Preparation For Specific Foods - 1

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

• Except for bananas, all raw fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed in potable water before peeled, cooked or served. 
• In conditions where the fruits and vegetables may be more heavily contaminated: Eat raw fruit or vegetable only if it has unbroken skin and which has been well washed before peeled or skinned by oneself immediately prior to eating.  Boil or bake all others.
• It is possible to disinfect some produce by first washing it well to remove the gross contaminants and then dipping it into boiling water (80⁰C to 100⁰C) for at least 5 seconds, using 0.02% KMnO4 solution for 2 minutes, or chlorine solution with concentration 70% for 2 minutes.  When applying this method, care must be given that the boiling water or disinfectant solution comes in contact with all parts of the vegetable.  Therefore, the batches of vegetables to be dipped shall be small and loosely arranged.  Food placed in net bags will make dipping and draining quick and easy.

Salads

• Salads (e.g., meat, poultry, potato, egg) are a good medium for the growth of; therefore salads are considered potentially hazardous food.
• All salad ingredients must be refrigerated before the salad is made. Any meat, poultry, seafood and eggs must have been properly cooked, held, cooled and stored before adding to salad.
• Individuals preparing salads should not be interrupted or perform other tasks while making the salad. If unintended interruptions occur, salads shall be refrigerated during the interruptions.

Ground Meat

• All ground meats and seafood shall be thoroughly cooked to a temperature of 68⁰C (155⁰F).
• All ground poultry shall be cooked to a temperature of 74⁰C (165⁰F).

Poultry, Stuffed Meats, Stuffing, and Dishes that Include Potentially Hazardous Ingredients

• Poultry, stuffed meats, stuffing and dishes that include potentially hazardous ingredients shall be heated to a minimum temperature of 74C (165F) with no interruption of the cooking process.
• Stuffing shall be prepared just prior to cooking and shall be cooked in open pans separate from the meal.  It necessitates strict adherence to this policy  since stuffing or dressing is easily contaminated in preparation and is seldom thoroughly sterilized by the baking and roasting process.

Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Fish

Beef, veal, lamb and whole fish shall be thoroughly cooked to a temperature of 63C (145F).

Rare Roast Beef

Rare roast beef shall be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 59C (138F).

Milk Products

• Reconstitution of dry milk and milk products shall be according to manufacturers’ instructions with only a 12-hour supply prepared in advance. 
• Milk products and reconstituted milk shall be refrigerated at 5C (41F) or below.

Bakery Product Fillings

Custards, cream fillings, including synthetics, and similar products shall be rapidly cooled to a temperature of less than 5 C (41F) and held there during storage, transportation and display.