockroaches

The presence of roaches in food

establishments is a serious public
health problem. Roaches carry diseasecausing bacteria on their bodies and
deposit them on the food through
their excreta and body contact. They
have been linked to allergies in humans
and many people with asthma are
allergic to roach dust - roach body
parts and roach droppings. Roach
dust is a very strong asthma trigger.
There are two main types of cockroaches in NYC: German cockroach
and American cockroach.
German cockroach

Adult German cockroaches are

light brown except for the shield

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behind the head marked with two

dark stripes, which run lengthwise
on the body. Young roaches are
wingless and nearly black with a
single light stripe running down the
middle of the back, and the adults
are about 5/8 inch long. Egg capsules
are light tan in color and usually
yield about 36 baby cockroaches.
German cockroaches are the most
common roaches found in houses
and restaurants. Most cockroaches
have a flattened, oval shape, spiny
legs, and long, filamentous antennae. Immature roaches are smaller,
have undeveloped wings and resemble the adults. They eat food of all
kinds and may hitchhike into the
food service establishments on egg
cartons, soft drink cartons, sacks of
potatoes or onions, used furniture
or appliances, beer cases, etc.
Once they find their way into the
food establishments, German roaches
generally develop their population
in kitchens and bathrooms. During
the day, these roaches may be found
hiding behind baseboard moldings,
in cracks around cabinets, drawers
or pantries, and in and under stoves,
microwave ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and other restaurant equipment. The presence of German
roaches during the daytime is usually
an indication of a severe roach
infestation. Most roaches like to live
very near to the food and water
source.
German cockroach females,
unlike the American roaches, carry
the egg capsule protruding from
their abdomen until the eggs are
about to hatch. During the last three
or four days prior to dropping her
egg case, the female German cockroach does not seek any food or
water. The case is then placed in a
secluded location, with the nymphs
emerging sometimes within the
hour or as long as a week. A female
may produce four to six cases dur-

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ing her lifetime, each containing 30

to 50 eggs. Eggs hatch in 28 to 30
days, and nymphs develop in 40 to
125 days. Female roaches live about
200 days, with males living not
quite as long.
American Cockroach

Adult American cockroaches are 1

and 1/2 inches long (38mm), making them the largest of the houseinfesting cockroaches. With reddish
brown, fully developed wings, the
American cockroaches have a yellowish margin on the thorax or
body region behind the head. When
disturbed, they may run rapidly and
adults may fly. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that
they are wingless.
American cockroaches generally
live in moist areas. They prefer
warm temperatures (around 85F)
and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In food establishments, these
cockroaches live in basements, around
pipes and sewers, and may move
outdoors into yards during warm
weather. These cockroaches are
common in basements, crawl spaces,
cracks and crevices of porches,
foundations, and walkways adjacent
to buildings. Because of their fondness for sewers, large populations of
American cockroaches will be seen
in many cities after heavy rains or
flooding. Due to the large size and
slow development of American
cockroaches, large infestations of
these insects are not common within food establishments. However,
during certain times of the year,
these cockroaches may move inside
food establishments from outside
sources. For example, in winter
these cockroaches may move
indoors, seeking warmer temperatures and food. Cockroaches may
enter food establishment through
sewer connections, under doors,
around utility pipes, air ducts, or
other openings in the foundation.
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Cockroaches: Control

It is difficult to prevent the invasion of a food establishment with

insects, especially roaches that may
come from an adjoining building or
in packages delivered to the premises. The emphasis must be placed on
elimination of harborage and breeding places within the establishment
as well as extermination.
All cracks and holes in the floor,
walls and ceilings should be eliminated by filling with cement, plaster,
putty or plastic wood. Seams in fixtures and equipment should receive
the same treatment.
Equipment and fixtures should be
placed flush against the wall and
floor; if not, then a sufficient distance away from the wall and above
the floor to facilitate cleaning
around it.
All potential insect-breeding
places, such as rubbish, debris and
stagnant water, should be eliminated. Garbage should be kept in tightly covered metal cans, and the cans
should be thoroughly cleaned after
being emptied. The room, in which
garbage is kept, prior to removal,
should be constructed of impervious washable material, preferably
cement, and should have facilities to
wash garbage cans. If this room can
be refrigerated, the cold temperature
will prevent insects from breeding,
and odors from decomposing
garbage will be reduced.
Sanitation and good housekeeping are very important factors in
insect control. The food establishment and equipment therein should
be completely cleaned each night
before closing, not only for good
sanitation, but to remove all grease,
food encrustation, and food particles
on which the insects can feed.
In addition, roaches can be
destroyed with effective insecticides
applied by a licensed pest control
operator.
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Pesticide Use. Operators of food

service establishments must ensure
that the establishment remains free
of pests and must use the methods
described in the sections above to
prevent pest infestation. Additionally,
they may use glue traps and baited
traps. However, they may not use
chemical pesticides of any kind in
the establishment, unless they also
possess certification as a commercial
applicator. This applies even to
aerosol cans of pesticides, available
at most grocery stores.
Cockroaches and Allergies.
Cockroaches, particularly German
cockroaches, have been identified as
the most common source of cockroach allergy in the USA. There are
close to a dozen proteins linked to
cast skins, droppings or frass or
whole bodies that can cause allergies
in humans. The allergens are heat
stable. One study showed that 4060% of people with asthma also
have a serious allergy to cockroaches.

T R A I N I N G

burrows can usually be found in

parks or near vegetation, under
buildings and other structures,
beneath concrete slabs, along stream
banks, in garbage dumps, and at
other locations where suitable food,
water, and shelter are present.
They may also make their burrows
beneath sidewalks and along the
building foundations. Additionally,
an unkempt open space with clutter
may also encourage rats to make
their burrows. However; being
opportunistic, they will also make
their nests in between walls, and
other open spaces.
The rat burrows are typically
located within 25 to 125 feet radius
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remain in and around the food

establishments and yards which provide their necessities, and unless
they are disturbed, they do not
move to greater distances.
Norway Rat: Habits

Norway rats can and will eat pretty

much any food. However, when given
a choice, they select a nutritionally
balanced diet.
Their preferable diet includes
meats, fish, grains, nuts and cereals.
Water is essential for their survival
and they require about to 1 ounce
of water daily. The water requirement, however, is dependant on the
type of food being consumed. Moist
foods, whenever available, will lower

Norway Rat

The Norway rat (rattus norvegicus), the most common rodent in

New York City, is a burrowing
mammal. A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by the
rodent to create a space suitable for
habitation. This small mammal is
not indigenous to the United States,
but is believed to have come on the
ships from Central Asia around
1700s. Adult Norway rats weigh an
average of about 1 pound. Their fur
is coarse and the upper body is usually brownish or reddish-gray, while
the belly is whitish-gray. Blackish
rats may also be present in some
locations.
Norway Rat: Habitat

The Norway rats live closely with

people. They make their nests by
burrowing in the ground. Their

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their water need. They can easily

detect stale and contaminated
foods, and often choose fresh items
over contaminated ones.
Tip: Pay close attention to garbage
as it offers a very balanced diet and
also satisfies their water needs.
A typical city rat living outdoors
has a maximum life span of about
one year. In captivity, they may live
for up to 3 years. The total time for
gestation is roughly 21 to 22 days
and litters of 8 to 12 pups are born.
Newborn pups grow rapidly. They
can eat solid food when theyre 2 to
3 weeks old. They become completely independent at about 3 to 4
weeks and become sexually active at
3 months of age, sometimes as early
as 8 weeks.
Female Norway rats may come
into heat every 4 or 5 days, and
they may mate within a day after a
litter is born. The average female rat
has 4 to 7 litters per year and may
reproduce as many as 60 to 70 or
more offspring annually. Even
though most of these pups will not
survive, but on average, about 20 or
so are successfully weaned.
Like most rodents, Norway rats
are nocturnal. They usually become
active at night, when they start
looking for food and water.
However, rats may become active at
day time when rat population is
high; their nests are disturbed (due
to rain or construction), or when
they are starving.
Rats do not see the same way as
we do. They have poor eyesight and
cannot see beyond 23 feet. Theyre
also color blind. However, their other
senses are more acute and they depend
more on their hearing and their
excellent senses of smell, taste and
touch. Norway rats are very sensitive
to motion up to 30-50 feet away.
Rats use their sense of smell to
locate food items and apparently to
recognize other rats. An average rat

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urinates over 100 times a night and

each micro droplet of urine contains various markers or messages.
In this manner, the Norway rats,
relying on their sense of smell, can
recognize pathways, locate foods
from previous excursions, members
of the opposite sex who are ready to
mate, and differentiate between
members of their own colonies and
strangers from other rat colonies.
Norway rats use hearing to locate
objects to within a few inches. This
highly developed sense combined
with their touch sensitivity can pinpoint the location of the object to
within six inches. Norway rats have
a highly developed sense of touch
due to very sensitive body hairs and
whiskers which they use to explore
their environment.
Rats feel very much at home in
food service establishments due to
the familiarity with the areas. Their
movement in an area relies heavily
on their senses of touch and smell
to direct it through movements
learned by exploration and knowledge of its terrain.
Rodents, due to their poor vision,
also like to rub their bodies against
a wall when moving from one location to another. This fact can aid in
designing control of this pest, as the
grease tracks can be located along
floor-wall junctions. Their sense of
taste is also highly developed and
they can detect impurities or contaminants in the food quite easily.
This fact must be kept in mind
when selecting appropriate baits.
House Mouse

The house mouse (mus musculus)

is a small and slender rodent. When
fully grown, an adult mouse weighs
about 2 5 ounces. The fur of a
house mouse is generally grayishbrown. This mammal lives very
closely with the humans.

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House Mouse: Habitat

The house mouse lives in and

around food service establishments,
homes, as well as in any cluttered
locations. They are capable of living
outdoors, however; they must seek
shelter indoors when cold weather
arrives.
They prefer seeds and grains,
although may eat a variety of different foods. These are very curious
mammals and are not hesitant to
sample a different variety of food
items. They are considered nibblers
as they nibble on every food in their
path, thus leading to the contamination and destruction of many food
items. A mouse only needs 23
grams of food daily and can survive
on very little of water as most of the
water is derived from the food it eats.
Like the rats, house mice are also
nocturnal. However, its not uncommon to see them foraging during
the day time. Their appearance during
the day time does not necessarily
indicate an infestation. Like the
rats, mice also have poor eyesight,
and depend more on their senses of
smell, taste and touch.
When shelter inside the food
establishment becomes scarce, house
mice can also dig and may burrow
into the ground, in yards or around
building structures. Typically, a nest
consists of fibrous material in the
shape of a ball. These nests are
usually 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
Litters of 4 or 6 are born 19 to
21 days after mating. They grow
rapidly and after 2 to 3 weeks, they
begin to make short trips from the
nest and start eating solid food.
Mice are sexually mature as early
as when they are 6 to 10 weeks old.
Mice may breed year-round and a
female may have 5 to 10 litters per
year. Mouse populations can therefore grow rapidly under good
conditions.

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Typically, a mouse normally travels no more than 1030 feet from
its nest to the source of food. They
do not compete well with rats and
therefore, are not likely to be present in areas frequented by rats. If a
food establishment has a rat problem in the basement, it is unlikely
that a mouse problem will also exist
in the basement. They are more
likely to occupy the kitchen on the
first floor, living in spaces between
walls and baseboards.
One area that is constantly overlooked when rodent survey is conducted is the drop ceiling. The ceiling with its insulation provides an
ideal nesting area for colonies of
mice. A mouse constantly explores
its environment, memorizing the
locations of pathways, obstacles,
food and water, shelter and other
elements in their domain. They
quickly detect new objects in their
environment, but they do not fear
new objects.
Rodent Control: Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)

The Integrated Pest Management

(IPM) is a system that combines
preventive and control measures to
eliminate pest infestations. Each
year millions of dollars are spent on
costly and dangerous pesticides to
combat rodent infestations which
can also expose humans as well as
pets to these poisonous substances.
The IPM system combats the rodent
problem by using a combination of
different techniques, thus reducing
exposure to dangerous chemicals.
Integrated Pest Management
works on three principles:
Starve them
Build them out
Destroy them

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inspection of your facility will give

you a better indication of the nature
and the severity of the infestation,
as well as the common routes taken
by the rodents. This will allow you
or the licensed pest control officer
to set up proper traps and baits to
intercept them.
There are a lot of signs that could
indicate the nature and severity of
the problem. These include:
Rodent droppings. The physical
state of the droppings may or
may not indicate recent or old
infestation. Soft, moist droppings
usually indicate live rodent activity, while hard and dry ones indicate old. However, this may not
work all the time. The location of
the droppings, whether in dark
corner or near an area with plenty
of sunlight or heat may affect the
appearance of scat. Amount of
droppings indicate heavy or light
infestation. The size of pellets will
show if the rodents are large or
small; and if different sizes are
present, it indicates litters of
young are being reared.
Gnawing. Rodents spend about
two percent of their life gnawing
on various materials. This is done
to grind down the front gnawing
teeth that constantly grow.
Rodent Run. Rat runs are difficult to tell by appearance if they
are new or old. Use white chalk
or paint on suspected rat runs.
The rodents are creatures of habit
and will continue to use the same
pipe or beam or floor-wall junction. It will leave marks caused by
dirt or grease on feet or fur.
Other signs include burrows, runways, rodent odors, urine stains,
rodent sounds, and live or dead
rodents.

However, for IPM to be successful,

the key support principle is the
thorough inspection of the facilities
to identify the problem. A thorough
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Starve Them

The main purpose of rodents

entry in a food establishment is to

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seek food and water. There are many

sources of food in a food establishment and by depriving rodents of
food and water; we can significantly
reduce their population.
The food storage containers must
be made of material that is impervious to rodent gnawing. Food containers made of metal, glass or smooth
hard plastic is ideal for storage of
food items.
There are many opportunities for
food particles to spill over on to the
floors, behind equipment and other
hard to reach places during a normal workday in a typical food establishment. Every effort must be made to
pick up spilled-over food to ensure
that rodents will not have a steady
supply of food. Rats need water for
survival; eliminating any standing
water and other sources of water
will also help control their populations.
Improperly stored garbage also
provides a steady source of food for
rodents. All garbage containers must
be made of metal or hard smooth plastic with tight fitting lids. Garbage
removal must be done on a daily
basis.
Mice need even smaller amounts
of food and very little water to survive. They can acquire most of the
water from the food. Although it is
difficult to completely eliminate all
food. However, an abundant supply
of food will certainly lead to a bigger infestation.
Build them out

One of the reasons rodents exist

in buildings is because of favorable
conditions that permit them to hide,
nest and breed. They will not remain
where safe shelter or food is
unavailable.
To combat infestation in your
premises, it is necessary to be able to
recognize rodent harborage or hiding
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places, both actual and potential as

they are the conditions favoring
rodent life and propagation.
There are three general types of
rodent harborage:
Temporary
Incidental
Structural
Temporary Rodent Harborage
These are conditions arising out
of failure to maintain premises in a
clean and sanitary condition, or
faulty methods of operation, housekeeping or storage of stock.
Examples of temporary rodent
harborage include:
Mass storage of office supplies and
old records, materials for repairs,
food products or other store merchandise; boxes, crates, or cartons
that are left undisturbed for periods of time and not rotated in
use (using up older stock first).
Unused or obsolete fixtures or
equipment, especially those having drawers, compartments or
other hollow enclosures.
Miscellaneous junk, trash, odds
and ends placed in closets, cellars,
boiler rooms or out-of-the-way
places, or portions of premises
not in daily use having very little
or no light.
Garbage cans left uncovered
overnight or having poorly fitting
covers or in a defective, leaking
condition.
Passageways used in transporting
or storing garbage cans for removal,
with spilled particles of food on
floors, especially in corners.
Accumulations of rubbish at bottom of air-shafts, dumbwaiters or
elevator shaft pits, under sidewalk
or cellar window gratings or other
parts of premises not cleaned
regularly.

