Another summer is about to come to a close. It is time to start focusing on the opening of the fall semester. This is the time of the year to shake the cobwebs of the slow business activity during the summer and gear up for the return of the boarding students.

Great Western has made several strides of success during the past school year in unit operations with the hard work of the food service directors, the hourly employees under the direction of the district managers. Each food service director, hourly employee, and district manager should accept the challenge to improve upon the success of last year. One must remember, we are only as good as the last meal we prepared.

Do not become complacent in the operations of the unit. Always strive to do better than you have done in the past. Our customers and clients expect the best from our food service operation. Each year becomes a challenge to maintain the high quality of food and service. Past performance has set a standard to our customers and clients of levels of satisfaction, in which it is a challenge to the food service director to take the food program one step further.

Not only has Great Western enjoyed success in the operation of the units, but also has improved the workman compensation mod rate due to the diligence and training done at the unit level. Our mod rate has dropped 0.38 points through two years of reduced on the job injuries and illnesses. We are still a long way from our goal which means we must further reduce the number of on the job injuries in the future. The mod rate still needs to be reduced by 0.66 points.

The only way to meet our goal in the workers compensation mod rate is to continue to stress to the employees that they must be aware of safety measures in the facility. The only way in which we can further reduce our mod rate is by monthly employee safety training meetings and by impressing upon our employees on daily basis that safety pays. No employee likes to be off work due to an on the job injury. The physical pain, doctor visits and the reduction in pay is not palatable to the average employee.

Keep sending your employee training verification forms on safety to your district manager on a monthly basis. As the saying goes, "the proof is in the pudding", employee training sessions to pay off. We have done an outstanding job the last two years but we all must accept the challenge of doing better in the future.

Congratulations to all of our food service directors for the outstanding performance in food service operations and employee safety. Accept the challenges of the new school year. Let us have a better year in all areas than we did last year.

One final note, make sure you personally congratulate each of your employees for their contribution to the success of your facility. Without them you could not have done the job. Without your direction, Great Western could not have enjoyed the success of the past year. Keep up the good work.

June
12th	Bryan Glover		Frank Phillips College
12th	Angela Ullrich		Dodge City Community College
16th	Charlie Curry		District Manager
23rd	Dee Read		Cowley County Community College
25th	Rick Vandiver		Hutchinson Community College

Announcements

1. Contest
   

   Congratulations!!
   Carolyln Blackburn was the winner of the Holiday Food Quiz summer fun pack. Thanks to all who participated. The answers are in the newsletter along with the answers to the trivia puzzle from last month.
   

   
   LOGIC PROBLEM ANSWERS:

   Bob, Pediatrics, Cortland, Cider
   Amy, X-ray, Stayman, Jelly
   Tom, Admissions, Baldwin, Pies
   Sue, Surgery, MacIntosh, Applesauce
   Pam, Lab Tech, Jonathan, Dumplings

Pat on the Back

• Linda Harper
  Vernon Regional Jr. College

  Dear Linda and staff,

  Thanks to you, the area IV FFA Leadership camp was truly a success. I lost count on how many times they complimented the food. It is really nice to have such a positive response.

  Sincerely,

  Betsy

• Chris Hoskins, KS State Hwy. Patrol

  From: Fran Ebert
  To: Sarah Richardson
  Date: 6/26/02
  Subject: Great Western

  Sarah-
  Will you please let the appropriate people know how much I enjoyed the food at the dining hall. The personnel were all so helpful and cheerful, and the food was delicious. Also, thanks to everyone out there that worked to get the Conference together. I really appreciate all the time and effort you all gave to make it a wonderful learning experience for us.

  Thanks,
  Frannie Ebert

• Gary Jones, North Central Missouri College

  Thank you!
  Thank you!
  Thank you!
  Thank you!
  I just wanted to say "Thank you" for helping out on NCMC's New Student Registration Day on June 14. I hope that the day went as Well for you as it did for us.

  It was terrific to have such community-wide support when we were Wondering how to get so many people fed. You were great!

  Thanks, again.

