Receiving Food

If you supervisor or manager related to food product, you are responsible for ensuring that all food supplies are received in a wholesome, sanitary condition, within correct temperature requirements, from approved sources.  It means, you do not accept food items from unknown and unapproved sources, whether raw items or prepared native dishes.

Food and beverage deliveries shall be planned so that supplies can be handled promptly and correctly.

Employees must be trained in recognizing unacceptable food during deliveries and allowed to decline delivery of such food if food does not meet written food safety standards.

Raw or fresh food is food material that should be prepared or cooked prior to serving such as but not limited to:

1. Fresh meats, milk, eggs, fish/seafood, fruits and vegetables must be in good condition, fresh and no sign of damaged or form, color and taste changed.
2. Flours and beans must be in good condition, no color changed, no stained and no fungi infestation.
3. Fermented food must in good condition, smell of fermentation favor, no color, odor or taste changed, no stained and no fungi infestation.

Food preservative or food coloring that is used in food should comply with the current rules and regulations.

Food that is processed in food establishments such as but not limited to:

Packed foods must:

• Have labels and brands.
• Listed and have registration number.
• Intact packaging, no damage, torn/busted or bulging.
• At least 3 month due expiry date.
• Use single use package or container.

Unpacked food must:

• New and fresh.
• Not spoiled, rotten, damaged or have no fungi infestation.
• Free of harmful materials or chemicals.

All refrigerated and frozen foods must be delivered at the proper temperatures and the temperatures verified and documented. Use portable refrigerated containers and freezers if necessary to maintain temperatures.

• All fresh food materials including Fresh Potentially Hazardous Foods and beverages must be held/transported at safe temperatures of 5C(41F) or below.
• Frozen Potentially Hazardous Foods and beverages must be held/transported at safe temperatures below -18 Celsius degree (0 Fahrenheit degree) or below.

Food Safety: Basic Requirement, Time, and Temperature

Foods from approved sources are of little value if not properly protected from contamination and spoilage through all phases of transit, storage, preparation, display, and service. 

The following are required:

Basic Requirement

1. Expiry date, production date and other information code of products shall be current and food shall show no signs of mishandling.
2. Each food supply delivery should be escorted by trained personnel of Catering services contractor. Strict observation of personal hygiene of all individuals who come in contact with the transportation and delivery of food is critical.
3. Provision of clean trucks, portable refrigerated containers and freezer, and other conveyances as well as proper packaging and coverings to protect food from contamination is required.
4. Provision of adequate equipment and facilities to promote the prompt transfer of food from the Catering services contractor or Supplier to camp kitchen, platforms, etc. is required.

Time and Temperature 

Time and temperature control throughout the flow of food, along with preventing cross-contamination and practicing good personal hygiene, is important when establishing food safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

1. Receiving: Receive food at the correct temperatures and store promptly.  Frozen: -18 Celsius degrees (0 Fahrenheit degree) or lower; Refrigerated: 5 Celsius degrees (41 Fahrenheit degree); or lower. 
2. Storage: Store food at recommended temperature here:
3. Preparation: Minimize the time food is spent in the temperature danger zone, between 5 Celsius degrees (41 Fahrenheit degree) to 60 Celsius degrees  (140 Fahrenheit degree).
4. Cooking: Cook food to its required minimum internal temperature.
5. Holding, Transit, and Display: Hold hot food at 60 Celsius degrees (140 Fahrenheit degree) or higher. Hold cold food at 5 Celsius degrees (41 Fahrenheit degree) or lower. 
6. Cooling: Cool cooked food from 60 Celsius degrees (140 Fahrenheit degree) to 21 Celsius degrees (70 Fahrenheit degree) within two hours and from 21 Celsius degrees (70 Fahrenheit degree) to 5 Celsius degrees (41 Fahrenheit degree) or lower within an additional four hours, for a maximum cooling time of six hours.
7. Reheating: Reheat food to an internal temperature of 74 Celsius degrees (165 Fahrenheit degree) within two hours.

Metal stem-type numerically scaled or digital or infra red thermometers, calibrated and accurate to about 1 Celsius degrees (about 2 Fahrenheit degree ) shall be provided and used to verify attainment and maintenance of proper internal cooking, holding and refrigeration temperatures of all Potentially Hazardous Foods.

Note:

If perishable food cannot be held at temperature, within two hours of delivery, arrange for the food that is displayed at room temperature to be removed or refrigerated, and not left out for others to eat. Remove or refrigerate perishable food within one hour of delivery if the room temperature is above 32.2 C (90 Fahrenheit degree).

Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness is generally classified as a foodborne infection, intoxication, or toxin-mediated infection. It will be benefit if you are aware to how different microbes cause foodborne illness and understand hot they contaminate food.
When microorganism is eaten along with a food, it can cause a foodborne infection. After ingestion, the organism borrows into the lining of the digestive tract and begins to grow in number that can lead to the common symptoms of foodborne illness.


Infection:
It is caused by eating food that contain living disease-causing microorganism

Intoxication:
It is caused by eating food that contain a harmful chemical or toxin produced by bacteria or other source. When a living orgaism multiplies in or on a food and produces a chemical waste or toxin. The toxin causes an illness typically called food poisoning.

Toxin_mediated Infection:
It is caused by eating a food that contains harmful microorganism that will produce a toxin once inside the human body. Once the orgaism is inside the human body, it produces a toxin that causes the illness. It is different from an intoxication because the toxin is produced inside the human body.

General Symptom of Foodborne Illness:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Fatique
• Fever

Onset Time
Onset time is defined as the number of hours between the time a person eats contaminated food and when they first show the symptom. Foodborne illnesses have different onset times depending on factors such as age, health status, body weight, and the amount of contaminant ingested with the food. It can be hours to several days.

Risk Factors:

1. Infant and young children
2. Elderly
3. Pregnan women
4. Diabetes
5. People taking certain medications
6. People with suppressed immune system such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)