1. Time and Temperature Control of Foods in the Summer Food Service Program.
- Author
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Watkins, Tracee, Patten, Emily, Alcorn, Michelle, Cole, Kerri, Paez, Paola, Dixon, Liz, Richardson, Pat, and Winans, Deborah
- Abstract
Research Objectives: Determine effectiveness of practices related to time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods served in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Methods: A convenience sample of 28 SFSP sites, four in each of the seven USDA Food and Nutrition Service regions, was observed during July and August of 2015 to determine the effectiveness of food safety practices for serving TCS foods. Observations of procedures for thermometer usage and temperature monitoring of foods during cooking, cooling, serving, storage and transportation were recorded over a single day. Additionally, digital thermocouple data loggers were used to record temperatures of hot and cold food items served in lunches. Temperatures of 23 hot and 26 cold food items were recorded at five-minute intervals from the end of meal preparation through service. Results: Observations for TCS food practices ranged from 3 to 26 depending on the food served and style of service. SFSP practices were in compliance most often with checking internal temperatures (68%) and checking end-point cooking temperatures (62%) and least often with thermometer calibration (27%) and proper cleaning/sanitizing of thermometers (40%). The most commonly followed transportation TCS food practices were delivering hot meals at proper temperatures (79%) and checking food temperatures at delivery (50%). Least common practices were using refrigerated trucks (16%) and recording food temperatures at delivery (31%). Hot foods were more likely to be served at the correct temperatures (75%) than cold foods (50%). Hot foods were held below 135o F for 45 minutes on average, and cold foods were held above 41o F for an average of 90 minutes. Of the 53 foods tracked, only one item did not meet Food Code 2013 guidelines. Application of Results Diverse food preparation and delivery systems are used in the SFSP, but all are subject to higher summer ambient temperatures. Overall, SFSP TCS food practices met Food Code standards. Minor improvements in thermometer usage and monitoring food temperatures while cooking, cooling, transporting and storing are important areas for training. Attention should be paid to cold foods that are particularly vulnerable to higher temperatures. While only 3.8 million children participate in the SFSP, expansion of the SFSP requires increasing staff capacity and targeting specific food safety training needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016