Requirements for School Food Safety.
Temperature Monitoring.
USDA Guidelines.
From the USDA - United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition
Service Guidelines - June 2005 :
Establish monitoring procedures.
Monitoring is an important step for an effective food safety program. Control measures, including CCPs and SOPs, must be monitored, controlled, and documented in writing. Monitoring involves making direct observations or taking measurements to see that the food safety program is being followed. For example, the CCPs are managed by adhering to the established critical limits. Monitoring will identify when there is a loss of control so that corrective action can be taken.
In establishing your monitoring procedures, consider the following questions:
• How will you monitor CCPs and SOPs?
• When and how often will you monitor?
• Who will be responsible for monitoring?
What you are going to monitor depends on the critical limits associated with each CCP for a menu item. Final temperature and time measurements are very important, and you should determine how you will effectively monitor the critical limits for them.
Determining the appropriate means for monitoring is an important factor. If equipment is selected to monitor a specific CCP, you should ensure that it is accurate. The equipment you choose should also be appropriate for the monitoring function.
When deciding how often you will monitor, you should ensure that the monitoring interval will be reliable enough to ensure hazards are being controlled. Your procedure for monitoring should be simple and easy to follow.
Individuals chosen to be responsible for a monitoring activity may be a manager, line supervisor, or other reliable employee. Employees should be given the training and equipment necessary to properly perform the monitoring activities.
Monitoring examples:
The CCP for cold foods is cold holding. The critical limit is holding at 41 ºF or below. Therefore, the temperature of the refrigerator must be recorded on a refrigeration temperature monitoring chart at least three times daily to make sure the temperature is 41 ºF or below.
A CCP for chicken is cooking. The critical limit is cooking at 165 ºF for 15 seconds. Therefore, the internal temperature of the chicken must be monitored and recorded to make sure it is at or above 165 ºF for 15 seconds.
Read the full USDA guidelines:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/CNlabeling/Food-Safety/HACCPGuidance.pdf
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