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Methods to prevent temporary

rodent harborage include:
Unused materials should be stored
neatly and away from walls, allowing enough space for an individual
to pass through during cleaning
and should preferably be stored
sufficiently high above the floor
to permit cleaning underneath. The
amount stored should be minimized as much as possible, and it
should be disturbed or its position
changed at least every three weeks
to prevent nesting of rodents.
Avoid mass storage by arranging
in rows with 2 wide aisles. If
stock is placed on shelves, raise
the lowest shelf about 6 to 8
above the floor.
Promptly clean up food scraps
that spill from garbage cans or
fall under or behind slop sinks,
equipment and stock bins.
Rodents feed more readily on
these than on bagged or packaged
food supplies. Store all garbage in
non-leaking metal receptacles
with tight-fitting lids.
Place soiled linen into suitable
containers. Maintain clean and
sanitary conditions at all times.
Incidental Rodent Harborage
These are conditions arising from
installation of fixtures or equipment
incidental to their use on the
premises, in such a manner that
hollow spaces, enclosures, and inaccessible places are formed.
Examples of incidental rodent
harborage include:
Fixtures, refrigerators, ovens, etc.
not installed flush against walls
but leaving a small space that is
too narrow for proper inspection
and cleaning.
Narrow spaces left between bottoms of counters, or other fixtures or equipment and the floor.
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Small spaces existing between
ceilings and tops of fixtures,
clothes lockers, refrigerators, closets and cabinets, large overhead
pipes and ventilating ducts suspended a few inches from ceiling.
Hollow partitions (double wall
space).
Hollow furniture or fixtures with
inaccessible enclosures.
Boxed-in casings or sheathing
around pillars, pipes, radiators,
etc. forming hollow enclosures.
Bottom shelves, stock platforms
or skids that are not set directly
on the floor but allow a space of a
few inches to exist underneath.
Defective insulated sections of large
refrigerators or pipe coverings
(hollow enclosed spaces formed
by damage to cork or asbestos).
Loose foods stored in low, thin,
wooden food bins, boxes, cartons,
burlap bags, etc.
Partially enclosed spaces behind
open metal grills used on housing
of motors or other mechanical
equipment.
Methods to prevent incidental
rodent harborage include:
Eliminate narrow, inaccessible
spaces behind fixtures or equipment by placing flush against wall
or leaving a space wide enough
for inspection and cleaning.
Solidly block out narrow spaces
underneath, or install flush on
floors or raise high enough for
cleaning.
Avoid providing undisturbed rat
runways in narrow space between
ducts or long hoods and the ceiling. Ducts should be placed flush
against ceilings and preferably be
round in shape, instead of square.

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Remove decorative boxing-in

around radiators, columns, etc. to
avoid hollow enclosures, or protect
with metal flashing extending at
least 6 above the floors.
Repair and securely close all
breaks in insulation around pipes,
refrigerators or cooling cabinets.
Line interiors of wooden bins
with sheet metal, or store foods in
rodent-proof containers.
Eliminate hollow spaces formed
by false bottoms in counters,
lockers, cabinets, etc.
Alter hollow fixtures so that enclosures are exposed for easy cleaning.
Structural Rodent Harborage
These conditions are due to
design or construction of a building
that are defective from a rodentproof standpoint or that developed
during occupancy from failure to
make proper repairs or to use
rodent-proof materials.
Examples of structural rodent
harborage include:
Openings made in outside building
walls, around beams, or in interior
walls, floors or ceiling for installation of pipes, cables or conduits.
They are made by plumbers, electricians or other workmen. The
openings are usually larger than
necessary and the unused portions of holes are not closed up.
Holes, large cracks, loose bricks
or other openings in floors, walls
or ceilings are other examples.
Hollow spaces in double walls,
between floor and ceiling of lower
story, and in double ceilings of
cellars.
Enclosed hollow spaces formed
by sheathing the undersides of
stairways, by installation of false
floors in toilets, or by raised wooden
floors over earthen floors of cellars.
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Entrance and cellar doors that are

not tight-fitting or not provided
with a proper door sill or saddle,
permitting openings over 1/4 to
exist and not protected around
gnawing edges with metal flashing at least 6 above floor level.
Openings around ceiling or floor
beams, or risers, where they pass
through partitions.
Openings of fans, ventilators, and
louvers on the outside of buildings,
or fancy metal grills with openings
over 1/4. Cellar floors of earth,
enabling rodents to burrow
underneath.
Methods to prevent structural
rodent harborage include:
Promptly seal up all holes or
openings around pipe lines or
cables where they enter the building,
with concrete mortar or cement
mortar to which ground glass
may be added for better results.
Place tight-fitting metal collars or
flanges around pipes and risers.
Provide escutcheon plates for all
risers where they pass through
floor slabs, unless same are waterproof by pockets of mastic.
Seal up all openings around beams.
Avoid using double-wall type
construction with hollow interior
spaces, or hollow tile block, hollow cement block, or similar
material for partitions or walls
of storage compartments or in
cellars.
Inspect all parts of premises for
holes and seal every opening in
walls and ceilings with cement
plastered smooth. Move away fixtures and stock that may hide holes
in floors and use a flashlight so as
not to miss any. Look for loose
bricks, cracks or other openings

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in cellar foundation walls. Find

all openings before rodents do.
Inspect regularly and repair weak
spots before actual breaks occur.
Block out hollow spaces under
raised wooden floors with concrete. Refrigerators, ranges, ovens,
etc. should be solidly based on
concrete. Protect entrance, cellar
doors and windows with metal
flashing around gnawing edges
and maintain in good repair.
Replace earthen cellar floors with
a floor of concrete at least 3 to
4 thick and tied securely into
foundation walls.
Securely anchor window and
door screens to the frames.
Destroy Them

The use of toxic pesticide in a

food environment is a dangerous
and risky process. This should only
be used as a last resort and even
then, only with the help of a
licensed pest control officer. The
New York City health Code makes
it illegal to use pesticides in a food
establishment unless used or applied
by a licensed pest control applicator.
Non- toxic Control: Traps
Use of traps is advantageous for
many reasons:
Eliminates the exposure to
harmful toxic substance
Easy to dispose the captured
rodent
Results can be quantified
Prevents having to deal with
odors from dead rodents in
hard to reach places
There are many types of traps,
they include the following:
Snap Traps. Among them, the
most useful type of trap is the
snap trap. However, for it to be
effective, following guidelines
should be useful:
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Use large number of traps at

one time.
Do not set up traps for several
days to allow rats to become
acclimated with the traps, as
rats are very skeptical of new
things.
When ready to set the traps,
use the mass trapping technique. In this method, a large
number of traps are set up at
once so that a large number of
rats can be caught before they
become trap-shy.
The type of baits used is also
an important consideration. It
is best to use food items that
the rodents constantly go after
in the food establishment as
these foods are more desirable
to rodents and also are part of
their diet. However, foods high
in protein also make good bait.
The rodents, especially during
the mating season, need a protein rich diet which is usually
hard to get. Therefore, using
peanut butter, cheese, ground
meat or deli meats is usually
found to be effective bait.
Stale bait must be replaced with
fresh bait as rats can detect older
foods and avoid it.
Live Traps. Live traps are large
cages or boxes that have only oneway entry. The rodents looking for
food get trapped inside. Dubbed
as a more humane method, a
large number of rodents can be
caught at one time.
Glue boards.Contrary to the
popular belief, the use of glue
boards has the lowest success rate.
Glue boards should only be used
as part of the pest control survey.
Typically, these traps end up
catching baby mice and rat pups.
This is because rodents whiskers
or vibrissae are highly developed
sensory devices and can usually

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detect the sticky substance on the

glue traps and avoid it. The
younger populations of rodents
havent fully developed this sense,
and hence get caught.
Important note regarding the
proper disposal of rodents when
caught. Safety precautions must be
taken to ensure personal safety of
the person handling the dead
rodents. For example, avoid handling dead rodents with bare hands
to prevent contact with diseased
animals; when cleaning rodent excreta, spray the area with sanitizing
solution prior to sweeping; clean
and sanitize any exposed food contact surfaces.
Toxic Control: Pesticides
The use of pesticide in the food
environment is a very dangerous
and risky proposition. The New York
City Health Code does not permit the
use of pesticide in a commercial facility
unless done by a licensed pest control
officer. Therefore, it is important to
obtain the services of a reputable
pest control officer (PCO). Be wary
of PCOs that promise a quick fix.
Dangers of Tracking Powder
The use of rodenticide tracking
powder is banned in a commercial
food establishment. The rodenticide
tracking powder has the same ingredients as any other bait being used.
However, because the ingredients
are mixed with talcum powder or
other similar powder carrier, the
concentration of toxins are many
times higher; in some cases as high
as 40 to 50 times. The tracking
powder is not absorbed or inhaled
by the rodent, rather, the powder
sticks to the feet and the fur of the
rodent. As the rodent starts grooming itself or others, it ingests the
anticoagulant in the tracking powder
and because the concentration is much
higher, dies within a day or two.
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Pesticide Use in Food Service
Operations

Are you harming yourself, your

employees, or your customers? You
may be without realizing it, if you
are using pesticides improperly. You
may also be breaking the law.
New York State law requires that
anyone using pesticides, except
farmers or homeowners on their
own property, be certified as a
commercial applicator with the
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation
(DEC). This applies even to aerosol
cans of pesticides, available at most
grocery stores.
Persons applying pesticides in
restaurants, institutional kitchens or
other food service operations need
special certification from DECs
Bureau of Pesticides Management.
All pesticides are toxic. After all,
their purpose is to kill roaches, rats
and other pests. Proper use of pesticides is essential to everyones safety.
If pesticides are used improperly,
food, utensils or other food-preparation equipment can become contaminated. Improper handling of
pesticides can also lead to direct exposure through the nose, mouth or skin.
The result may be future health problems for those exposed.
Health Department Sanitarians check
for proper labeling, storage and use
of pesticides during routine inspections of food service establishments.

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M A N U A L

Pesticides Dos and Donts

DO be concerned about your health and safety, and that of your employees and
customers.

DO
DONT

DO ask your pest controller for proof of certification by DECs Bureau of Pesticides
Management.
DO report uncertified pest controllers to a DEC pesticide inspector at the DEC
Regional Office.
DO make a pests life difficult by maintaining extra-clean conditions and by
eliminating possible pest entry routes.
DONT hire an uncertified pest controller.

DONT apply any pesticide in a food service operation yourself unless you are
certified.
DONT permit the application of pesticides while food is being prepared or served, or
in an area where utensils, unprotected food or containers are stored.
Starve them out. Protect food at
night. Keep garbage containers
closed. Do a thorough clean-up job.

garbage containers sealed.

Remove food accumulations
promptly.

Kill them. Use traps for temporary control.

Kill them. Hire a licensed pest

control operator.

Rodent/Insect Control Summary

Control Flies

Control Roaches and other insects

Control Rats and Mice

Get rid of their breeding places.

Control the sources.

Be alert to first signs of infestation. Destroy contaminated foods.

Keep them out. Screen doors and

windows properly. See that all doors
open out and are self-closing. Install
overhead fly fans or air curtains.

Do a good job of housekeeping

and storage. Keep foods covered.
Keep garbage containers sealed. Remove food accumulations promptly.

Do a good job of housekeeping. Keep foods covered. Keep

Kill them. Hire a licensed pest

control operator.

For More Information

To learn more about pest control,

or for details on how to become
certified to apply pesticides, contact
the DEC regional pesticide office.

Get rid of their nesting places.

Clean up all piles of rubbish,
inside and outside the premises.
Build them out. Block all possible rat entrances. Rat-proof foundations.

NEW
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE PEST CONTROL REQUIRED
The presence of insects and rodents or conditions that allow them to flourish, are among the most common violations
cited during food service establishment inspections. Pests can contaminate food, making customers sick. The use of
chemicals to control pests creates other problems: pesticides can cling to surfaces and many are dangerous. To keep
restaurants insect- and rodent-free, the Health Code now requires establishments to:
1. Clean up refuse and other material in or on which pests hide or nest.
2. Seal cracks, gaps or holes that permit easy movement of pests.
3. Eliminate water leaks, drips and standing water as these allow pests to thrive.
4. Install door sweeps or other barriers on doors leading to the outside. Any gap must be less than an eighth of an inch
to prevent entry.
5. Throw out food garbage, clean food scraps and grease stains, and store food in containers that close tightly.
6. Inspect the premises and incoming packages each day for signs of pests.
7. Hire a pest management professional licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
to examine the premises at least monthly. Keep records showing the professionals name, address, DEC license
number, the services provided and the effective date of the contract.

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QUICK REVIEW
1. Insecticides and rodenticides can only be applied in a restaurant by the supervisor of food operations?
TRUE FALSE
2. The best method of eliminating flies from an establishment is to use an electric fly trap. TRUE FALSE
3. List four potential sources of food for rodents ___________, ___________, ___________, ____________.
4. When food is unavailable to mice that have infested a restaurant, they will ______________________
5. The sighting of rodents during day time may be an indication of rat infestation? TRUE FALSE
6. What are some of the signs of rodents or rodent infestation? ___________, ___________, ___________.
7. Fly strips are not useful in eliminating insect breeding places? TRUE FALSE
8. Rats are known to enter buildings through openings that are as small as: ___________.
9. In insect control, which measures are useful in keeping them out? ___________, ___________, ___________.
10. Fresh rat droppings in a food establishment is a critical violation? TRUE FALSE

ture requirement of 115F to each

fixture and 180F to mechanical
dishwashing machines.

Toilet rooms should be completely

enclosed and have tight fitting, selfclosing, solid doors. They should be
vented to the outside by an operable, screened window or mechanical
device. Fixtures should be designed
to be easily cleanable.

Hot water for hand washing should

not exceed 115F.

