Section 190.09. Food service.

 

(1)   Personnel.

(a) Disease carrier. No person with a health history of typhoid, paratyphoid, dysentery or other diarrheal disease may be employed for work in food service areas unless it has been definitely determined by appropriate tests that the person is not a carrier of the disease.

(b) Other health conditions. All persons working in food service areas who show symptoms of illness or have an open lesion shall be temporarily relieved of their duties until the condition is no longer present.

(c) Tobacco use. All persons shall refrain from using tobacco in food preparation and food service areas.

(d) Individual cleanliness. All persons who work in food service areas shall wear clean garments and clean caps or hairnets, and shall keep their hands clean at all times when engaged in the handling of food, drink, utensils or equipment. Particular attention shall be given to the cleaning of fingernails.

(e) Handwashing. Adequate and convenient handwashing facilities shall be provided in food preparation areas for use by persons who prepare or serve foods. The handwashing facilities shall include hot and cold running water, soap and approved sanitary towels. Use of a common towel is prohibited. All food service employees and all residents helping in food service areas shall wash their hands before beginning work and after each use of a toilet during working hours.

(f) Personal belongings. Separate facilities in which to store outdoor clothing, purses and other personal belongings shall be provided for persons preparing or serving food to eliminate the necessity of keeping these items in the work area. Dressing rooms and lockers shall be provided except when food preparation is done by residents.

(2)   Food supply and preparation.

(a) Milk and milk products. Milk served as a beverage shall be fluid milk that is pasteurized and grade A in quality. Reconstituted dry milk and dry milk products may only be used in instant desserts and whipped products and in cooking and baking. Milk and cream shall be handled as follows:

1. All milk shall be kept in the original containers in which delivered and under refrigeration until served or used;

2. Dipping of milk or milk products is not permitted;

3. Bulk milk dispensers which have been approved by the department as to design and construction may be used provided that:

a. No surfaces with which milk comes in contact, other than the delivery orifice, are accessible to manual contact, droplets, dust or flies; and

b. The milk-dispensing device is cleaned, sanitized, filled and sealed at a milk plant which meets the grade A milk requirements adopted by the state department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection; and

4. Cream shall be kept in the original container in which delivered and under refrigeration until served. It should be served, whenever practical, from the original container.

(b) Spoiled foods. The use and storage of tainted or spoiled foods is prohibited.

(c) Vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits served raw shall be adequately cleaned in clean, safe water.

(d) Preserved foods. All foods, if canned, frozen, or otherwise preserved at the institution shall be processed under controlled conditions, using recommended processing and sanitary methods. All non-acid vegetables, meat and poultry shall be canned by pressure cooker methods. Donations of home-canned foods shall not be accepted.

(e) Meat. All purchased meats and poultry shall be from sources inspected by the federal government or by the state department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. All animals used for meat shall be slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse or under the antemortem and postmortem inspection of a licensed veterinarian.

(f) Ice. All ice used for cooling drinks or food by direct contact shall be made from a public water supply or from a private water supply found by the department to conform to good public health practices, and the ice shall be stored and handled in a way that protects it from contamination.

(g) Heating with steam. The direct heating of foods with steam is prohibited if, in producing the steam, compounds hazardous to health, as determined by the U.S. public health service, are used.

(3)   Serving of food. Where applicable, institutions shall adhere to the following procedures:

(a) All unwrapped or unenclosed food and drink on display shall be protected by glass or other approved manner from public handling or other contamination. Self-service shall be permitted on counter fronts provided that all displayed foods are protected by food shields which are at a height that is appropriate for the persons who are serving themselves.

(b) Spoons, spatulas, dippers, scoops, and other utensils used to dispense frozen foods may not be placed on the countertop when not in active use, but rather shall be kept in water maintained at 170 ° F. (76 ° C.) or in running water.

(c) Tongs, spoons, forks, or spatulas shall be used for serving foods. When a food is offered for self-service, tongs or a fork or other equipment shall be provided so that a person may serve himself or herself in a sanitary manner.

(d) When meals are served family-style, the tableware shall be kept in storage places provided for the tableware until it is time to set the table for the meal. Leftover foods from meals served family-style shall be discarded.

(e) Except during necessary periods of preparation and service, hot foods shall be kept at or above 150 ° F. (66 ° C.) and cold foods at or below 40 ° F. (4 ° C.).

(f) No custards over 24-hours old may be served.

(g) All foods on trays or in bulk for a ward or room service shall be either transported in covered carts or be protected in transit with covers designated for that purpose. Trucks used to transport food containers between buildings out-of-doors shall be clean, enclosed and used only for that purpose. Use of garbage or laundry trucks to transport food containers is prohibited.

(4)   Storage of food and utensils.