  Ginny Wikoff
  NCMC counselor

Meet the Managers

• Stay tuned next month to meet our mystery managers

Buck-a-Roo Club

Jay Menze	Lee Jones	Diane Hubbard
Linda Harper	Paul Tharman	Chris Hoskins
Carolyn Blackburn	Jennie Fuls	Brant Hatler
Jeff Landreth

Safety Tips

This month we view some safety tips on HEAT, the risk, preventive measures plus action to take. Although some of the summer months are behind us, August and September can still be brutal in the Texas locations. According to the Centers for Disease Control more people die in the U.S. each year from heat-related accidents than from tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, lightning and hurricanes combined.

Risk: Those that are at risk from Heat.

Individuals who may be at higher risk for heat-related illness include those who.....

• are already dehydrated or exhausted
  
• are not acclimated to hot temperatures
  
• are in poor physical condition
  
• are recently sunburned
  
• are wearing tight restrictive clothing
  
• have consumed drugs/alcohol within 24 hours of work
  
• have consumed diuretics such as caffeine, or medications like tranquilizers, or antihistamines

Preventive Measures:

• Get acclimated to the conditions by slowly increasing the work periods between rest periods.
  
• Alternate light and heavy work - incorporate rest periods (which can be periods of light ac tivity) between work periods. Rotate work teams. Do the most strenuous work in the cooler times of day.
  
• Drink more liquids - try to drink five to six ounces of cool water every 15 minutes, regardless of whether you're thirsty or not. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
  
• Avoid large, hot meals - instead try eating a light cool lunch.
  
• Keep a breeze going - ensure adequate ventilation in hot work areas. If outdoors, work in the shade when possible.
  
• Let machines do the work - use equipment to do as much of the heavy labor as possible.
  
• Dress to accommodate the heat - wear lightweight (cotton is best), loose fitting clothing.

Take Action When Necessary:
Ensure all employees are trained in the signs of heat-related illnesses. Some symptoms are headaches, dizziness, weakness, mood change, pale dry skin or lack of sweating and fainting or loss of consciousness. If someone is suffering from a heat-related illness..........

• Move them to a cooler location and apply cool water or ice to lower their body temperature.
  
• Seek medical assistance and stay with them until it arrives.
  
• Loosen their shoes and clothing, elevate their legs and fan them.
  
• Give them lightly salted water if they are conscious.

Remember:
Heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke can come on suddenly. Practice the preventive, common sense measures listed above and everyone will have a much safer summer.

The above information was furnished by CompSource Oklahoma the state of Oklahoma insurance agency for worker's compensation insurance in the state of Oklahoma.

Only one unit dropped from our Safety List. These are the units that remain claim free.

Highland Community College	Odessa College	Western Texas College
Kansas State Univ. - Salina	Howard College	Seminole State College
KS State Highway Patrol	Vernon Regional Jr. College	Hill College
Frank Phillips College	Clarendon College	SWCID
New Mexico Jr. College	Camp Horizon	Iowa Central Community College
Western Oklahoma State College	Amarillo College	Seward County Community College
North Central Missouri College	Cloud County Community College	KS Law Enforcement Training Center

Safty Rangers Case Study:

Hazardous Harry wants to economize on his janitorial cost. Harry does not adequately supply the hand washing sinks with anti-bacterial soap, nail brush, and paper towels. Although hand washing is a very important obligation in the preparation and serving of food, Harry does not place much importance on it. In fact if a spy camera was placed in the men's lavatory, one would find out that Harry does not wash his hands after using the facility. Harry feels that he never washes his hands at home after using the lavatory or while he is preparing food so why do it at work. He thinks that he never gets sick at home, so why should he wash his hands in said instances at work. He never emphasizes the importance of washing hands during food preparation, food serving or after use of the lavatory facility to his employees.

Hazardous Harry's Comments: Ever since I was a child I was never told to wash my hands after using the lavatory. As I grew up and became interested in food service I always work straight through in the preparation of food. When handling different types of meat products, beef, chicken, pork and seafood, I never see the reason of washing my hands since the food will be cooked which should kill bacteria. I think the health department over-emphasizes the importance of washing one's hands.

Cautious Carol's Comments: Harry does not believe in cross contamination. When he is handling different types of food products, the bacteria is carried from one food item to another. This is especially important if the food is not cooked immediately. Bacteria grows on food products the longer it remains uncooked. Harry should heed the warnings of the health department as well as HACCP.