Plumbing and Cross Connections

PLUMBING

Hand Washing Facilities

Provide a separate hand washing

sink, dispensed hand soap, hand
drying device or disposable towels,
and waste receptacle for each food
preparation area, utensil washing
area and toilet room. (Hand-washing sinks must be located within 25
feet of each food preparation, food
service and warewashing area, and
in or adjacent to employee and
patron bathrooms.) The use of a
common sink for food preparation
or for washing equipment and/or
utensils as well for hand washing is
not permitted.
Each hand washing sink should be
provided with hot and cold running
water preferably tempered by means
of a mixing valve or a combination
faucet. It is recommended that any
self-closing or metering faucet should
be designed to provide a flow of water
for at least 15 seconds without the
need to reactivate the faucet.
Determining Hot Water Supply
Requirements

The hot water supply should be

sufficient to satisfy the continuous
and peak hot water demands of the
establishment. For purposes of estimating the hot water generating
capability, assume a supply tempera-

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Hot water for mechanical dishwashers should be 140F165F for

washing and 180F for sanitizing.
The water temperature for manual
hot water sanitization should be
at least 170F.
Toilet Facilities

Toilet facilities should be installed

according to local plumbing ordinances. They should be conveniently
located and should be accessible to
employees and/or patrons at all times.
All food service establishments with
a seating capacity of 20 or more except
those in operation on or before
December 5, 1977 must provide
appropriately identified and maintained toilet facilities for their patrons.
Suitable public notice of any such
alternate facility must be conspicuously posted within the food establishment.
Employee toilet facilities may be
used by patrons only if they do not
pass through a food preparation or
utensil washing area to access them
and there are separate facilities for
each sex.
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Plumbing must be sized and

installed according to applicable codes.
There should be no cross connection
between the potable water supply and
any non-potable or questionable water
supply. Where non-potable water systems are permitted for purposes such
as air conditioning and fire protection, the non-potable water must not
contact food, potable water or equipment that contacts food or utensils
directly or indirectly. The piping of any
non-potable water system should be
clearly identified so that it is readily
distinguishable from piping that carries potable water.
Submerged Inlet Protection
The potable water system must
be installed to preclude the possibility of back-flow. Devices should be
installed and maintained to protect
against back-flow and back
siphonage at all fixtures and equipment unless an air gap is provided.
The air gap, when used, must be at
least twice the diameter of the water
supply inlet, but not less than 1, and
exist between the water supply inlet
and the fixtures flood-level rim.
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Vacuum breakers
A primary concern for the safety of
potable water is from cross-connections.
A cross-connection is any connection
between potable water supply and
sewage, or other contaminated water.
This connection allows backflow of
contaminated water into potable
water systems. In order to prevent
against this type of contamination,
a vacuum breaker must be installed.
For instance, a cross connection is
made when a hose is attached to a
threaded hose bib, and the other
end is left submerged in a puddle of
waste water. A hose bib vacuum
breaker only allows water to flow
from the potable water source and
would prevent the backflow.

Hose Bib
Vacuum
Breaker

The same cross connection may

also exist between potable water
supply and any kitchen equipment
that is directly connected. For
example, coffee machine, espresso,
ice maker, dishwashers, potato peelers, etc. An atmospheric vacuum
breaker is needed to prevent contamination from these equipment to
back into potable water supply.

Atmospheric
Vacuum
Breaker

Other fixtures and equipment

requiring back siphonage protection
include:
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M A N U A L

Indirect Waste Connections

Water closets
Hose connections
Urinals
Garbage grinders
DrainsIndirect Waste
There should be no direct connection between the sewage system and
any drains originating from equipment
in which food or food utensils are
placed. An unobstructed vertical air
space between the lowest opening of
the fixture drain and the flood-level
rim of the receiving receptacle or drain
opening must be provided. The space
must be twice the diameter of the
discharge opening or 1 inch, whichever
is greater. Unidirectional check
valves or equivalent devices are not
acceptable for this purpose. Indirect
sewer connections should be located
within 2 feet of the equipment which
it is intended to protect and on the
inlet side of the grease interceptor
and p trap.
Fixtures and equipment requiring
indirect waste connections include:
Food preparation and warewashing sinks;
Refrigerators and freezers;
Ice makers and storage bins;
Steam tables and kettles;
Dipper wells.
A grease interceptor should be
installed in the waste line leading
from pot sinks, floor drains receiving
waste from soup or stock kettles,
food scrap sinks, scullery sinks and
the scraper section of commercial
dishwashers to prevent grease from
entering the drainage system.

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Open Waste

Interceptors should remove an

average of at least 90% of the grease
or other extractable matter in the
waste water and should conform to
the requirements of the NYC Dept. of
Environmental Protection, Industrial
Waste Control Section.
Lighting

Permanently fixed artificial light

sources should be installed to provide at least 50 foot candles of light
on all food preparation surfaces and
at equipment or utensil-washing
work levels. All other areas, including dining areas during cleaning
operations, should be provided with
at least 20 foot candles at 30 inches
from the floor.
Shielding such as plastic shields,
plastic sleeves with end caps, shatterproof bulbs and/or other approved
devices should be provided for all
artificial lighting fixtures located
over, by, or within food storage,
preparation, service and display
facilities. Sheilding should also be
provided where utensils and equipment are cleaned and stored, particularly where they may be exposed to
extremes in temperature variation.
Heat lamps, where used, should
be protected against breakage by a
shield surrounding and extending
beyond the bulb, leaving only the
face of the bulb exposed.
Gas-Fired Hot Water Heaters

Gas-fired hot water heaters produce

carbon monoxide as a waste product. This is an insidious gas that can
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result in death when breathed, thus it

is imperative that this gas be vented
to the outside. Important considerations when dealing with a gas-fired
hot water heater are:
The vent pipe must be made of
rigid material and installed at an
upward slope then led to the outside air.
The gas flame should be properly
adjusted so that it burns in a
bluish color.
The heater must be tested for
back draft at the wind diverter. A
severe back draft can extinguish
the pilot light and cause an accumulation of gas that can result in
an explosion. Also, any blockage
can also cause carbon monoxide
to accumulate inside the facility.
Ventilation

All establishments shall be adequately ventilated to prevent excessive

heat, steam, condensation, vapors,
odors, smoke and fumes. Ventilation
to the outside air must comply with
applicable law and regulation and
must not create a nuisance or unlawful
emission. Intake and exhaust ducts
must be constructed and maintained
to prevent dust, dirt or other contaminants from entering the establishment. Mechanical ventilation must be
installed in rooms where odors, vapors
or fumes originate. Ventilation hoods
and devices must be constructed and
installed to prevent grease or condensation from collecting on walls
or ceilings and from dripping into
food or onto food-contact surfaces.
All hoods should meet NSF
Standard #2 requirements and be
designed, constructed and installed in
conformance with the National Fire
Protection Association Bulletin #96.

50

NOTE:

The installation and

operation of ventilation systems
is regulated by the NYC
Department of Buildings, the
NYC Fire Department and the
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NYC Department of
Environmental Protection.
For additional information
regarding these installations
and other requirements, including ventilation hoods, ducts
and fire suppression systems
(ANSUL), you should contact
these agencies.
Cooking equipment ventilation
hoods and devices should be designed
and installed to prevent grease or
condensation from collecting on
walls, ceilings, and fire suppression
supply piping, and from dripping
onto food or food contact surfaces.
Make-up air intakes should be
screened (bird screen) and filtered
to prevent the entrance of dust, dirt,
insects and other contaminating
material. Where the introduction of
make-up air will cause condensation,
drafting or interfere with the
exhaust or vapor capture efficiency
of the hood, the make-up air should
be tempered. A tempered make-up
air system may be required if the
exhaust is greater than 1,500 cfm.
The installation of fire suppression system supply piping in the
unfiltered air space in exhaust hoods
should be limited to vertical runs to
minimize grease collection. Exposed
piping must be cleanable.
Hot water sanitizing dishwashing
machines should be provided with
adequate ventilation, that is sized
according to the manufacturers
specifications.
Utility Facility

At least one utility sink or curbed

cleaning facility with a floor drain
should be provided for cleaning mops
and for the disposal of mop water
or similar liquid wastes.
Storage

The dry storage space required

depends upon the menu, number of
meals, quantities purchased and
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M A N U A L
frequency of delivery. Storage rooms
should be located adjacent to food
preparation areas and convenient to
receiving.
Ideally, the storage rooms should
be free of un-insulated steam and
water pipes, water heaters, transformers, refrigeration condensing
units, steam generators or other heat
producing equipment. The area
should be well ventilated and maintained at 50F to 70F.
Shelving may be constructed of
suitably finished wood but preferably of non-corrosive metal or plastic.
Approved food containers with tight
fitting covers and scoops should be
used for storing and dispensing bulk
items or broken lots. Food containers should not be stored under
exposed or unprotected sewer lines.
Items should be spaced from walls
sufficiently and raised at least 6
inches above the floor to allow for
adequate maintenance and inspection of the facility.
Facilities should be provided to
store cleaned and sanitized utensils
and equipment above the floor to
protect them from splashing, dust,
overhead plumbing or other contamination.
Poisonous and toxic materials
should be stored in areas designated
for such use and for no other purpose, or in a storage area outside the
food, equipment and utensil storage
area. Bactericides and cleaning compounds should never be stored with
insecticides, rodenticides, or other
poisonous materials. Insecticides
and rodenticides should be kept in
their original containers.
Dressing Room and Lockers

Rooms or areas separate from

food preparation, storage or service
areas, and separate from utensil
washing or storage areas, should be
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provided if employees will routinely

change clothes within the establishment.
Lockers or other suitable storage
facilities should be located in dress-

T R A I N I N G

ing areas for employees to store

their personal belongings.

M A N U A L

able, watertight, nonabsorbent,

rodent- and insect-proof containers
with tight fitting lids. An area for
storage of these containers and facilities for their cleaning should also
be provided.

Garbage Storage

Garbage and waste grease should

be placed in durable, easily clean-

QUICK REVIEW
1. What is the proper sequence for the manual dish washing operations? ________, ________, ________, ________.
2. Bathrooms for patrons must be provided when there are 19 seats or more in the dining area. TRUE FALSE
3. Cutting boards must be sanitized at least three times a day: TRUE FALSE
4. Carbon monoxide poisoning can result from a faulty gas-fired hot water unit. TRUE FALSE
5. Equipment, including ice makers and ice storage equipment, should not be located under exposed or unprotected
sewer lines, open stairwells or other sources of contamination. TRUE FALSE
6. Bathrooms for employees must always be provided: TRUE FALSE
7. Wiping cloths must be stored in a sanitizing solution with a strength of: _______PPM
8. Between each use, cutting boards must be: ________, ________, and ________.
9. Both employees and customers can use the same bathroom even if customers have to walk through food areas to
gain access to it: TRUE FALSE
10. When manually washing dishes using hot water sanitizing method, which of the following statements are true:
A. The water must be at 170F.

B. An immersion basket is needed.

C. A burner or booster is needed to heat the water.

D. A two-compartment sink is necessary.

11. During chemical sanitization, the chemical solution must be checked by ______ ______.

OPERATING A TEMPORARY FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT: RULES AND GUIDELINES

oods must be obtained from

approved sources that comply
with all laws relating to food and
food labeling. The use of food prepared in any place that is not operated
under the jurisdiction of an appropriate regulatory agency and that does
not have a current permit or licence
to operate, if required, from that
agency,
is prohibited.

The sale of shellfish (oysters, clams

or mussels) from a pushcart or
other vehicle in any street or public
place
is prohibited.

The preparation and service of

potentially hazardous foods, including
pastries filled with cream or synthetic
cream, custards and similar products,
and salads or sandwiches containing
meat, poultry, eggs, shellfish or fish,
is prohibited unless approved by the
Department of Health. Only foods
which require limited preparation,
NEW

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CITY

such as hamburgers and frankfurters,

may
be served.

Vendors who intend to sell alcoholic beverages must obtain a

license from the New York State
Liquor
Authority.

Vendors must maintain their

establishments, and prepare and
store foods in accordance with the
New York City Health Code and
the New York State Sanitary Code.
Vendors must meet all other
requirements, conform to all other
applicable laws, obtain their
Permit or Certificate of
Registration prior to the
event, and obtain a Food
Protection Certificate, when
required.

The Permit, Certificate of

Registration, and the Food
Protection Certificate must

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OF

HEALTH

be conspicuously posted at the

Temporary Food Service
Establishment whenever it is in
operation.
Food protection:

Wash your hands before starting

work and each time after contamination including coughing, sneezing or
handling unclean items. Prepackaged
moist towelettes (containing alcohol
as a base ingredient) may be used to
cleanse hands in non-processing
establishments.

Food Protection Certificate

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T R A I N I N G

Handling of Eating Utensils

M A N U A L
pork or any food containing
pork to at least 155F for 15
seconds
ground meats to 158F for 15
seconds
other foods to at least 145F
shell eggs or food containing
shell eggs to at least 145F
rare roast beef and/or rare beef
steaks as per chart below
Reheat potentially hazardous hot
foods to at least 165F (73.9C).
Stir with sanitized utensils.
Maintain all potentially hazardous
foods at 140F (60C) or above.

Do not smoke, eat or drink while

working. Wear clean outer garments
and effective hair restraints.

Sanitize all food contact surfaces

and equipment. Chemical sanitization solution may be prepared by
mixing one tablespoon of bleach with
each gallon of cool, potable water.
Do not add soap or detergent to the
water, because they reduce the effectiveness of the solution. Rinse wiping
cloths frequently in the sanitizing
solution.

Prepare foods as close to transportation or service time as possible.

Structure and Equipment:

Wash your hands with soap and

water
after using the toilet.

Never allow hands to come in

contact with food that will not be
cooked. Use clean sanitized utensils,
deli paper, disposable gloves, etc.
Keep all foods covered or otherwise protected from outside contamination. Keep all food service
equipment, utensils, and paper
goods similarly protected from outside contamination.

Cook:
poultry to at least 165F for 15
seconds
Temperature

F (C)

Time

Use only single service dishes and

utensils for service to patrons.
Handle single service eating utensils
in a manner that prevents contamination of surfaces that come into
contact with foods.
Store all food, food service equipment, utensils, and paper goods off
the ground at all times.

130 (54)

121 Minutes

132 (56)

77 Minutes

134 (57)

47 Minutes

136 (58)

32 Minutes

139 (59)

19 Minutes

140 (60)

12 Minutes

142 (61)

8 Minutes

Do not prepare foods if you are ill

or have cuts or infections on your
hands.

144 (62)

5 Minutes

145 (63)

3 Minutes

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Maintain all potentially hazardous

cold foods at 41F (5.C) or below.

DEPAR TMENT

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Ensure that the walls, base, floor

and food contact surfaces are of sanitary construction, and made of
non-corrosive, non-rusting metals.
Surfaces must be waterproof, smooth,
readily cleanable and resistant to
dents
and scratches.

Provide proper waste receptacles.

All waste receptacles must be verminproof and provided with tight-fitting
lids.

Enclose or guard cooking and serving surfaces to provide protection

against
air-borne contamination.

Prevent accidental injury by contact with cooking devices. Shield

cooking devices against possible
contact
with patrons.

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Obtain appropriate permits for

the use of propane gas. Properly
secure propane tanks. Tanks must
be in an upright (vertical) position
and provided with a base plate anchor
as security against accidental toppling.
The connection from fuel tank to
burner must be of either a rigid
metal tube or an approved, flexible
metal tube; connections at fuel tanks
and burners must be free of leaks.

T R A I N I N G

Water requirements:

M A N U A L

Place waste water in a leak-proof

container labeled waste water with
a tight-fitting lid. Dispose of waste
water into a public system or a
sewage disposal system constructed,
maintained and operated according
to the law.

There are no sink or hot and cold

water requirements for non-processing establishments; however, make
available acceptable means of keeping
hands
clean (e.g., moist towelettes).

Provide an adequate supply of

potable (drinkable) water for food
preparation, cleaning and sanitizing
equipment, and hand washing in
processing establishments.

REQUIRED POSTINGS (SAMPLES)

The following signs, produced by the

Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, can be obtained from the
Department of Consumer Affairs, 42
Broadway, NY, NY.
Please visit on.nyc.gov/restaurantsigns
for a complete checklist of all the
required New York City signs.

