HACCP in School Food Service Level One Certification Course Area Two: Sanitation, Safety and First Aid, Equipment Use and Care Kentucky Department of Education Division of School and Community Nutrition

Course Objectives From this presentation food service staff should be able to: - Understand why food safety is needed; - Understand the principles of HACCP; - Utilize HACCP principles.

Introduction It is extremely important that all food service staff have a full understanding of the importance of safety and sanitation in the food service area. Area Two of the Level One Certification course will look at the many aspects of safety and sanitation that are involved in not only keeping students safe, but food service staff as well.

What is HACCP? Serving safe food is a critical responsibility for school food service. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a systematic approach to food safety. The program is designed to reduce the risk of food-borne hazards by focusing on each step of the food preparation process, from receiving to service. When properly implemented, HACCP based safety programs will help ensure the safety of school meals served to children. HACCP is required by the USDA.

HACCP for Food Service Staff A good food safety plan becomes part of the normal routine for all staff!

Why should we be concerned with food safety in school foodservice? Children are a “high risk” population for foodborne illnesses. Food is handled by many different individuals and/or companies. Microorganisms, known or unknown, can be very dangerous and spread quickly. Children are a “high risk” population for foodborne illness because their immune systems are still developing. Another food safety concern in schools is that foods are handled by a variety of individuals as well as companies as the food is being processed. Because of this there are many possible points of contamination. Another thought to consider is the reputation of the SFA. Even the possibility of a foodborne illness outbreak in within school food service would be very damaging to a district.

HACCP- What does the H.A. mean? The H (Hazard) and A (Analysis) in HACCP deal with identifying any physical, chemical and biological hazards that can contaminate food. For example: Does your food service staff wear hair nets or visors? If yes, then that practice is part of your food safety plan! The hair net or visor helps to prevent objects such as hair or hair clips from contaminating food. Other possible hazards found could be: Physical: toothpicks, fingernails, earrings, metal screws, hair, etc. Chemical: aerosol, pest controls, sanitizers, cleaning supplies Biological: harmful microorganisms

HACCP- What does the C.C.P. mean? The second part of the HACCP plan is to identify critical control points. Critical Control Points help to identify when foods pass through the Danger Zone. CCP’s can be found on standardized recipes. These “CCPs” indicate important steps in how food is handled in foodservice to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

CCP’s and Temperature Logs Always follow established routine procedures for documenting temperatures for foods, refrigerators, freezers, etc. Also, look for an action plan on what to do if the temperature is out of the required range and in the danger zone. Be sure to take action to avoid any food contamination issues.

Be sure to… Check with your food service manager or food service director on specific HACCP related procedures that are in place at your work site. It is of vital importance that all food service staff know and understand HACCP procedures to ensure the safety of the food served from the school lunch program!

Thank you!