Watchful Willie's Comments: Harry has been lucky throughout the years. Not only is it a
disgusting habit not to wash one's hands after using the lavatory, but germs can be carried
to all areas of the food operation. Everything that Harry touches is susceptible of being
contaminated from Harry's hands.

Safety Sam's Comments: Harry definitely needs to hold training sessions with his employees in the proper manner in which hands should be washed. Bacteria is easily transmitted by touching surfaces, food products and other people. Harry needs to supply his facility with anti-bacterial soap, a nail brush and paper towels. He needs to have these areas checked on a daily basis to make sure the proper supplies are there. None of these items are as costly as a food poisoning epidemic. Harry is being penny wise but dollar foolish when it comes to food safety. The health department does not put in regulations just to give someone a job to write up procedures. Government agencies spend many dollars on research to make the lives of everyone healthier and safer. One of these days Harry's ignorance will catch up with him and he will pay the price.

Food Service 401

The Effects of Indecision and Decisions

Our lesson this month will dwell on the effects of indecisiveness. World history is dotted with the effects of indecision upon the individual that is managing the action of an organization. Most of the cases that will be mentioned in this article played an important part in shaping the events of the United States of America or the total nations of the world.

Major General George G. Meade's Indecision

During the American Civil War General Lee, commander of the Southern Forces, ordered an assault on the Union breastworks on Cemetery Ridge. Against the advice of his second in command, Lee ordered General Pickett to charge the breastworks with three divisions. Very few Confederate soldiers actually breached the breastworks of the Union Army. As the Confederate soldiers were butchered in such a senseless charge, Lee's invasion of the North had failed and his ultimate defeat was inevitable in a war of attrition with a larger foe.

Lee withdrew from Gettysburg setting up defenses against a counterattack. Though he was trapped against the flooded Potomac, the counterattack never came. He escaped to Virginia to fight two more years before Appomattox.

President Lincoln wrote Maj. General George G. Meade, who had assumed command of the Army of the Potomac for the Union three days before Gettysburg, expressing gratitude at the great victory, but also disappointment. "You had at least twenty thousand veteran troops directly with you, an as many more raw ones within supporting distance, all in addition to those who fought with you at Gettysburg; while it was not possible that he ( Lee) had received a single recruit; and yet you stood and let the flood run down, bridges be built, and the enemy move away at his leisure, without attacking him..."

"Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely. If you could not safely attack Lee last Monday, how can you possibly do so South of the river (Potomac)?... Your golden opportunity is gone, and I am distressed immeasurably because of it."

General Dwight D. Eisenhower's decision

After the Normandy invasion, Patton's breakout at St. Lo, the battle of the Bulge, the Rhine crossing
at Remagen, Eisenhower stopped his armies at the Elbe. The path to Berlin was clear before him, and Winston Churchill urged him to take the capital before the Soviet Red Army, setting the post-war division of Europe. The decision to wait, Churchill wrote, "played a dominating part in the destiny of Europe, and may well have denied us all the lasting peace for which we had fought so long and hard." The Cold War, of course, continued until the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

The decision of the first President Bush and Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell

President Bush and Colin Powell stopped the Gulf War after 100 hours, with Saddam Hussein still in power. The decade since saw the rise of Osama bin Laden and spreading Muslim militancy.


The decision of President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles

President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles cut off financial support for the pound sterling to force the British and French to withdraw from Suez, which they'd seized after the canal had been nationalized by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel al-Nasser. Nasser seized the forefront of Arab nationalism and the British withdrew east of Suez. The decision shaped the Middle East we see today.

Arthur Andersen Accounting firm's decision

Arthur Andersen Accounting firm was a well respected and largest accounting firm in the world. In 1935 as the Securities and Exchange Commission was approaching its first birthday, Arthur Andersen enjoyed a budding reputation as the enemy of companies that tried to deceive investors and bankers by abusing loose accounting rules. End result is Arthur Andersen, once a proud firm, is for sale, with a black eye for credibility.
After the cover up with Enron Corporation, the prestigious accounting firm was involved in a major financial debacle that cost investors and employees many millions of dollars. Arthur Anderson lost all respectability with the financial world. Thousands of employees were laid off.