*
THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER

WHEN THE VICTIM HAS COLLAPSED

AND CANNOT BE LIFTED

1 Lay the victim on his back.

2 Face the victim and kneel astride his hips.
3 With one hand on top of the other, place the heel of your bottom hand on the
abdomen slightly above the navel and below the rib cage.
4 Press into the victims abdomen with a QUICK UPWARD THRUST.
Repeat as often as necessary to dislodge food.
5 Should the victim vomit, quickly place him on his side and wipe out his
mouth to prevent vomit
from being drawn into
the throat.
6 After food is dislodged, the
victim should see a doctor.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

The victim collapses

The victim cannot speak or breathe
The victim turns blue
WHEN THE VICTIM IS
STANDING OR SITTING

THE CITY

OF NEW YORK
DEPAR TMENT OF HEALTH
AND MENTAL HYGIENE

Place the thumb side of your fist against the

victims abdomen, slightly above the navel and below
the rib cage.

3 Grasp your fist with the other hand and press your
fist into the victims abdomen with a QUICK UPWARD
THRUST. Repeat as often as necessary to dislodge food.
4 If the victim is sitting, stand behind the victims chair and
perform the maneuver in the same manner.

5 After food is dislodged, the victim should see a doctor.

NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

THE CITY COUNCIL LOCAL LAW

* Heimlich Maneuver T.M. pending

DRINKING
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
DURING PREGNANCY
CAN CAUSE
BIRTH DEFECTS

2
Design & Illustration: Laura Berkowitz & Sandra Hepp

WARNING

1 Stand behind the victim and

wrap your arms around the
victims waist.

43

Heimlich Maneuver. Post conspicuously.

NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND MENTAL HYGIENE
THE CITY COUNCIL Local Law 63

Alcohol and Pregnancy. Post conspicuously.

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M A N U A L

REQUIRED POSTINGS (SAMPLES)

The following signs can also be obtained

from the Department of Consumer Affairs, 42
Broadway, NY, NY .
Please visit on.nyc.gov/restaurantsigns for a
complete checklist of all the required New
York City signs.

Sale of cigarettes, cigars,

chewing tobacco, powdered tobacco,
bidis, herbal cigarettes,
or other tobacco products, rolling
papers or pipes to persons
under 18 years of age is

PROHIBITED BY LAW.
City of New York

MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, MAYOR

JONATHAN MINTZ

Commissioner, Department of Consumer Affairs

THOMAS R. FRIEDEN, MD, MPH

Commissioner, Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

If cigarettes are sold. Post conspicuously.

NYC Smoke-Free Air Act Local Law No. 47 of 2002

No Smoking

Resuscitation masks and latex gloves

are available at:
_____________________
_____________________

This is a smoke-free establishment.

Learn CPR. For information, contact the

American Red Cross
To report violations of the law, call 311
or visit www.nyc.gov/health

ALL EMPLOYEES MUST

For help quitting smoking, call 311

QUICK REVIEW

WASH HANDS
after using the toilet
before handling food
whenever they are soiled

1. "First Aid Choking" poster must only be displayed

conspicuously in each designated eating area:
TRUE FALSE
2. All food establishments must display an "Alcohol
and Pregnancy Warning" sign. TRUE FALSE
3. A "Wash Hands" sign must be displayed at all hand
washing sinks. TRUE FALSE

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What is Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP)?

Reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) is a procedure that

results in a reduced oxygen level in a sealed package.
The air we breathe has approximately 21% oxygen and
therefore any packaging option that results in less oxygen is classified as ROP.
Types of ROP

Types of processes considered as ROP include Cook

Chill Packaging, Sous Vide and Vacuum Packaging.
Cook-chill is a process in which cooked food is hot
filled into impermeable bags from which the oxygen
is expelled and then sealed or crimped closed.
Sous Vide is French for "under vacuum". It is a
method of cooking in which raw or partially cooked
food is placed in a hermetically sealed, impermeable
bag, and heated for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures.
Vacuum Packaging is removing air from a package
and hermetically sealing it.
What is Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP)?

Safety Concerns
The ROP does not allow the spoilage microorganisms
to grow thereby extending the shelf life of the product.
However, as a result of the reduction in oxygen, a suitable
environment may exist for certain pathogenic bacteria
such as Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes which thrive in the absence of oxygen. This can
lead to serious food borne illnesses that can be fatal.

YORK

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DEPAR TMENT

M A N U A L

Safety Guidelines

REDUCED OXYGEN PACKAGING (ROP)

NEW

T R A I N I N G

OF

In order to ensure the safety of ROP foods, multiple

barriers against the growth of pathogenic microorganisms such as C. botulinum and L. monocytogenes are
needed.
Some of the acceptable barriers include:
pH of 4.6 or below
Water activity (aw) below .85
Presence of high levels of non-pathogenic competing
microorganisms (raw meats, poultry, fermented
cheeses with live cultures, etc.)
Freezing
Enforcement and regulation

Food establishments interested in obtaining approval

for Reduced Oxygen Packaging must follow
Department of Healths regulations. These include
instructions that regulate how the food is packaged,
what equipment is used to package and cook it, what
internal temperatures the food must reach, and how it
must be rapidly chilled and stored.
A Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
plan for each food item must be submitted and approved
by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
before ROP for that food is permitted at a retail food
establishment.
For further information on Reduced Oxygen Packaging
and submission of HACCP plans, please contact the
Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation at
212-676-1600/01 or use the following link:
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf
/rii/rii-red-oxygen-packaging.pdf

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1 adult exhaled resuscitation

mask
LOCAL LAW 83

1 pediatric exhaled air resuscitation mask

CPR Regulations

2 pair of latex gloves

A sign notifying the customers

where the equipment is located

averns and restaurants that sell

food for on-premise consumption are required to have resuscitation
equipment on the premises. Resuscitation
equipment required includes:

LOCAL LAW 83

Regulation Restricting the Sale

of Tobacco Products to Minors

etail sellers of tobacco products

are prohibited from selling
tobacco products to persons under
18 years of age.

Sales may be made only to individuals who provide a drivers license

or other photographic identification issued by a government entity
or school indicating that the person
is at least 18 years of age.

To learn CPR and for more

information, contact the American
Red Cross.

No employee under the age of 18

is permitted to sell, dispense or
handle tobacco products unless
that employee is under the direct
supervision of the retailer or
another employee who is at least
18 years of age and is on the
premises.

SALE OF CIGARETTES, CIGARS,

CHEWING TOBACCO, POWDERED TOBACCO, OR
OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS
TO PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Sales of cigarettes or other tobacco products that have been

removed from packaging which
bears the health warning is prohibited.

The sign referred to above can be

obtained from the Department of
Consumer Affairs, 42 Broadway, If
you wish to post your own sign, the
law requires that the sign be printed
on a white card in red letters at least
one-half inch in height.

Retailers must post a sign in a

conspicuous place with the following statement:

LOCAL LAW 47

ocal Law 47, the New York City

Smoke-Free Air Act, was signed
into law on December 30, 2002.
The Act makes virtually all workplaces in the City of New York
smoke-free, including many places
where smoking had previously been
permitted. All work sites are
required to develop, distribute and
post their smoke-free policy, in

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posted to indicate to customers that

the resuscitation equipment is available, where it is available, and where
they can learn CPR. This information can be provided on a sign or on
the menu. The owners of the establishment or the staff are under no
obligation to use the equipment or
give medical assistance to a victim.

These masks must be certified for

use by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. A notice must be

accordance with the law, which

became effective on March 30, 2003.

New York City

Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002

M A N U A L

Why the law is needed

Tobacco use is the leading epidemic
of our time, killing more than
440,000 people nation-wide each
year. In 2002, approximately 1,000
New Yorkers died because of exposure
to second-hand smoke.
What businesses are affected?
The law, which went into effect on
March 30, 2003, made virtually all
establishments and businesses with
employees smoke-free. These include:
All office buildings, factories, and
warehouses.
DEPAR TMENT

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All private offices and previously

designated smoking lounges.
All food service establishments,
restaurants, and catering halls.
All bars, including bars in restaurants.
Membership associations.
All areas of theatres.
Banks, educational and health care
facilities, and child day care centers.
Shopping malls and retail stores
(where goods are sold or rented to
the public).
Sports arenas, roller and ice-skating
rinks, billiard parlors, bingo halls,
bowling establishments, and other
similar places.
Public transportation facilities,
reception areas, and waiting rooms.
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P R O T E C T I O N

T R A I N I N G

To comply with the new law:

Exceptions

1. Update your workplace smoking

policy to reflect the new law.

The New York City Smoke-Free

Air Act has been modified by passage
of a new State law, the New York
State Clean Indoor Air Act of 2003,
which became effective July 24, 2003.
The law voids some of the exemptions in the New York City law
passed in December 2002. The few
rare exceptions to the smoke-free policy that became effective July 24,
2003, are:

2. Talk with your customers and

employees about the law and prepare them for the changes.
3. Discuss the new law with employees including what they should do
to comply with the law:
Request any person smoking to
refrain from smoking inside the
workplace.
Refer to the law and to workplace
policy when dealing with refusals
to not smoke in the work place.
Remind them that the business or
building owner may be assessed
fines for infractions.
Request staff to report problems
directly to the management or
owner of the business, or to the
buildings management.
4. Post no smoking signs at all
entrances as required including
bathrooms, stairwells on each floor,
bulletin boards, and other prominent places.
NYC Smoke-Free Air Act Local Law No. 47 of 2002

No Smoking
This is a smoke-free establishment.

To report violations of the law, call 311

or visit www.nyc.gov/health

For help quitting smoking, call 311

5. Remove all ashtrays from the

premises as required.
6. Contact the NYC Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene for
additional information, to register a
complaint, and for compliance support at 3-1-1. In addition, the
Departments website at
nyc.gov/health will be updated
with the most current information.

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Tobacco bars that were in existence

on December 31, 2001, that sells
or rent tobacco products and
devices, and that derive 10% or
more of their income from these
sales or rentals;
Non-profit membership associations with no employees.
The above facilities must apply for
an exemption and register with the
New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene.
In any restaurant, smoking is limited to 25% of seating in a single
outdoor dining area. An outdoor
dining area is defined as one with
no roof, overhang, or other ceiling
enclosure.
Residential and certain day treatment health care facilities may provide smoking rooms for some
patients.
Hotel rooms that specifically allow
for smoking (not public areas such
as lobbies, meeting rooms, bars and
restaurants).
Retail tobacco stores devoted primarily to the sale of tobacco products; sale of other items account for
less than 50% of total annual gross
sales.
Tobacco promotional events (with
specific parameters).

DEPAR TMENT

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M A N U A L

Under the New York City SmokeFree Air Act of 2002, previous exceptions for owner operated bars and
separate smoking rooms in bars are
no longer permitted due to restrictions in the State Clean Indoor Air
Act.
Remember: This law does not
apply to private homes. For a more
detailed explanation of exceptions,
registration, and regulation requirements, visit the Departments website
at nyc.gov/health.
Penalties
Each violation will be subject to
fines.
First violation: Civil penalties of not
less than $200 and not more than
$400.
Second violation (within 12 months
of the first violation): Civil penalties
of not less than $500 and not more
than $1,000.
Third or subsequent violation
(within 12 months of the first violation): Civil penalties of not less than
$1,000 and not more than $2,000.
The New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene may suspend or revoke the permit of an
establishment that is found in violation of the law on three separate occasions within a 12-month period.
Enforcement
The New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygienes Bureau
of Food Safety and Community
Sanitation is responsible for enforcement of the law as part of its current
inspection operations. Inspections
may also be performed in response to
complaints. Enforcement began on
March 30, 2003, when the law went
into effect. You can register complaints by calling 311.

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T R A I N I N G

M A N U A L

Service of food shall be considered

incidental if the food generates less
than 40% of total annual gross sales.

LOCAL LAW 67

Cigarette license number

Expiration date of license number
License holders name
Place of business
Phone number

Taverns that operate a cigarette

vending machine must ensure that
the vending machine:

Tobacco Vending Machine

Regulations

istribution of tobacco products

through vending machines is
prohibited in all food service establishments except taverns. Also
known as bars, a tavern is an
establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold and served for on site
consumption and in which the service of food, if served at all is incidental to the sale of such beverages.

Have a third sign which states

that the sale of cigarettes to
minors is prohibited. The sign
must be in red lettering on a
white card. It must be displayed
conspicuously. This sign is
available free of charge at the
Department of Consumer
Affairs 42 Broadway, NYC.

Be placed at least 25 feet from

any entrance to the premises
and directly visible by the
owner or his employee.
Have a sign affixed to it, which
is visible to the public, which
identifies the wholesale or retail
dealers:

NYC HEALTH CODE EXTRACTS

gifts, gratuities, benefits, favors or bribes, or any other thing of value

to an employee of the Department in the course of the performance
of duty by such employee.

Section 566 of the Charter provides for right of entry of officers of the
Department. See also, section 3.01 and the annotations thereto, particularly Frank v. Maryland, 79 S. Ct.804 (1959), District of Columbia v.
Little, 339 U.S. 1, 70 S. Ct. 468, 94 L. Ed. 599 (1950) and People v.
Maddeus, 5 A.D. 2d 886, 172 N.Y.S. 2d 607 (2d Dept. 1958) affd
without opinion 4 N.Y. 2d 1003, 177 N.Y.S. 2d 517 (1958). For a
case interpreting S.C. 186, see People v. Strudled, 96 Misc. 650, 161
N.Y.S. 1105 (Gen. Sess. 1916).

3.1 5 Interfering with or obstructing Department

personnel; gifts, gratuities and bribes.

5.17 Suspension and revocation by Board or

Commissioner.

(a) No person shall interfere with or obstruct

Department personnel in carrying out an inspection,
survey or examination or in the performance of any
other duty for the Department or Board.

(b) The Board may suspend or revoke any permit for

willful or continued violation of this Code or for such
other reason as the Board determines is sufficient
grounds for suspension or revocation.

(b) No person shall give or offer a gift, gratuity, benefit, favor or bribe, including but not limited to money,
food, and drink, to an employee or agent of the
Department engaged in carrying out an inspection, survey or examination or in the performance of any other
duty for the Department or Board.

(b) When, pursuant to this Code, a permit is issued

by the Commissioner, he may suspend or revoke such
permit for willful or continued violation of this Code or
for such other reason as he determines is sufficient
grounds for suspension or revocation.

he following sections, extracted from the New York

City Health Code, are presented here because they
related specifically to permit suspension, revocation and
the inspection process.

Notes:
This section is derived from S.C. 186. The section has been
expanded to include interference with or obstruction of any
Department personnel during the performance of any duty for the
Department or Board.
The section heading was amended and subsection (b) was added
on October 6, 1992 to specifically prohibit the giving or offering of

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DEPAR TMENT

(c) When, pursuant to this Code, a permit is issued by

the Commissioner, he or she may suspend or revoke such
permit for the giving or offering to an employee or agent
of the Department engaged in carrying out an inspection, survey or examination or in the performance of any
other duty for the Department or Board, a gift, gratuity,
benefit, favor or bribe, including but not limited to
money, food, or drink.
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(d) (1) When a permit is issued by the Commissioner

pursuant to this Code, he or she may suspend such permit for failing to answer or appear for a hearing, or
respond to a finding or notice of violation or order
issued by the Department and answerable to the
Administrative Tribunal established by Article 7, or any
other tribunal having jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate violations of this Code.
(2) A permit suspended pursuant to subdivision (1)
hereof shall remain suspended unless and until the
default is vacated or the penalty imposed if any is satisfied. The action of the Commissioner suspending a permit pursuant to this subsection shall not be stayed
upon the filing of an appeal in accordance with Section
5.21 of this Code.
(e) All permits revoked pursuant to this section shall
be surrendered forthwith to the Department.
Notes:
This section is derived from S.C. 191(e). The first clause of that
section, ~Notwithstanding any other provision of the Sanitary Code
or any of the regulations thereunder has been omitted as unnecessary.

