Food Preparation

• Follow all written recipes and HACCP procedures.

• Monitor minimum internal temperatures of food (see previous chapter for specific temperatures).

• Hot food must be held at 135˚F. Make sure hot holding units are checked for a temperature of at least 135˚F before allowing foods to be placed in them. Keep a temperature log for hot holding equipment and check periodically throughout the shift.

• Cold holding units should be kept at a temperature of 41˚F or below before placing foods in them. Keep a temperature log and periodically check the equipment throughout the shift.

• Reheated foods must be heated to 165˚F and can then be held at 140˚F or above for serving. Do not use a crockpot or a warmer to reheat foods. These pieces of equipment reheat the food too slowly and invite bacterial
growth.

• Do not mix fresh product into old product.

• Make sure to cool potentially hazardous foods from 140˚F to 70˚F degrees within 2 hours and then from 70˚F degrees to 41˚F or below within 4 more hours (within a total of 6 hours).

• Label foods stored in refrigerators or freezers with preparation dates and times.

• Cover stored food to avoid cross-contamination from spills.

• Stir foods that are being held for service regularly to maintain proper temperatures.

• Prevent cross-contamination by not letting raw meats, poultry and other potentially hazardous foods come into contact with other foods. Make sure to use separate, clean and sanitized equipment such as knives and cutting boards.