Now another scandal involving Arthur Andersen has just come to the surface involving WorldCom Inc.. Arthur Andersen's auditors were notified by an executive with WorldCom about irregularities in WorldCom's accounting practices. The auditors of Arthur Andersen ignored the warnings about inflated profits, as WorldCom continued to inflate profits.

Summary

Major General George G. Meade's indecision to attack a weakened opposing force was actually a decision of indecision. When a person is indecisive, that person has made the decision to make no decision. In studying all of the above cases of decision, all the facts that surround the final decision process are not known to us, since we were not present to enjoy the rational behind the decision. If memory serves me correctly, I believe in the case of President Bush and General Colin Powell pressure was placed on them by the United Nations since the mandate of the United Nations was achieved.

None of us are going to wage war, make world shaking decisions or be responsible for billion dollar companies financial reporting. But there is a lesson learned in reading these historical facts. Any decision made should be a well calculated decision based on all the facts as well as determining the possible outcome of the decision that is made. The history of the world was changed by the decisions of a few leaders.

When we have to make a decision, do not make a rash decision. Gather all the possible facts and try to determine the result of the decision being made. Some decisions can be made on the spur of the moment since the end result is quite obvious. An example of this would be, the Italian dressing container on the salad bar is very low and there is another hour of the lunch period. One would not have to gather very many facts in this situation, plus the end result is obvious. If the dressing container is empty you will have an unhappy customer, plus someone will probably inform you that you need to fill it.

Normally when we deal with people, it is more important to collect the facts and determine the end result of a decision. A decision made out of anger, spite or revenge normally are irrational decisions that lead to dissension and disruption in which all parties are losers.

Holiday Food Quiz Answers

1. The correct answer : C Figs
   One of the main ingredients in figgy pudding is figs. A verse in the Christmas carol, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" has people clamoring for figgy pudding- - it must be pretty tasty.
2. The correct answer : C Feet
   Giblets are the innards of any edible fowl that have been prepared for cooking. The innards include the gizzard, neck, liver and heart. In giblet gravy, the giblets are used to make stock.
3. The correct answer: B Cowpea
   Black-eyed peas come from herbs known as cowpeas. The seeds of the cowpea are called black-eyed peas. Some people believe it is good luck to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, which is also the final day of Kwanzaa. Black-eyed peas are often included in the Karamu, the feast of Kwanzaa, which is held on December 31.
4. The correct answer: D Scotch
   Glogg contains several types of alcohol, but scotch in not one of them.
5. The correct answer: D Potatoes
   Latkes are grated-potatoe pancakes fried in oil. They are usually served with sour cream or applesauce. Oil has special significance at Hanukkah- -according to the Talmud, in 165 BC a very small amount of olive oil burned miraculously for eight days on a temple alter in Jerusalem. As a result, it is traditional to eat fried foods during Hanukkah.
6. The correct answer: D Ammonia
   Lutefisk is cod, that has been soaked in lye and water for several days and then boiled. The word lutefisk comes from the Norwegian words for "lye" lute and "fish" fisk. (If you don't know what lye is, you really should look at the definition. It makes this dish all the more interesting!)
7. The correct answer: C Nog
   Eggnog is made of milk or cream, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, and sometimes an alcoholic beverage, such as brandy or rum. In the early 19th century nog was a strong type of beer.
8. The correct answer: A Candy
   You don't need candy to make candied yams- -you've actually candied the yams themselves!
9. The correct answer: C Onions
   Challah is a sweet, eggy bread. The word challah actually refers to a small piece of dough set aside before the bread is baked. This piece of dough is baked, then burned, and finally thrown away after a special prayer is said.
10. The correct answer: B Plums
    Surprisingly, there are no plums in plum pudding! Plum pudding contains raisins and currants but no plums. Plum pudding is considered best when it is made a year ahead of time.
11. The correct answer: B Fresh Fruit
    Fruitcakes are make using candied and dried fruit, not fresh fruit. The amazing thing about fruitcakes is that, if properly stored, they can last for months or even years!
12. The correct answer: A Yams
    Although many people think yams and sweet potatoes are the same thing, they are not. To make a sweet potato pie, you need sweet potatoes, not yams. The sweet potato belongs to the plant family Convolvulaceae, while the yam belongs to the family Dioscoreasceae. Yams are typically sweeter in taste and are not widely grown or marketed in the United States.