T R A I N I N G

M A N U A L

Authority to delegate to the Commissioner the power to issue permits, by way of Code provision, is expressly contained in Charter
561 which provides in part: ~Whenever the board of health in the
sanitary code authorizes the issuance, suspension or revocation of a
permit by the commissioner, his action shall be subject of review by
the board of health upon an appeal by the party aggrieved under such
rules as it may provide. Sections 5.17 through 5.21 constitute such
rules. The same section of the Charter expressly authorizes the Board,
. . . in its discretion [to] grant, suspend or revoke permits for businesses or other matters in respect to any subject regulated by the
department. Note that the Charter 558(c) empowers the Board to
. . . embrace in the sanitary code all matters and subjects to which
the power and authority of the department extends, not limiting their
application to the subject of health only. On the power to regulate
by way of license and the imposition of a license fee, see Smart v. City
of Albany, 146 Misc. 60, 260 N.Y.S. 579 (Sup. Ct. 1932).
Subsection (c) was relettered to subsection (d) and new subsection
(c) was adopted on June 26, 1990 to authorize the Commissioner to
suspend a permit when the person or entity holding the permit fails
to respond for a hearing.
New subsection (c) was added and subsections (c) and (d) were
relettered to subsections (d) and (e) on October 6,1992 to clearly
establish as a ground for revocation or suspension of a permit the
giving or offering of gifts, gratuities, benefits, favors or bribes, or any
other thing of value to an employee of the Department in the course
of the performance of duty by such.

QUICK REVIEW
1. Smoking may be permitted only at the bars. TRUE FALSE
2. "No Smoking" signs must be posted at all smoke free areas. TRUE FALSE
3. Ashtrays are permitted on dining tables as long as "No Smoking" signs are conspicuously displayed.

TRUE FALSE

4. Tobacco vending machines are prohibited in all food service establishments except taverns or bars. TRUE FALSE
5. Any food service establishment that allows on-site consumption of food must provide a cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) kit in case of an emergency. TRUE FALSE

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FOOD DEFENSE STRATEGIES

Prepared by New York State Department of Health: A Self-Assessment Guide

for Food Service Operators
Why Should I be concerned
about Food Defense?

The retail food establishment is

the front line in protecting our food
supply. Thousands of people stop
every day to have a snack, a drink
or a full meal at a restaurant. There
are countless opportunities to tamper with food.
What can I do about it?

Even a small incident can bankrupt a food establishment. Take the

time to perform this self-assessment
of your operation. It can help you
lower your risk of being a target and
also can improve your work practices.
Why do a self-assessment?

A self-assessment will take less than

an hour and will provide you with a
valuable snapshot of your operation.
Self-Assessment is a powerful management tool. By examining your
operation, you may find ways to
improve not just security and safety,
but general work practice.
How do I do a Self-Assessment?

There are three basic steps to selfassessment:

1) Document your operation. Write
down what you do and how you do
it. To find out what is really happening, ask your employees to describe
in detail how they do each task. Use
the checklist at the end as a guide.
2) Compare your systems to recommended practices or standards.
This chapter provides information on
food safety and security practices. Note
areas where you can make changes.
3) Get help where you need it.
Consult experts, including your
local health department, vendors
and your police department, for

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advice on how to best address your

specific safety and security issues.
YOUR FACILITY

Unrestricted access to your operation makes it an easy target for food

tampering or other terrorist activity.
Key Points
Restrict customers to public areas
only.
Limit facility access to employees
and contractors only.
Security Strategies

Property Security. This could

include any of the following:
Do a walk-through inspection of
your facility and storage areas daily.
Provide outside lighting. Make it
difficult for someone to approach
your facility without being seen.
Request regular police patrols.
Provide fences or other barriers
around your property.
Provide surveillance. An alarm
system or video surveillance system is expensive. If there has
been a problem with building
security in the past, however, it
may be a wise investment.
Building Security
Close and lock service doors,
except during deliveries
Discourage loitering.
Restrict key access to trusted
employees. Know who has keys at
all times.
YOUR EMPLOYEES

Your employees and their training

are vital to food safety and security
Key Points
Do employee background checks
and verify information given.

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Train employees to recognize

security risks and report them to
management.
Ensure each shift manager knows
what to do if an incident occurs.
Security Strategies

New Employees Perform complete background checks on all

potential employees. Verify references, phone numbers and information on immigration status and
criminal record.
Actively supervise new employees
to ensure that they learn and follow
established procedures.
All Employees. Keeping experienced employees is an excellent
security strategy. In addition to
establishing mutual trust, your
employees will perform at a higher
level of skill.
Train all employees to recognize
food safety and security threats,
including food tampering. Train
employees to report problems to
a supervisor immediately.
Limit employee access to areas
needed for their job functions.
Keep a roster of all employees
expected on each shift and discourage off-duty employees from
loitering.
Keep personal items out of the
work and storage areas. Have a
separate place to store personal
belongings.
YOUR PRODUCTS

The products you buy and how

you store and use them are critical
in protecting your business.
Key Points
Know who delivers to your facility
and what they deliver.
Have someone available to accept
all deliveries.
Store food and non-food items
separately and secure all products.

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Security Strategies

Receiving
Purchase food products from
known vendors.
Ask for identification from
unknown delivery people.
Schedule deliveries to arrive only
when staff is present.
Inspect all items for damage upon
delivery and check against your
invoices.
Take temperatures of chilled foods
before accepting. Dont accept
refrigerated deliveries over 41F.
Do not allow food to sit in the
receiving area. Store food as soon as
possible in the designated location.
Storage
Store food and non-food items
separately. Keep all items securely.
Lock all storage areas, including
outside storage, when unattended.
Know the types of chemicals you
have on hand and dispose of
chemicals no longer used.
Secure chemical storage areas.

YOUR FOOD PREPARATION STEPS

Food preparation practices can

lower your risk of problems
Key Points
Examine ingredients before using
them. Dont use a food that has
an unusual look or smell.
Develop a routine for all tasks.
When food is prepared the same
way every time, it is easier to
know if something is not right.
Security Strategies

Food Preparation
Inspect cans and packages for
damage prior to using.
Examine ingredients before use
and dont use a food that has an
unusual look or smell.
Establish standardized procedures
for food preparation and train
employees in these procedures.

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Routinely check that those procedures are followed.

Cook foods thoroughly to destroy
food pathogens.
Use a calibrated probe thermometer
to check temperature every time.
Strictly enforce no bare hand
policies (use of gloves and tongs)
with ready-to-eat foods.

Food Holding
Know safe temperatures for hot
and cold holding and check temperatures often.
Hold hot food above 140F.
Cold holding units, such as sandwich prep units, should keep
products below 41F. Keep lids
and doors closed.
Limit hot holding unit access to
preparation and service staff.

YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AREA

Control of the service area prevents

product tampering
Key Points
Place self-service stations, such as
salad bars and buffets, in areas where
staff can easily supervise them.
Beware of anyone lingering in the
self-service area.

Rotate foods such as croutons or

condiments regularly.
YOUR CLEANING PRACTICES

One of the best defenses against

foodborne illness is your cleaning
and sanitizing routine.
Key Points
Follow instructions on using equipment and cleaners exactly. Improper
use can lessen the cleaning effect.
Clean and sanitize as often as possible.
Security Strategies

Security Strategies

Customers.
Keep customers out of food
preparation areas.
Do not discuss your security measures with anyone.
Be aware of anyone lingering in selfservice areas or anyone who seems
overly interested in your operations.
Be alert for packages and bags left
unattended.

M A N U A L

Cleaning
Use only chemicals approved for
use in a food establishment.
Follow directions for cleaners and
sanitizers exactly. Too little or too
much detergent or sanitizer can
actually be less effective! Ask your
supplier for advice.
Clean and sanitize equipment
and work areas after each use.
To ensure proper sanitizing,
check water temperature or sanitizer concentration frequently.
Chemical Storage
Store chemicals away from food
preparation areas.
Secure chemical storage areas at all
times.
Use cleaners and sanitizers according
to manufacturers recommendations.
Discard old chemicals as instructed on the label.

The Food Defense Assessment

Checklist is available at:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/environ/
food/docs/food_defense_strategies.pdf

Self-Service Areas
Place self-service areas like salad
bars where staff can watch them.
Put out only as much food as you
need.
Replace food containers when
replenishing salad bars or buffets.
Dont add new food to old containers.

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TRANS FAT
WHAT EVERY RESTAURANT AND FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT NEEDS TO KNOW

rans fat in food raises a person's "bad" cholesterol (LDL)

and lowers "good" cholesterol (HDL),
increasing the risk of heart disease.
Today's consumers are increasingly
looking for a healthy alternative on
the menu. Taking artificial trans fat
out of your kitchen is one important
way to serve your customers and
your business.
What is Trans Fat?

A small amount of trans fat in

our diet is naturally occurring but
the largest source of trans fat is artificially made. Artificial trans fat is
made when hydrogen is added to
vegetable oil. These oils are called
"partially hydrogenated." Any food
made with partially hydrogenated
oil contains trans fat.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

= Trans Fat =
= Heart Disease Risk

What Ingredients Contain

Trans Fat?

Restaurants commonly cook and

fry with partially hydrogenated oils.
Other common restaurant ingredients
that contain artificial trans fat are vegetable shortenings and margarines.

All these products are available

without trans fat (made without partially hydrogenated vegetable oil).
Spot the Hidden Trans Fat in
Your Kitchen

You won't know if you are serving

trans fat unless you check for the
words "partially hydrogenated" on the
ingredients list on all packaging; avoid
using these products! Here's a sample
ingredient list:

What Restaurant Foods

Commonly Contain Trans Fat?

Fried and pre-fried foods: French

fries, fried chicken, chicken
nuggets, fish fillets, tortilla chips,
taco shells and donuts.
Baked goods: Hamburger buns,
crackers, cookies, pizza dough,
cakes, pies and pastries.
Premixed ingredients: Pancake mix,
hot chocolate, salad dressing, croutons and breadcrumbs.

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The FDA now requires that

Nutrition Facts panels on all packaged foods sold to consumers must
list trans fat content. However,
foods sold only to restaurants are
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dients list on all products. Some

packaged foods may list 0 grams of
trans fat on their Nutrition Facts
panel, but also list partially hydrogenated oil in their ingredient list.
Companies can say a food is "0
grams trans fat" if it contains less
than 1/2 a gram per serving. If partially hydrogenated oil is on the
label, the food is not trans fat free.
Clear Your Kitchen of Trans Fat

Change your oils and switch to a

cooking oil that is not hydrogenated and avoid shortening or
hard vegetable oil.
Instead of stick margarine or butter, choose soft tub spreads with
saturated and no trans fat.
Buy prepared foods with no trans
fat! Ask your food suppliers for
baked products, pre-fried and
packaged foods that are made
without partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil.
The City's Trans Fat Regulations

New York City's Health Code

amendment phases out the use of
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artificial trans fat in all food service
establishments required to hold a
New York City Health Department
permit, including restaurants, caterers, mobile food-vending units, and
mobile food commissaries:
Beginning July 1, 2008
1. No food containing partially
hydrogenated vegetable oils,
shortenings, or margarines with
0.5 grams or more trans fat per
serving may be stored, used or
served by food service establishments. The regulation does not
apply to food served in the manufacturer's original, sealed package, such as a bag of potato chips.

You will need to save the label for

any oils, shortenings, or margarines
used for frying, pan-frying (sauting),
or grilling, or as a spread, until the
product is completely used. Labels
may be kept on the product container, photocopied, or kept separately.
III. You will need to save the
label for any oils, shortenings, or
margarines used for frying, pan-frying
(sauting), or grilling, or as a spread,
until the product is completely
used. Labels may be kept on the
product container, photocopied, or
kept separately.

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of these terms appear, you may

use the product. If any of these
terms are listed, go to Step 2 to
see if the product contains too
much trans fat.
Step 2. Check the Nutrition
Facts panel for trans fat content.
If the panel says the product has
0 grams of trans fat, or less than
0.5 grams of trans fat per serving,
you may use the product. If the
Nutrition Facts panel says the
product has 0.5 grams or more
trans fat, you may not use the
product. If there is no Nutrition
Facts panel on the product, go to
Step 3.
Step 3. If there is no Nutrition
Facts panel, ask your supplier to
provide a letter from the manufacturer listing the product's
ingredients. If the ingredients list
contains the words "partially
hydrogenated," "shortening," or
"margarine," the letter must also
include information on the

M A N U A L

amount of trans fat in each serving. As in Step 2, if the product

has 0 grams of trans fat, or less
than 0.5 grams of trans fat per
serving, you may use it. The letter should be on the manufacturer's letterhead and show the manufacturer's name and address.
Keep the letter at your food service establishment, available for
review by a NYC DOHMH
inspector.
Also beginning July 1, 2008,
when the regulation takes full
effect, you will need to save the
label for any food containing oils,
shortenings, or margarines, regardless of how you use the product.
For instance, if you are frying
frozen French fries, you should save
the label for both the frying oil and
the French fries until both have
been completely used.
When buying containers of oil
that are shipped in a box, the containers may not have labels but the
box should. Save the ingredients
label and the Nutrition Facts panel
from the box along with the product's brand name and common
name, until the product has been
completely used. These labels
should be available for review by a
Health Department inspector.

How do I tell if a particular product is allowed under the regulation?

Step 1: Look at the package label
or ingredients list to see if "partially hydrogenated," "shortening,"
or "margarine" are listed. If none

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Switching To "0 grams" Trans Fat Products...

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What Your Establishment Needs to Know about

New York City Health Code Section 81.50 requires

covered food service establishments (FSEs) that hold
New York City Health Department permits to post
calorie information prominently on menu boards and
menus. Covered FSEs, including mobile food vending
units, within New York City must post calorie information prominently on menus and menu boards. The
requirement applies to FSEs that:
Are required to hold a New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH)
permit.
Belong to a group of 15 or more FSEs that operate
under common ownership or are individually franchised, whether locally or nationally, or do business
under the same name.
Offer substantially the same menu items, in servings
that are standardized for portion size and content.

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A Food Service Establishment subject to this regulation

must post calorie information on:

Posting Calories on Menus and Menu Boards

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All menu boards and menus.

Item tagsfood items displayed for sale with food
item tags.
Any other list or pictorial display of a food item or
items and price(s) posted and visible within the food
service establishment.
Menu boards or adjacent stanchions at or prior to the
point of ordering for drive-through window.
This requirement does not apply to menu items that are
listed on a menu or menu board for less than 30 days in a
calendar year.
For additional information please call 311 or go to
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/cdp/cal
orie_compliance_guide.pdf

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Workers are wearing slip resistant

shoes.

WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH

mployers of food service establishments not only have a

responsibility to safeguard public
health, but also responsibility to
provide a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. Under
the U.S. Occupational Health and
Safety Administration (OSHA),
employers must also provide their
employees with a workplace free
from recognized hazards causing or
likely to cause death or serious
physical harm.
Health and safety hazards and
risks for workers may be found
throughout food establishments, especially in the the kitchen. Some of the
most common injuries to restaurant
workers are:
Muscle strains, sprains and
tears from slips, trips and falls;
overexertion in lifting; repetitive
motions; reaching and twisting.
Cuts and lacerations from
knives; food and beverage processing machinery such as slicers,
grinders and mixers; and broken
glass.
Burns and scalds from hot liquids; hot oils and grease; heating
and cooking equipment such as
ovens and grills; hot pots and trays;
and steam.
Controlling Hazards

How can you prevent injuries

among your workers?
1) Training
One of the least expensive and most
essential ways of preventing workrelated injuries is through training.
Every new employee should receive
an orientation and be trained in
health and safety policies and procedures. Additionally, training your
workers on a regular basis ensures

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that new hazardous conditions or

other safety problems are reported
and discussed. Be sure to get input
from your workers on how to resolve
problems. Workers often come up
with the best ideas on injury prevention!
The majority of food service
workers in New York City are foreignborn. Written materials on safety
rules and policies should be available
in languages understood by your staff.
Check with the DOHMH Restaurant
Worker Health & Safety project for
available educational materials (212788-4290).
2) Check Your Workplace
Use the Restaurant Safety
Checklist to do a quick assessment
of your safety program facility for
areas needing improvement. The
checklist below can be used to audit
your workplace on a daily or weekly
basis. A more comprehensive checklist tool for more periodic audits is
available through the DOHMH
Restaurant Worker Health and
Safety program. Auditing your
workplace helps to document corrective actions needed, identify
responsible parties, and track
expected remediation date and verification of action taken. The tool
should be used annually or as often
as necessary.
Slips, trips, and falls
Pathways/exits are free of trip
hazards.
Pathways and exits should be
marked, well lit and have mirrors
on the blind corners.
Spills are cleaned up immediately.
Floors around fryer and grill are
kept free of grease.
Floors around dishwasher are
kept clean and dry.
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Cuts and lacerations

Guards are used on meat slicers,
bread/bagel slicers, mixers, etc.
Workers who use electrical
machinery keep long hair tied
back and remove loose jewelry
and rings.
Knives are out of the sink and in
a designated drawer or rack.
Tamps, push sticks, or other tools
are used to feed or remove food from
grinders, slicers, and choppers.
Burns
Pot holders, mitts, and gloves are
used to handle hot items
Pot handles and cooking utensils
are turned away from edges of
counters or stove fronts.
Heated oil is never left unattended and is cooled before handling.
Workers get assistance when moving
heavy or large pots of hot liquid.
Electrocutions and fires
Damaged electrical cords, broken
plugs, and broken equipment are
taken out of service. Grill exhaust
filters are cleaned daily.
Portable fire extinguishers are
fully charged, in operating condition and available in the kitchen
and public assembly space.
Muscle strains and sprains
Workers use safe lifting techniques
and get assistance for awkward or
heavy items.
Rubber floor mats are in place and
cleaned daily.
Get help whenever lifting heavy
objects.
3) Implement Solutions
Dont wait until the next accident,
injury incident to take action! Once
youve assessed your workplace,
identify the steps needed to correct
the problem. See some possible
solutions for common restaurant
hazards in the following table.
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INJURY

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HAZARDS

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M A N U A L

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Sprains and Strains

Lifting heavy loads

Awkward reaches
Repetitive movements

Provide smaller bus pans and trays. Use hand trucks to assist with lifting. Train
workers on safe lifting methods. Lift heavy items only when necessary. Get assistance
in lifting heavy items. Store heavy items on lower shelves. Use ladder and footstools
instead of reaching. Rotate tasks that require the same motion over & over.

Slip, Trip and

Fall Injuries

Wet floors; grease spills.

Reduced vision when carrying
sacks or large boxes on stairs
Cluttered walkways, storage areas

Mop up spills promptly. Make sure workers wear correct shoes with slip resistant
soles. Provide rubber mats in non-greasy areas (dish washing). Ensure mats remain
clean and in place. Use no-skid waxes and floor surfaces coated with grit. Make sure
stairways are well lit. Place brightly colored hazard tape on top and bottom step.

Cuts and Lacerations

Knife cuts
Faulty machinery
Broken glass

Keep knives sharp, store knives properly. Provide the proper knives for the specific task and train workers on having the right knife for the job. Inspect regularly to
make sure safety devices, such as guards, are in working order

Burns and Scalds

Splattered oil
Hot pots and pans
Steam
Grease/electrical fires

Make sure food is dry when placed in hot oil. Workers should wear chef jackets
(long sleeved) to protect their upper bodies. Wait till oil in deep fryers is cool before handling or transferring. Provide oven mitts, dry towels to handle hot equipment.
Open lids on hot pots away from body. Keep handles pointed away from stove
edge. Install fire suppression system in kitchen. Ensure vent hoods and grease
traps are regularly cleaned. Replace frayed/faulty electrical cords and plugs.

Workplace Violence

Dealing with irate customers

Robberies
Domestic violence towards staff
Violence between customers

Keep cash register funds to a minimum. Vary the time of day that the register is
emptied. Count cash in a secure room. Provide training so that workers can
defuse potential violence. Develop plan and train workers on dealing with hostile
customers. Coordinate with local police precinct.

Transportation
Incidents

Motor vehicle injuries

Car accidents; Runover

Equip bicycle with reflectors and bell. Wear safety gear (reflective vest, helmet).
Back up mirror for delivery trucks. Do not use cell phone while riding/driving.

Exposures to
harmful substances

Pesticides
Cleaners
Refrigerants
Infectious materials (blood from
cuts & needles, etc.)ed

Label all hazardous substances. Store separately. Use only the amount necessary
to get the job done. Ensure good ventilation when using cleaners. Install carbon
monoxide alarm near heating and cooking equipment and carbon dioxide monitors
in areas where dry ice or CO2 gas tanks will be used. Train workers on avoiding
exposure and using personal protective equipment.

Bike Safety for Delivery Workers

Bicycle delivery workers face a serious risk of injury or death. Between
1996 and 2005, 225 bicyclists died
in crashes. Nearly all bicyclist fatalities occurred as a result of crashes
with motor vehicles and most
crashes occurred at or near intersections. Nearly all bicyclists who died
(97%) were not wearing a helmet.

Helmet that meets city safety

standards
Lamp
Bell
Brakes
Reflectors

See the brochures below for more

information on how to keep yourself
and your employees safe.

The Law
City laws require businesses to supply their bicycle delivery workers
with helmets and other safety
devices. The laws also require that
commercial bike riders wear the
helmets while cycling on the job.
Employers must provide each bicycle delivery worker with:
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EMPLOYERS: READ THESE TIPS AND POST FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES TO READ TOO.

EVERY RESTAURANT CAN ACHIEVE AN

Avoid Common Sanitary Violations
Follow the steps below to practice A-grade food safety
and keep your customers safe from food-borne illness.
Avoid the most commonly cited violations and improve
your chances to achieve an A.
Be sure employees are trained in basic food
safety and supervised by someone who has
a food protection certificate.

Protect food from contamination during storage,

preparation, transportation and display.

Arrange work schedules so that a supervisor with a food

protection certificate is on duty whenever your restaurant
is receiving or preparing food, or is open to the public.

Keep food separated by temperature and type.

Avoid cross-contamination by separating potentially
hazardous foods (like raw poultry) from ready-to-eat
items (like salad mix).

Train supervisors to use the Self-Inspection Worksheet to

regularly evaluate and improve the restaurants condition
and employees food safety practices.
Provide food safety training for all employees who handle
food.

Hold food at the proper temperature.

Review Health Department rules for temperatureholding requirements.
Be sure equipment used to hold hot and cold food is
working properly.
Use thermometers to monitor the temperature of foods
in hot or cold storage.
Track food taken from hot or cold storage, and record
how long it is out.

Control conditions that promote pests.

Seal all cracks, crevices and holes in walls, cabinets and
doors to prevent rodents, cockroaches and flies from
entering.
Install rodent-proof door sweeps on outside doors.

Keep food covered until served.

Maintain all food surfaces.

Clean and sanitize all food-preparation surfaces after
each use; remove caked-on food.
Repair or replace deeply-grooved cutting boards
and chipped or broken surfaces so they can be
properly sanitized.

Maintain all non-food surfaces.

Review Health Department rules on acceptable
materials; surfaces should be smooth and cleanable.
Keep all surfaces clean.

Maintain all plumbing and check it frequently.

Monitor all plumbing fixtures and make needed
repairs immediately.
Be sure plumbing is fitted with approved devices
(valves, anti-siphonage pieces, vacuum breakers)
to prevent backflow.
Clean and maintain grease traps.

Store food and garbage in pest-proof containers.

Clean grease, oil and food particles from all surfaces and
equipment, including the floor underneath.

Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor

Keep range hoods clean and grease-free.

Contract with a pest control professional licensed to work
in restaurants.

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Thomas Farley, M.D., M.P.H.

Commissioner

March 2012

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Form 198E Food Establishment Inspection Report

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Rev Dec. 2010

Form D

Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation

SELF-INSPECTION WORKSHEET FOR FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS
PART ONE - SCORED VIOLATIONS
CONDITIONS
C R I T I C A L V I O L AT I O N S

SCORE

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3B* Shellfish not from approved source, improperly tagged/labeled; tags not retained for 90 days.

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3C* Eggs found dirty/cracked; liquid, frozen or powdered eggs not pasteurized.

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F O O D T E M P E R AT U R E
2A* Food not cooked to required minimum temperature:

2B*
2C
2D
2E
2F
2G*
2H*
2I
2J*

Poultry, meat stuffing, stuffed meats

> 165F for 15 seconds
Ground meat and food containing ground meat
> 158F for 15 seconds
Pork, any food containing pork
> 155F for 15 seconds
Rare roast beef, rare beefsteak except per individual > required temperature and time
customer request
All other foods except shell eggs per individual
> 145F for 15 seconds
customer request
Hot food item not held at or above 140F.
Hot food item that has been cooked and refrigerated is being held for service without first
being reheated to 165F or above within 2 hours.
Precooked potentially hazardous food from commercial food processing establishment that
is supposed to be heated, but is not heated to 140F within 2 hours.
Whole frozen poultry or poultry breasts, other than a single portion, is being cooked
frozen or partially thawed.
Meat, fish or molluscan shellfish served raw or undercooked without prior notification to
customer.
Cold food item held above 41F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods
above 38F) except during necessary preparation.
Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from
140 F to 70 F or less within 2 hours, and from 70F to 41F or less within 4 additional hours.
Food prepared from ingredients at ambient temperature not cooled to 41F or below within 4 hours.
Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) foods not cooled by an approved method whereby the
internal food temperature is reduced to 38F within two hours of cooking and if necessary
further cooled to a temperature of 34F within six hours of reaching 38F.

FOOD SOURCE
3A* Food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP)

fish not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site.

3D* Canned food product observed swollen, leaking or rusted, and not segregated from other

consumable food items.

3E* Potable water supply inadequate. Water or ice not potable or from unapproved source.
Cross connection in potable water supply system observed.
3F* Unpasteurized milk or milk product present.

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3G Raw food not properly washed prior to serving.

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FOOD PROTECTION
4A

Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

4B* Food worker prepares food or handles utensil when ill with a disease transmissible by food,

or has exposed infected cut or burn on hand.

4C* Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that

will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

4D*

Food worker does not wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, coughing, sneezing,
smoking, eating, preparing raw foods or otherwise contaminating hands.

4E* Toxic chemical improperly labeled, stored or used such that food contamination may occur.
4F* Food, food preparation area, food storage area, area used by employees or patrons

contaminated by sewage or liquid waste.

4G* Unprotected potentially hazardous food re-served.
4H* Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated or

not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.

4I

Unprotected food re-served.

* Public Health Hazards (PHH) must be corrected immediately

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+ Pre-permit Serious (PPS) Violations that must be corrected before permit is issued

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4J

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Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to

evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

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28

5A* Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.

10

28

5B* Harmful, noxious gas or vapor detected. CO > 13 ppm.

10

28

5C+ Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.

10

28

10

28

10

28

10

28

5G+ Properly enclosed service/maintenance area not provided. (Mobile Food Commissary)

10

28

5H+ No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.

10

28

10

28

4K Evidence of rats or live rats present in facilitys food and/or non-food areas.
4L

Evidence of mice or live mice present in facilitys food and/or non-food areas.

4M Live roaches present in facilitys food and/or non-food areas.

4N Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facilitys food and/or

non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and
flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
4O Live animals other than fish in tank or service animal present in facilitys food and/or nonfood areas.

FA C I L I T Y D E S I G N

5D+ Hand-washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and

cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at
facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
5E+ Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required.
5F+ Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods

at required temperatures.

5I+ Refrigeration used to implement HACCP plan not equipped with an electronic system that

continuously monitors time and temperature.

PERSONAL HYGIENE & OTHER FOOD PROTECTION
6A

Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective
hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

6B

Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or
dishwashing area observed.

6C Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation,

transportation, display or service.

6D Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed or sanitized after each use and following
any activity when contamination may have occurred.
6E

Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food-dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

6F

Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

6G* HACCP plan not approved or approved HACCP plan not maintained on premises.

10

28

6H Records and logs not maintained to demonstrate that HACCP plan has been properly implemented.

28

10

28

28

6I

Food not labeled in accordance with HACCP plan.

OTHER CRITICALS
7A

Duties of an officer of the Department interfered with or obstructed.

C R I T I C A L V I O L AT I O N S T O TA L :

CONDITIONS
G E N E R A L V I O L AT I O N S

SCORE

ll

lll

lV

28

VERMIN / GARBAGE
8A

Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to

the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Covered garbage receptacle not provided or inadequate, except that garbage receptacle may
be uncovered during active use. Garbage storage area not properly constructed or
maintained; grinder or compactor dirty.
8C Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical
used/stored. Open bait station used.
8B

FOOD SOURCE
9A

Canned food product observed dented and not segregated from other consumable food items.

9B

Thawing procedures improper.

9C Food contact surface not properly maintained.

* Public Health Hazards (PHH) must be corrected immediately

NEW

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DEPAR TMENT

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10A Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

28

contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced
or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
10G Food service operation occurring in room used as living or sleeping quarters.

10H Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

10I Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

10J Wash hands sign not posted at hand-wash facility.

28

10B Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device

not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal
system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
10C Lighting inadequate; permanent lighting not provided in food preparation areas, ware washing
areas, and storage rooms.
10D Mechanical or natural ventilation system not provided, improperly installed, in disrepair and/or fails
to prevent excessive build-up of grease, heat, steam condensation vapors, odors, smoke and fumes.
10E Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.
10F Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food

OTHER GENERALS
99B Other general.

G E N E R A L V I O L AT I O N S T O TA L :
C R I T I C A L A N D G E N E R A L C O M B I N E D T O TA L :

PART TWO - UNSCORED VIOLATIONS

CONDITION OBSERVED
NO
YES

DISTRIBUTION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS THROUGH VENDING MACHINES

15A Tobacco vending machine present where prohibited.
15B Tobacco vending machine placed less than 25 feet from entrance to premises.
15C Tobacco vending machine not visible to the operator, employee or agent.
15D Durable sign with license number, expiration date, address and phone number not posted.

T O B A C C O P R O D U C T R E G U L AT I O N A C T
15E Out-of-package sale of tobacco products observed.
15F Employee under the age of 18 selling tobacco products without direct supervision of an adult retail dealer

or dealer.
15G Sale to minor observed.
15H Sign prohibiting sale of tobacco products to minors not conspicuously posted.