(a) General. Food and drink shall be stored in a clean, well-ventilated place protected from flies, dust, vermin, overhead leakage, sewage backflow and other contamination. Areas below sewer lines may not be used unless a noncorrosive metal or plastic trough is properly installed below the sewer piping. Water lines in these areas shall be insulated to prevent condensation.

(b) Staple foods. Staple foods and bulk supplies of flour, sugar and similar ingredients shall be stored off the floor in durable, easily cleanable food-grade metal or plastic containers with tight-fitting covers once the original container or package is opened.

(c) Elevated above floor. Food shall be stored at least 6 inches above the floor on shelving, pallets, racks, dollies or other clean surfaces at an elevation sufficient to permit cleaning underneath and to protect the food from splash and other contamination. Pallets, racks and dollies shall be easily movable.

(d) Utensils. Utensils shall be stored in an area protected from contamination. Cups and glassware shall be stored inverted. Pyramiding of cups and glasses is permitted. Storage of cutlery in holders that do not allow easy removal of the knife contact surfaces is not acceptable. Cutlery holders shall be made of non-absorbent material and so constructed that they can be disassembled for easy cleaning.

(5)   Equipment construction.

(a) Food contact surfaces. Food contact surfaces of equipment and multi-use utensils, including dishes and glassware, shall be smooth, free of breaks, open seams, cracks, chips, pits and similar imperfections, shall be easy to clean and shall be in good repair.

(b) Cutting boards. Working surfaces required by bakers or butchers may be of smooth hardwood material if maintained in a clean condition, in good repair, and free of open seams, cracks and chipped places.

(c) Steam tables. Work boards, rails, or other surfaces attached to steam tables shall be easily removable for cleaning.

(d) Replacement equipment. New and replacement equipment shall meet criteria used for the National Sanitation Foundation's "Listing of Food Service Equipment," and shall be installed in such a way as to be easily cleaned and maintained.

(6)   Cleanliness of equipment, utensils and area.

(a) Food equipment. Tables, cooking and working surfaces and food contact surfaces of equipment shall be thoroughly cleaned after each use.

(b) Multi-use utensils. Multi-use utensils shall be thoroughly cleaned after each use.

(c) Areas. The walls, floors and ceilings of all rooms in which food or drink is stored, prepared or served, or in which utensils are washed, shall be kept clean and in good repair. Dustless methods of cleaning shall be used. All cleaning except emergency cleaning shall be done during periods when food and drink are least exposed.

(d) Fans, hoods and ducts. Ventilation fans, oven hoods and ducts shall be kept clean and free of grease.

(7)   Refrigeration.

(a) Temperature of foods requiring refrigeration. All potentially hazardous foods that require refrigeration to prevent spoilage shall, except when being prepared or served, be maintained at a temperature at or below 40 ° F. (4 ° C.). This shall include all custard-filled and cream-filled pastries, milk and milk products, meat, fish, shellfish, gravy, poultry, stuffing, sauces, dressings and salads and sandwich fillings containing meat, fish, eggs, milk or milk products. An indicating thermometer shall be located in each cold storage facility.

(b) Thawing of frozen food. Thawing of frozen meat, fish or poultry at room temperature is prohibited. Unless quick-thawed as part of the cooking process, frozen food shall be thawed:

1. In a refrigerator at 40 ° F. (4 ° C.) or below;

2. Under cold running water at a temperature of 70 ° F. (21 ° C.) or below; or

3. In a microwave oven when the food will be immediately transferred after thawing to conventional cooking equipment as part of a continuous cooking process or when the entire, uninterrupted cooking process takes place in the microwave oven.

(8)   Kitchens.

(a) Location. The kitchen shall be located on the premises or a satisfactory sanitary method of transportation shall be provided so that the food is maintained at a hot or cold temperature, as appropriate. A kitchen or other food preparation area may not open into a sleeping room, toilet room or laundry.

(b) Animal harborage. Cats, dogs, birds in cages as well as perching birds, and all other animals shall be kept out of the kitchen, pantry or places where food is handled or prepared.

(9)   Garage and refuse. All garbage and kitchen refuse not disposed of through a garbage disposal unit connected to the sewerage system shall be kept in separate, watertight metal or plastic cans provided with close-fitting metal or plastic covers unless otherwise protected from flies and insects, and the contents shall be removed as often as necessary to prevent decomposition and overflow. Garbage cans shall be reasonably clean and show no evidence of accumulated grease of long standing. Separate fly-tight containers with covers shall be provided for recyclable cans, bottles and similar rubbish.

History: Cr. Register, December, 1985, No. 360 , eff. 1-1-86.

Note

For a copy of the National Sanitation Foundation's "Listing of Food Service Equipment," write National Sanitation Foundation, NSF Building, P.O. Box 1468, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Copies of this publication are kept on file in the Department's Bureau of Public Health, the Office of Secretary of State and the Legislative Reference Bureau, and may be consulted at any of those locations. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1