A HACCP PRINCIPLES GUIDE FOR OPERATORS OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

GETTING STARTED

Using a Team

Use of this Guide is most effective when a team approach is used for designing and implementing a plan based on the HACCP principles. A team could be comprised of the owner and the chef or cook. Although managers are responsible for designing the system, implementation involves the efforts and commitment of every employee. Education and training of both management and employees are important in their respective roles of producing safe foods. You may consider working with outside consultants, university extension services, and regulatory authorities to ensure your HACCP system is based on the best available science and will control identified hazards.

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This Guide contains a model for assessing significant food safety hazards at each operational step in the flow of food. A short introduction to each step highlights important food safety concerns. For each operational step there is a worksheet and a worksheet summary page which discuss the CCPs and critical limits. These critical food safety limits are included in the Food Code. In addition, Annex 3 of the Food Code provides the public health reasons behind each control measure.
This Guide addresses the significant food safety concerns for each operational step in the flow of food. For each step, a summary sheet and accompanying worksheet are provided to assist you in focusing on the controls that need to be in place in order to manage food safety hazards.

PROCEDURAL STEP 1

Group Menu Items

To get started, review how your menu items flow through your operation, note whether they undergo a cook step for same day serving, receive additional cooling and reheating following a cook step, or have no cook step involved. Refer to Chapter 2 for organizing your menu items by Process 1, 2, and 3. Looking at your menu, place each menu item or similar menu items (like "hot soups" or "cold salads") into the appropriate group. You may discover that more than one food process is conducted within your operation. You will also need to consult the Annexes to identify menu items that need very careful and special attention throughout the use of this Guide. These menu items may pose special hazards that are not always readily apparent. If your operation serves any of the menu items listed in the Annexes, consult with your regulatory authority for additional information. To accomplish the first procedural step in developing your food safety management system, identify the food processes specific to your menu items.

CHART 1: PROCESS-SPECIFIC LISTS
List your menu items that belong to one of the three processes.

PROCESS #1	PROCESS #2	PROCESS #3
List menu foods:	List menu foods:	List menu foods:
Examples:	Examples:	Examples:
Salad greens	hamburgers
Fish for sushi	soup du jour	soups
Fresh vegetables	hot vegetables	gravies
Oysters or clams served raw	entrees for "special of the day"	sauces
Tuna salad	cooked eggs	large roasts
Caesar salad dressing		chili
Coleslaw		taco filling
Sliced sandwich meats		egg rolls
Sliced cheese

Process number 1: Food preparation with no cook step - ready-to-eat food that is stored, prepared, and served.
Process number 2: Food preparation for same day service - food that is stored, prepared, cooked, and served.
Process number 3: Complex food preparation - food that is stored, prepared, cooked, cooled, reheated, hot held, and served.

PROCEDURAL STEP 2
Conduct Hazard Analysis

In developing a food safety system, you need to identify the hazards that exist in the flow of foods in your operation from receiving to serving. Hazards include:
• pathogens or toxins present in food when you receive them,
  
• pathogens that may be introduced during preparation (example: using a raw animal food as one ingredient),
  
• pathogen growth or toxin production during storage, preparation, or holding.
  
• pathogens or toxins that survive heating, and
  
• contaminants, (i.e., pathogens, chemicals, physical objects), that are introduced to food by food workers or equipment.

Since you have grouped your menu items, including ingredients, into the three processes on Chart 1, you can identify hazards that are associated with each process. You will see that the more complex the process is, the greater are the opportunities for hazards to occur.

In consultation with your regulatory authority, you need to identify the hazards associated with various foods and ingredients, such as:

• Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni in raw poultry,
  
• E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef,
  
• Staphylococcus aureus toxin formation in cooked ham,
  
• Bacillus cereus spore survival and toxin formation in cooked rice,
  
• Clostridium perfringens spore survival and subsequent growth in cooked foods, and
  
• Hazards specific to seafood, (see Annex 1).
  
  
This list is only a brief sample of hazards associated with specific foods. By identifying the hazards, you will be able to determine CCPs and critical limits on the worksheet. Another way of fulfilling the hazard analysis step is to understand the hazards associated with your specific menu items (Annex 3 of the Food Code is a resource for this purpose) and to adhere to the critical limits established in the Food Code. Those critical limits are based on the anticipated hazards.