SMOKE-FREE AIR ACT

15I No Smoking and/or Smoking Permitted sign not conspicuously posted. Health warning not present on

Smoking Permitted.
15J Ashtray present in smoke-free area.
15K Operator failed to make good faith effort to inform smokers of the Smoke-Free Air Act prohibition of

smoking.
15L Smoke free workplace smoking policy inadequate, not posted, not provided to employees.
15M Use of tobacco product on school premises (at or below the 12th grade level) observed.
15N Smoking permitted and/or allowed in smoking prohibited area under the operators control.

SALE OF HERBAL CIGARETTES

15O Sale of herbal cigarettes to minors observed.

T O B A C C O H E A LT H WA R N I N G A N D S M O K I N G C E S S AT I O N S I G N
15P No tobacco health warning and smoking cessation sign(s) are posted.
15Q Tobacco health warning and smoking cessation sign(s) are obstructed and/or not prominently displayed.
15R No large tobacco health warning and smoking cessation sign is posted where tobacco products are

displayed; small sign(s) are not posted at each register or place of payment.
* Public Health Hazards (PHH) must be corrected immediately

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CONDITION OBSERVED
NO
YES

R E S T R I C T I O N O N T H E S A L E O F C E RTA I N F L AV O R E D T O B A C C O
15S A flavored tobacco product sold or offered for sale in an establishment other than a tobacco bar.
15T Original label for tobacco product sold or offered for sale not maintained on site.

A RT I F I C I A L T R A N S FAT
16A A food containing artificial trans fat, with 0.5 grams or more of trans fat per serving, is being stored,

distributed, held for service, used in preparation of a menu item, or served.

16B The original nutritional fact labels and/or ingredient label for a cooking oil, shortening or margarine or

food item sold in bulk, or acceptable manufacturers documentation not maintained on site.
CALORIE MENU LABELING
16C Caloric content not posted on menus, menu boards or food tags, in a food service establishment that is 1 of

15 or more outlets operating the same type of business nationally under common ownership or control, or
as a franchise or doing business under the same name, for each menu item that is served in portions, the
size and content of which are standardized.
16E Caloric content range (minimum to maximum) not posted on menus and or menu boards for each flavor,
variety and size of each menu item that is offered for sale in different flavors, varieties and sizes.
16F Specific caloric content or range thereof not posted on menus, menu boards or food tags for each menu

item offered as a combination meal with multiple options that are listed as single items.
A D M I N I S T R AT I O N A N D D O C U M E N TAT I O N
18A Current valid permit, registration or other authorization to operate establishment not available.
18B Document issued by the Board of Health, Commissioner or Department unlawfully reproduced or altered.
18C Notice of the Department of Board of Health mutilated, obstructed, or removed.
18D Failure to comply with an Order of the Board of Health, Commissioner, or Department.
18E Failure to report occurrences of suspected food borne illness to the Department.
18F Permit not conspicuously displayed.
18G Manufacture of frozen dessert not authorized on Food Service Establishment permit.
18H Failure of event sponsor to exclude vendor without a current valid permit or registration.

SIGNAGE
20A Food allergy information poster not conspicuously posted where food is being prepared or processed by

food workers.
20B Food allergy information poster not posted in language understood by all food workers.
20C Food allergy poster does not contain text provided or approved by Department.
20D Choking first aid poster not posted. Alcohol and pregnancy warning sign not posted. Resuscitation

equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. Inspection
report sign not posted.
20E Letter Grade or Grade Pending card not conspicuously posted and visible to passersby.
20F Current letter grade card not posted.

NUISANCE AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS

22A Nuisance created or allowed to exist. Facility not free from unsafe, hazardous, offensive or annoying

conditions.
22B Toilet facility used by women does not have at least one covered garbage receptacle.
22C Bulb not shielded or shatterproof, in areas where there is extreme heat, temperature changes, or where

accidental contact may occur.

22D ROP Processing equipment not approved by DOHMH.
+ Pre-permit Serious (PPS) Violations that must be corrected before permit is issued

* Public Health Hazards (PHH) must be corrected immediately

Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation Contact Information

Phone: (212) 676-1600
Fax: (212) 676-1666
web: www.nyc.gov/health

NEW

YORK

CITY

Mayor

Michael R. Bloomberg

Daniel Kass, M.S.P.H.

Deputy Commissioner
Division of Environmental Health

Associate Commissioner

Thomas Farley, M.D., M.P.H.

Robert Edman

Michelle Robinson

Commissioner of Health
and Mental Hygiene

Assistant Commissioner

Deputy Executive Director

Program Planning and Policy

DEPAR TMENT

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Elliott S. Marcus

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A Sample Smoke-Free Workplace Policy

Purpose

A smoke-free policy has been developed to comply with the New York City SmokeFree Air Act (Title 17, Chapter 5 of the Administrative Code of the City of New
York) and New York State Clean Indoor Air Act (Article 13-E of the New York State
Public Health Law), and to protect all employees and visitors from secondhand
smoke, an established cause of cancer and respiratory disease. The policy set forth
below is effective March 30, 2003 for all [company name] locations.

Smoke-Free
Areas

All areas of the workplace are now smoke-free without exception. Smoking is not
permitted anywhere in the workplace, including all indoor facilities and company
vehicles with more than one person present. Smoking is not permitted in private
enclosed offices, conference and meeting rooms, cafeterias, lunchrooms, or employee
lounges.

Sign
Requirements

No Smoking signs must be clearly posted at all entrances and on bulletin

boards, bathrooms, stairwells and other prominent places. No ashtrays are permitted
in any indoor area.

Compliance

Compliance with the smoke-free workplace policy is mandatory for all employees
and persons visiting the company, with no exceptions. Employees who violate this
policy are subject to disciplinary action.
Any disputes involving smoking should be handled through the companys procedure
for resolving other work-related problems. If the problem persists, an employee can
speak to [company department and phone number for complaints] or lodge an
anonymous complaint by calling the New York City Department of Health and
Mental Hygienes complaint line, 1-877-NYC DOH7 (1-877-692-3647) or on the
web at nyc.gov/health. DOHMHs enforcement staff will take appropriate action to
resolve the problem.
The law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who invoke the law
or who request managements assistance in implementing it in the workplace.

Smoking
Cessation
Opportunities

[Company name] encourages all smoking employees to quit smoking. [The

company medical department or worksite wellness program offers a
number of services for employees who want to quit.] Smoking cessation information
is available from the New York Smokers Quit Line at 1-866 NY QUITS
(1-866-697-8487).

Questions

Any questions regarding the smoke-free workplace policy should be directed to

[company department and phone number handling inquiries].

[NOTE: This policy may need to be modified in workplaces and establishments that qualify for
exemptions]

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FOOD PROTECTION COURSE

Quiz No. 1
7

.
List three defects which will cause canned
foods to be rejected:

.
Potentially hazardous foods provide conditions favorable for bacterial growth.
TRUE

or

______________________________ ,

FALSE

______________________________ ,
______________________________ .

2.

Shellfish tags must be kept with the product

and then filed away for_____________ days.

.
A glass thermometer should never be used for
measuring food temperature. What kinds can be used?

3.

The acronym FIFO means

____________ in, ____________ out.
The first step is: __________________.

.
Fresh shell eggs must be stored in a refrigerator at or below 45 F
TRUE

or

FALSE

.
To show that it is wholesome, meat inspected
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will have the

10.

USDA inspection stamp

All food items must be stored at least

USDA grade stamp

6 inches
8 inches
12 inches

5.

The temperature danger zone for food is

between ________F and ________F.
At this temperature range, harmful bacteria

11.

reproduce rapidly
die

off the floor

Cold temperatures slow down the growth of

bacteria.
TRUE

or

FALSE

.
In a refrigerator, raw food products should
be stored
above
cooked foods
below

12

. People, both food workers and customers,

pose the greatest risk to food safety.
TRUE

or

FALSE

This is to prevent __________ _____________.

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Quiz No. 2
1.

Under favorable growth conditions, bacteria

will double every ____ to____ minutes.

.
Clostridium perfringens is associated with
foods in deep pots. We can control it by
_________________ and _________________

2.

List three situations when hands must be

washed thoroughly:

meat dishes rapidly.

a.

_____________________________________

.
Home canned foods cannot be used in a
food establishment because of the fear of

b.

_____________________________________

c.

_____________________________________

3.

All food service establishments must have

AIDS

or

Botulism

hand-wash sinks within each _________________

.
Smoked fish must be stored at or below 38F.
This is to control the growth of the microorganism

and each ____________________ and they must be

_______________________.

provided with ______ and _______ running water,

soap, and individual disposable towels or a hot air

4.

10.

The disease _______________________ is

commonly associated with undercooked pork. Pork
should therefore be cooked to a minimum tempera-

dryer.

Employees with an illness that can be trans-

ture of ____________F.

mitted by direct contact with food or through food

must be ____________________.

11.

.
Bacteria commonly found on the surface of
raw chicken are called:
Salmonella
Staphylococcus
B. Cereus

6.

When using raw shell eggs in a food that

will not be cooked or will only be cooked lightly, we
should use ___________________ eggs instead.

12

. Foods contaminated by harmful microorganisms always have a changed appearance.

TRUE

A piece of metal in a food item is an example

or

FALSE

of a
physical
chemical

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FOOD PROTECTION COURSE

Quiz No. 3
1.

7.

The proper safe holding temperature for

potentially hazardous foods is at _________ or below

It is good practice to make cold salads with

ingredients that were previously chilled?

for cold foods and at _______ or above for hot foods.

TRUE

or

FALSE

8.

.
When cooling hot foods in a refrigerator,
they must be covered:

On a buffet table, maintaining proper food

temperature is equally as important as having a proper sneeze guard.

after being cooled

TRUE

when first placed in the refrigerator

9.

3.

Refrigerated foods that will be served hot

must be rapidly reheated to 165 F using:

or

FALSE

An air break is necessary in the waste line of the

potwash and handwash sinks

a hot holding unit

potwash and culinary sinks

a stove or an oven

10

. It is a good practice to thaw frozen foods by

leaving them out on the kitchen counter overnight.

.
When bacteria from a raw food get into a
cooked or ready-to-eat food, this is called

TRUE

or

FALSE

______________ ______________ .

5.

11

. When handling foods that have already been

cooked and are ready to be eaten we must use

The correct cooking temperature for poultry,

stuffed meat and stuffing is __________F.

______________________________ ,

6.

______________________________ ,
Thick foods cool faster in:

______________________________ .

small amounts and small containers

12

. To ensure that any food contact surface is

safe to use, it must be washed, rinsed and

large amounts and large containers.

______________________________ ,

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Quiz No. 4
1.

Self-Assessment of food operations is an excellent way to improve security, safety and general work
practice.
TRUE

FALSE

or

.
Store knives in ______________ to prevent
accidental cuts.

.
It is acceptable to use pesticides in food
establishments by food workers as long as label
directions are followed.

.
List three common injuries among restaurant
workers.

TRUE

or

FALSE

______________________________ ,
______________________________ ,
______________________________ .

3.

8.

The three key strategies of integrated pest

management are to starve them, build them out, and
destroy them.

What causes muscle strains and sprains among

restaurant workers?

TRUE

or

FALSE

9.

Trans fat in foods raises HDL, increasing the risk

of heart disease.
TRUE or FALSE

10.
4.

List four foods that contain trans fats.

______________________________ ,
Suitable work shoes are (check all that apply):

______________________________ ,

slip resistant

______________________________ ,

leather soled

______________________________ .

canvas sneakers
flats

.
Who should be given access to facility food
areas? (check all that apply):
cooks
customers
contractors

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FOOD PROTECTION COURSE

Numbers
to remember
158F

____________________________________

145F

____________________________________

41F

____________________________________

155F

____________________________________

41F140F ________________________________

130F for 121 minutes _________________________

0F

4 hours ____________________________________

____________________________________

0F220F ________________________________

6 lbs.

38F

____________________________________

more than 19 seats ____________________________

6 inches ____________________________________

4 inches ____________________________________

90 days ____________________________________

170F for 30 sec. ____________________________

140F

____________________________________

50 ppm ____________________________________

165F

____________________________________

1 oz./1gal. __________________________________

2030 minutes _______________________________

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____________________________________

-31F/15 Hours _____________________________

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Minimum Internal Cooking, Reheating and Storage Tem

e peratures

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Health Department Amends Temperature Control Requirements

Monitor Food by Using Time as a Public Health Control
55* +9:'(2/9.3+4:9 )'4 45= .52* 65:+4:/'22? .'@'8*5;9 ,55*9 =/:.5;: :+36+8':;8+ )54:852 ,58 ,5;8 :5 9/> .5;89 /,
:.+? 3++: )+8:'/4 :/3+ 2/3/:9 '4* 5:.+8 -;/*+2/4+9 $9/4- :/3+ 542? :5 354/:58 ,55* /49:+'* 5, :/3+ '4* :+36+8'
:;8+ /9 )'22+* #/3+ '9 ' ;(2/) +'2:. 54:852 +,58+ :./9 +'2:. 5*+ ).'4-+ 65:+4:/'22? .'@'8*5;9 .5: ,55*9
.'* :5 (+ 3'/4:'/4+* ': ' 3/4/3;3 .5: :+36+8':;8+ '4* )52* ,55*9 ': ' 3'>/3;3 )52* :+36+8':;8+ ': '22 :/3+9
Which foods can be monitored by time alone?
22 65:+4:/'22? .'@'8*5;9 ,55*9 )'4 (+ 354/:58+* (? :/3+ '254+  
BG"351+* '4* <');;3 6')1+* ,55*9
BG!'= +--9 '='/:/4- 68+6'8':/54 ': 9+4/58 )+4:+89 '99/9:+* 2/</4- '4* .+'2:. )'8+ ,')/2/:/+9 *'? )'8+ 685-8'39
'4* 9).5529
4)+ :/3+ /9 ;9+* '9 :.+ )54:852 ,55* )'445: (+ 8+:;84+* :5 .5: 58 )52* .52*/4- '-'/4 :5 (+ 9'<+* '4* ;9+* ': '
2':+8 :/3+ : 3;9: (+ */9)'8*+* ': :.+ +4* 5, :.+ :/3+ '225=+*
Which food service establishments can use time alone as the public health control?
22 ,55* +9:'(2/9.3+4:9 )'4 45= 354/:58 ,55* 9',+:? (? :/3+ '254+ /49:+'* 5, :/3+ '4* :+36+8':;8+  
BG5(/2+ ,55* <+4*/4- ;4/:9
BG"+2, 9+8</)+ 9'2'* ('89 '4* (;,,+:9
BG#+3658'8? ,55* 9+8</)+ +9:'(2/9.3+4:9 ,58 +>'362+ 9:8++: ,'/8 58 ,2+' 3'81+: <+4*589
BG55* <+4*/4- 3')./4+9
At what temperature should hot or cold food be when I start monitoring it?
%.+4 ?5; 8+35<+ /: ,853 :+36+8':;8+ )54:852
BG5: ,55* 3;9: (+ ':  A   A  58 ./-.+8
BG52* ,55* 3;9: (+ ':  A  A  58 25=+8
How long can I keep food from hot or cold holding?
BG55* 3;9: (+ 2'(+2+* =.+:.+8 /: /9 .5: 58 )52*
BG&5; )'4 1++6 .5: 58 )52* ,55* =/:.5;: :+36+8':;8+ )54:852 ,58 ;6 :5 ,5;8 .5;89
BG&5; )'4 1++6 )52* ,55* =/:.5;: :+36+8':;8+ )54:852 ,58 ;6 :5 9/> .5;89 /, ?5; ,5225= '**/:/54'2 :+36+8':;8+
:8')1/4- 685)+*;8+9

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How do I track food by time?