Food Safety Management Worksheets and Summaries for Operational Steps

Worksheets and summaries are provided to enable you to:
• identify those operational steps in the food flow that are specific to your operation,
  
• write in your SOPs which are the general procedures that cross all flows and products (refer to Chapter 4, Prerequisite Programs, for further discussion),
  
• reference the CCPs and critical limits pertaining to those process steps,
  
• develop monitoring procedures and corrective actions which are customized to fit your operation, and
  
• consider the type of record keeping you need to document you are controlling significant food safety hazards.

HACCP allows the flexibility for you to customize a food safety management system specific to your operations. The worksheets are provided to assist you in developing procedures to:

• monitor CCPs,
  
• take corrective actions when critical limits are not met,
  
• establish a verification procedure, and
  
• establish a record keeping system.

Review the following worksheets and the summary page for each operational step. Determine the ones that are applicable to your operation and make copies of them so you can fill in your groupings of menu items (which you did preliminarily in Procedural Step 1). Then continue to use the forms and complete the information as you work through Procedural Steps 3 through 9.

RECEIVING

At receiving, your main concern is contamination from pathogens and the formation of harmful toxins. Obtaining food from approved sources and at proper temperatures are important purchase specifications for preventing growth and contamination during receiving. Approved sources are suppliers who are regulated and inspected by appropriate regulatory authorities.
Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food is a special concern at receiving. Because this food will not be cooked before service, microbial growth could be considered a significant hazard for receiving refrigerated, ready-to-eat-foods. Having SOPs in place to control product temperature is generally adequate to control the hazards present at receiving of these products. Besides checking the product temperature, you will want to check the appearance, odor, color, and condition of the packaging.

Federal regulations require that processors of seafood and seafood products for interstate distribution have a HACCP plan. These establishments are approved sources for seafood, and you may ask your interstate seafood supplier for documentation that the firm has a HACCP plan in place. Processors of seafood and seafood products that are sold or distributed only within a state may or may not be required to have a HACCP plan, depending on the state, local, or tribal regulations.
Special consideration should be given to certain species of finfish and raw molluscan shellfish. Molluscan shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops) that are received raw in the shell or shucked must be purchased from suppliers who are listed on the FDA Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers' List or on a list maintained by your state shellfish control authority. Shellfish received in the shell must bear a tag (or a label for shucked shellfish) which states the date and location of harvest, in addition to other specific information.

Finfish harvested from certain areas may naturally contain a certain toxin that is not readily apparent. This toxin is called ciguatera. Other finfish may develop toxins after harvest if strict temperature control is not maintained. This toxin is called scombrotoxin. Temperature control is important at receiving because this toxin can not be eliminated by cooking. For more information on toxins in reef finfish, histamine formation in certain species, and parasites in raw finfish requiring control, refer to Annex 1.

Operational Step 1: RECEIVING

PROCESS	MENU HAZARD ITEM		CCP	CRITICAL LIMITS
Process 1	Examples:	*Bacterial growth	YES	Receive at 41°F or below
Process #1	Examples:
	Salads	*Parasites or	NO
	Sushi	*Scombrotoxin *Ciguatera or other toxin contamination *Chemical contamination		Approved source Seafood HACCP plan Proper chemical storage/use
Process #2	Examples:	*Microbial contamination	YES
		*Bacterial growth		Receive at 41°F or below
	Hamburgers	*Scombrotoxin or *Ciguatera or other toxin contamination	NO	Approved source
	Mahi-mahi	*Chemical contamination		Seafood HACCP plan Proper chemical storage/use
Process #3	Examples:	*Microbial contamination	Yes	Receive at 41°F or below
		*Bacterial growth
	Soups	*Ciguatera or other toxin contamination *Scombrotoxin *Chemical contamination	NO	Approved source Seafood HACCP plan Proper chemical storage/use

SOPs

Process number one: Food preparation with no cook step - ready- to-eat food that is stored, prepared, and served.
Process number two: Food preparation for same day service - food that is stored, prepared, cooked , and served.
Process number three: Complex food preparation - food that is stored, prepared, cooked, cooled, reheated, hot held, and served.

STORAGE

When food is in refrigerated storage, your management system should focus on preventing the growth of bacteria that may be present in the product. This is primarily achieved through temperature control. Special attention needs to be given to controlling and monitoring the temperatures of potentially hazardous ready-to-eat foods.

When determining the monitoring frequency of product storage temperature, it is important to make sure that the interval between temperature checks is established to ensure that the hazard is being controlled and time is allowed for an appropriate corrective action. For example, If you are storing potentially hazardous ready-to-eat foods under refrigeration, you may decide to set a critical limit for the refrigeration units to operate at 41E°F or below. You may also want to set a target, or operating limit, of 40E°F for example, in order to provide a safety cushion that allows you the opportunity to see a trend toward exceeding 41E°F and to intervene with appropriate corrective actions.

Monitoring procedures for ready-to-eat food ideally include internal product temperature checks. You need to assess whether it is realistic and practical for you to do this, depending on the volume of food you are storing.

You may choose to base your monitoring system on the air temperature of the refrigerated equipment as an SOP. How often you need to monitor the air temperature depends on:

• whether the air temperature of the refrigerator accurately reflects the internal product temperature - (remember, your food safety refrigeration temperature must be based on the internal product temperature of the food stored within a refrigeration unit, not the air temperature),
  
• the capacity and use of your refrigeration equipment,
  
• the volume and type of food products stored in your cold storage units,
  
• the SOPs that support monitoring this process, and
  
• shift changes and other operational considerations.

Standard operating procedures can be developed to control some hazards and assist in implementing a food safety system that minimizes the potential for bacterial growth and contamination. The control of cross contamination can be done by separating raw foods from ready-to-eat products within your operation's refrigeration and storage facilities.

Special consideration should be given to the storage of scombroid fish due to the potential formation of histamine, a chemical hazard. To control histamine formation in scombroid toxin-forming fish, it is recommended that storage be a CCP with the critical limit not to exceed 41E°F, as stated in the Food Code, unless you can show through scientific data that the food safety hazard will not result.

Operational Step 2: STORING

PROCESS	MENU HAZARD ITEM		CCP	CRITICAL LIMITS
Process #1	Example:	Bacterial growth	yes	Store at 41°F or below
	Salads	Cross contamination		Separate raw from ready-to-eat food
	Sushi	Parasites Chemical contamination	no	Freeze fish to be consumed raw @ -4°F for 7days or -31°F for 15 hours. Proper chemical storage/use
Process #2	Example:	Bacterial growth	yes	Store at 41°F or below
	Hamburgers	Scombrotoxin
	Mahi-mahi	Cross contamination Chemical contamination	no	Separate raw from ready-to-eat food. Proper chemical storage/use
Process #3	Example:	Bacterial growth	yes	Store at 41°F or below
	Soups	Scombrotoxin Cross contamination Chemical contamination	no	Separate raw from ready-to-eat food. Proper chemical storage/use

SOPs

Process number one: Food preparation with no cook step - ready-to-eat food that is stored, prepared, and served.

Process number two: Food preparation for same day service - food that is stored, prepared, cooked , and served.

Process number three: Complex food preparation - food that is stored, prepared, cooked, cooled, reheated, hot held, and served.

People Development Incentives
We are looking for Manager Trainees!

Qualifications:

1. Prefer a person who has cooking skills or past food management experience.
2. Appearance should be neat and tidy.
3. Should be able to communicate well.
4. Should have indications of being intelligent.
5. Willing to be trained in production areas.
6. Willing to relocate outside of the state of their residence.
7. Preferable areas: Missouri, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma.
8. Has ambition to grow into a management position.

How do you find these people?

First, look inside your own facilities.

Second, look at people that apply for positions, ones who answer ads or even walk-ins. Sometimes people who simply walk-in for an application are showing strong signs that they need employment. Even if you do not have a position open, extend the courtesy of a few minutes of conversation.

1. From that, you can determine if the person communicates well and has indications of intelligence and is neat in appearance.
2. From the conversation, if you see some possibilities, do not make a commitment, but forward the resume to the corporate office, with a brief note attached.

Lastly, you may have knowledge of a good person working for another establishment. Seek out this individual, talk briefly with him/her to see if there is any interest that they may want to grow. Then set up a formal interview time to get a good read on the person to see if he/she meets the qualifications. If the person does, send the resume to the home office and an official interview will be set up.