BG9 9554 '9 ?5; 8+35<+ ' ,55* /:+3 ,853 .5: 58 )52* :+36+8':;8+ .52*/4- ?5; 3;9: 8+)58* :.+ ,5225=/4/4,583':/54 54 :.+ ,55*F9 )54:'/4+8 :.+ ,55* /:+3 58 /:9 :8'?
BG#+36+8':;8+ 5, :.+ ,55* /:+3 =.+4 8+35<+* ,853 .5: 58 )52* .52*/4BG#/3+ ,55* /:+3 ='9 8+35<+* ,853 .5: 58 )52* .52*/4BG#/3+ ,55* /:+3 =/22 (+ */9)'8*+* ,5;8 .5;89 2':+8
'(+29 3'? (+ .'4* =8/::+4 (;: 3;9: (+ )2+'8 #.+ +'2:. +6'8:3+4: 9;--+9:9 :.': ,55* 9+8</)+ +9:'(2/9.3+4:9
685</*+ 68+ 68/4:+* 2'(+29 2/1+ :.+ 9'362+9 (+25= '4* .'<+ ,55* =581+89 ,/22 /4 :.+ '668568/':+ /4,583':/54
Sample Tracking Label: Four-Hour Time Limit for Hot and Cold Food
Date: January 1, 2012
Food item: Peking Duck
Holding temperature of food item: 155 F
Time removed: 11:30 AM
Discard time: 3:30 PM

What foods can I hold out of temperature longer than four hours?
&5; )'4 1++6 
,55* =/:.5;: :+36+8':;8+ )54:852 ,58 ;6 :5 9/> .5;89 /, ?5; 8+)58* :.+ ,5225=/4- /4,583':/54
54 :.+ ,55*F9 )54:'/4+8 :.+ ,55* /:+3 58 /:9 :8'?
BG#+36+8':;8+ 5, :.+ ,55* /:+3 =.+4 8+35<+* ,853 )52* .52*/4BG#/3+ /: ='9 8+35<+* ,853 )52* .52*/4BG#/3+ /: =/22 (+ */9)'8*+* 9/> .5;89 2':+8
BG#+36+8':;8+ 5, :.+ ,55* ': :.+ ,5;8 .5;8 :/3+ 2/3/: '4* =8/:+ :.+ :+36+8':;8+ '4* :.+ :/3+ ?5; :551 /: 54 :.+
2'(+2 58 )54:'/4+8
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Sample Tracking Label: Six-Hour Time Limit for Cold Food Only
Date: January 1, 2012
Food item: Sushi rice and raw fish
Holding temperature of food item: 38 F
Time removed: 11:30AM
Temperature at four hours: 59 F at 3:30 PM
Discard time: 5:30 PM

What should I do with food not served within the four- or six-hour time limit?
&5; 3;9: :.85= '='?
BG5: ,55* 45: 9+8<+* ',:+8 ,5;8 .5;89
BG52* ,55* 45: 9+8<+* ',:+8 9/> .5;89 58 ',:+8 ,5;8 .5;89 /, /:9 :+36+8':;8+ /9  A 
A  58 ./-.+8
Do I have to save the tracking labels or marked containers after food is served or thrown away?
5 &5; *5 45: .'<+ :5 9'<+ 2'(+29 58 3'81+* )54:'/4+89 ',:+8 9+8</4- 58 :.85=/4- '='? ,55*
Can I get a notice of violation or fine for failing to comply with this rule?
&+9 , ?5; *54F: 6856+82? 2'(+2 ,55* 58 */9)'8* ,55* ?5;F8+ 354/:58/4- (? :/3+ ' .+'2:. /496+):58 )'4 /99;+ '
45:/)+ 5, </52':/54 ,58 ,55* 5;: 5, :+36+8':;8+ 58 ' </52':/54 ,58 '*;2:+8':+* ,55* '4* :.+ .+'8/4- +>'3/4+8 ':
:.+ *3/4/9:8':/<+ #8/(;4'2 3'? /99;+ ,/4+9 5,
:5

,58 +'). </52':/54

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TAKING TEMPERATURES

Use a bi-metallic stem thermometer, digital thermometer (thermistor) or

thermocouple unit to monitor temperatures of potentially hazardous foods.
Clean and sanitize the thermometer probe with a single-use alcohol wipe or
other approved sanitizer.
Insert the probe into the center, or thickest part of the food; between the folds
of flexible packaged products, or between packages of food. Do not puncture
the packaging!
i.

Bi-metallic stem thermometer must be inserted in the food up to

the dimple in the stem.

ii.

For thermistor thermometers, 3/4 inch of the stem must be in

the food.

iii.

Thermocouple registers temperature at the tip of the probe.

Step 3. Wait for the reading to register

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1520 seconds for bi-metallic stem thermometer and digital

readout
Few seconds for thermocouple

Step 4. Sanitize and store thermometers safely for future use

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RECEIVING

Receiving Potentially Hazardous Foods (PHF):

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Inspect the delivery truck for proper temperatures, cleanliness and

hygienic practices.

Make sure by that all PHFs are delivered at proper temperatures:

41 F for cold food (except smoked fish at 38 F and raw shell eggs at
45 F); 0 F or below for frozen foods; 140 F or higher for hot food.

Make sure all frozen foods are frozen solid at 0 F or below.

When receiving shellfish, ensure that proper tags are provided.

Receiving dry foods, produce and packaged foods:

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Ensure that all packages are intact and free of damage.

Check for rodent gnawing and/or presence of insects or insect eggs.

Ensure that products are delivered long before their Sell by or Use
by date.

Look out for any dented, leaking, rusted or swollen cans.

Ensure that fruits and vegetables are not bruised, wilted or spoiled.

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STORAGE

Implement First In - First Out (FIFO) practices by dating the food

products as they are received. This enables easier stock rotation while
minimizing food waste.

All food areas must be constructed away from overhead waste or

condensation lines.

All food must be stored at least six inches above the floor, so that
proper cleaning can take place. Foods must also be stored away from
the walls and ceilings to allow for proper air circulation.

Dry Storage:
l

Humidity of 50% and a temperature of 70 F are strongly

recommended.

Look out for signs of vermin activity, such as rat or mouse

droppings, vermin eggs or odors.

Store food in vermin-proof containers metal or glass

containers, with tightly fitted lids.

Remove dented, leaking, rusted, swollen or unlabeled canned goods.

Cold Storage:

NEW

All PHFs must be stored at 41 F (Except smoked fish at 38 F and raw

shell eggs at 45 F).

All cooked and ready-to-eat food must be stored away from and
above raw food.

Do not store foods in quantities that exceed the storage units

capacity.

Place a refrigeration thermometer in the warmest spot in the unit to

measure ambient air temperature of the unit

Check for condensation that may contaminate food.

Keep frozen foods frozen at 0 F or lower.

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COOKING

Cooking Temperatures:
Cook food to the following minimum internal temperatures:
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Poultry, stuffed meats, stuffing

165 F

Ground meats

158 F

Pork and Pork Products

155 F

Shell eggs

145 F

All other meats (lamb, fish, shellfish etc.)

145 F

Important things to remember:

86

When checking internal product temperature, measure at various

locations, especially the thickest part (e.g.,. the meats around the
thigh bones).

Always use clean and sanitary thermometers to check temperatures.

Properly maintain cooking equipment (ovens, stoves, grills,

salamanders, etc.).

Keep equipment clean and perform regular checks to ensure

satisfactory performance.

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COOLING

Step 1: Cool foods from 140F to 70F within two hours.

Step 2: Cool foods from 70F to 140F within four additional hours.
Recommended Cooling Methods:
Meat roasts, Poultry and Fish
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Reduce the size. Cut into 6 lbs. or less portions.

Liquid foods Soups, gravies, curries, sauces, etc.

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Use a 4 inch shallow pan with the product depth of no more than
2 inches.

Place the pan in the refrigerator uncovered (best place is where the
cold air can blow across it).

Stirring helps release the trapped heat.

Use thermometer to check the temperature and cover after it has

been cooled.

Ice Water Bath

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Place the pot of food in a larger container or a culinary sink with water
and ice (a 50/50 ice to water ratio would be best).

Use ice paddles to cool food from within; use it to stir the food.

Ice as an Ingredient
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NEW

Prepare food with half the amount of water the recipe requires and
use the other half in the form of ice to be added during the cooling
process.

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PROPER THAWING (DEFROST)

Acceptable methods to thaw frozen foods:

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There are four acceptable ways to thaw frozen food:

1. In a refrigeration unit at 41 F or lower;
2. Under cold (70 F or lower) running water;
3. In a microwave oven, when it is followed by a continuous
cooking process;
4. As part of a cooking process (for single portions).

Things to remember:

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Never re-freeze thawed food.

Never thaw frozen food at room temperature.

Thaw raw food below cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

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CROSS-CONTAMINATION

What is cross contamination?

This is a term typically used for any situation where harmful microorganisms
transfer from a raw or contaminated food to a cooked or ready-to-eat food.
Cutting boards and prep tables:
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Wash, rinse, and sanitize when changing from raw to ready-to-eat

(RTE) food, and in between preparing different types of raw meat, fish,
and poultry.

Hands:
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When handling ready-to-eat (RTE) food, prevent bare hands contact

with the use of gloves, tongs, spatula, deli paper, spoon, fork, etc.

Wash hands thoroughly and often and always between tasks.

Food Storage:
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Store raw meat, fish, and poultry below ready-to-eat (RTE).

Store raw meats in the following order from top to bottom:

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

NEW

Poultry
Ground meats
Pork
All other meats
Its best to keep all seafood separate from other meats.

Keep food that does not require further washing or cooking separate
from food that does.

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PROPER USE OF GLOVES

The use of gloves is never a replacement for good hand washing practices!
Before putting on gloves:

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Wash hands thoroughly.

Dry hands using a disposable paper towel.

Put gloves on when you are ready to handle ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.

Use gloves for only one task, and then discard.

If an interruption occurs during food preparation, remove gloves

and discard.

Use clean gloves when you resume food preparation, but

remember to wash hands first.

Gloves are prone to contamination and should be discarded when

soiled or damaged.

Fabric or re-usable gloves may not be used with ready-to-eat (RTE)

food.

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HOT HOLDING FOODS

NEW

Keep all foods at 140F or higher.

Preheat equipment before adding food.

Check food temperatures with an accurate food thermometer.

Record temperatures.

Stir frequently to evenly distribute the temperature throughout

the food.

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CLEANING AND SANITIZING

Manual dishwashing:
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The dishwashing area must be located a sufficient distance away from

food preparation areas to avoid possible cross-contamination.

Manual dishwashing is allowed only in a three-compartment sink:

Wash in the first; Rinse in the second; Sanitize in the third; then air dry.

For heat sanitizing, water temperature in the third compartment must

be at least 170 F or higher, and the dishes must be immersed for at
least 30 seconds. The temperature must be maintained by a heating
element.

For chemical sanitizing, the chlorine-based sanitizer in the third compartment must be at least 50 parts per million (ppm), and the dishes
must be immersed in the sanitizing solution for at least 60 seconds. To
make 50 ppm sanitizing solution, take -ounce (or one tablespoon)
of household bleach and mix it with one gallon of water.

Appropriate test kit must be used to test the strength of sanitizers

used.

Mechanical dishwashing:
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All mechanical dishwashers, both high temperature and low-temperature must be operated as per manufacturer suggestions.
Final rinse temperature of mechanical high-temperature dishwasher must
be at least 180 F or higher.

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Properly calibrated dishwasher-safe thermometers must be used to

verify final rinse temperatures.

Appropriate test kit must be used to verify proper chemical

concentrations.

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PEST CONTROL

NEW

Premises, equipment, and fixtures must be constructed and

designed to be vermin proof.

All food must be stored in vermin-proof containers with tightly

fitted lids.

Establishment must be free of all holes, cracks, and crevices.

A licensed exterminator must perform any extermination done on the

premises.

Eliminate all holes, cracks, and crevices in food storage,

preparation, and handling areas.

Make all parts of food storage, preparation, and handling areas easily
accessible for routine cleaning.

Ensure that all doors and windows are tight fitting, with metal kick
plates wherever necessary.

Ensure that screens are provided on all windows and doors that can
be opened.

Food storage, preparation, and handling areas should be vermin proof.

Be aware that mice can enter openings less than -inch in diameter,
and rats can enter openings less than -inch in diameter.

Clean up all debris and trash. Remove food waste and other
garbage frequently.

Place the garbage in metal containers with tight fitted lids.

Keep outside areas of the FSE clean to discourage pests. Maintain

proper drainage to reduce or eliminate shelter areas
for pests.

To reduce pest and vermin harborage, control weeds under

fences and other barriers with herbicides labeled for this purpose.

Place outdoor lighting fixtures away from entrances and windows to

the FSE to minimize the presence of flying insects that are attracted
to light.

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TEMPERATURE LOG

#
Date

Product

Time

Temp (F)

Corrective Action

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NOTICE

t is an unfortunate reality that your place

2.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

may inspect any premises, record, matter or
thing within its jurisdiction, including but not
limited to any premises whose activity is
regulated by the New York City Health Code or
other laws which the Department has the
responsibility to enforce.

3.

Public Health Sanitarians (Health Inspectors) while

in the performance of their duties are official
representatives of the New York City Department
of Health and peace officers. They are permitted
access for purposes of inspection at all times while
your food service establishment is in operation,
whether or not it is open to the public.

4.

Health Inspectors carry photo identification and

a metal shield. You have every right to demand
to see both items and deny access to your
premises if thy are not produced.

5.

Upon request inspectors must provide you with

the telephone number and address of their field
office. You may call and confirm that the
individual is an employee of the Department and
is in fact at your establishment to conduct
official business.

6.

Refusal of admittance, the directing of verbal

abuse towards, interference with or any physical
obstruction of an inspector after proper
identification is shown, is cause for action by the
Commissioner to suspend or revoke your permit
and to order your establishment closed.

7.

Health Inspectors are not authorized to collect

money on behalf of the Department or Board
of Health. Any attempt to obtain money from
you may represent a criminal offense and
should be immediately reported to your local
police precinct or the Office of the Inspector
General for the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene at (212) 825-2141.

of business may one day be visited by

unscrupulous individuals pretending to be

employees of the Department of Health and

attempting to obtain money from you with the
promises of service that may include removing
outstanding violations from your record,
obtaining a permit, renewing an expired
permit, clearing outstanding fines or penalties
from

your

record,

or

delaying

future

inspections. The Department is also concerned

by the actions of some operators who may try
to prevent the Departments personnel from
performing their duties.
For your own benefit and to minimize
conflicts and misunderstandings with the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
you need to be aware of the following:

1.

Individual owners, partners of a partnership, and

officers and directors of a corporation, to which
a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
permit is issued, must comply with the
requirements of the Health Code and are jointly
and severally liable for violations of the
conditions of the permit or the Health Code
that are committed in the regular course of their
business or on the premises subject to the
permit, or in the course of using your permit.

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