How To Make Your Recipe HACCP Compliant

  • Because of the ever-present danger of a food safety incident the recipe has surfaced as both a training tool as well as a means of creating a tasty, wholesome, food safe dinning experience.

  • The recipe as viewed from a subjective perspective is no longer a viable means of offering food in a commercial setting. Subjective as it relates to recipes would be descriptions like cook to a golden brown, until done, until bubbly etc. All of these are characterized as subjective and not measurable.

  • On the other hand a HACCP compliant, objective perspective would be measurable, as in preheat the oven to 350 and bake the chicken to 165 degrees internal temperature.

  • This changing or restructuring a recipe to be HACCP compliant can be a daunting task. I have simplified this to a user-friendly copy and paste operation.

  • Obviously the recipe to be converted must be in a word processing format. The statements that appear below would be loaded into your PC as a file. Then it’s merely a question of placing the cursor at the point in the recipe you desire The HACCP statement to appear. At this point it is just a question of copy and paste.

  • As an example since the first 4 actions must be taken before a recipe is begun, then it is simply a matter of highlighting those first four statements, right clicking on the mouse, choosing copy and then place the cursor at the beginning of the directions in your recipe and paste.

  • Depending on the product as well as the recipe will depend on the remainder of the statements you include.

  • The statement file follows and should you need any assistance send me an email to chef1@glade.net

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    Recipe Conversion Statements

    SANITATION INSTRUCTIONS: Food prep areas, Equipment, and utensils, to be used in recipe will be washed and sanitized prior to beginning the preparation and cooking.

    GETTING READY: Assemble all ingredients, utensils, etc. to be used in recipe within easy reach of prep area so that food safety can be managed more effectively as well as better control of contamination and cross contamination.

    PERSONAL HYGIENE: Wash hands thoroughly before handling food, after handling contaminated food or objects, and before switching to another step where there is an opportunity for contamination. This applies as well to before and after glove use.

    BEGINNING TEMPERATURES: Take and record on a temperature log all beginning temperatures of refrigerated foods before beginning the recipe.

    ALERT # 1: Rewash and sanitize prep area and any equipment used in the recipe to this point to prevent danger of contamination.

    ALERT # 2: Rewash hands to assure food safety after any product change has occurred or at any opportunity where hands may have become contaminated.

    HOT HOLDING: All fully cooked foods being held for service will be maintained at or above a temperature of 140 degrees.

    CORRECTIVE ACTION HOT FOODS: All cooked food items being held for service that drop below 140 degrees must be removed from service until such time as they are reheated to 165 degrees. Any food not eaten after reheating must be discarded.

    Record time and internal temperature of completed recipe on daily log.

    COLD HOLDING: All food items being held for service to be served cold will be maintained at or below 41 degrees.

    CORRECTIVE ACTION COLD FOOD: Any food item being served cold must be maintained at or below 41. In the event the temperature of the cold item rises above 41 it must be returned to a refrigerated or frozen atmosphere and temperature reduced to 41 or below.

    POULTRY & STUFFING FINAL COOKING TEMPERATURE: Must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees or higher. Whole birds minimum temperature 180 degrees (Stuffing 165). These final cooking temperatures along with the time must be recorded on the temperature log.

    RINSE POULTRY IN COLD RUNNING WATER, pat dry with clean paper towels and wash hands after handling raw poultry.

    GROUND BEEF & ALL PORK ITEMS FINAL COOKING TEMPERATURE: Must reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees or higher and then that final cooking temperature along with the time must be recorded on the temperature log.

    WHOLE MUSCLE BEEF, VEAL, & LAMB (Roasts, Steaks, Chops) final cooking temperature for well-done 170. These final cooking temperatures along with the time must be recorded on the temperature log.

    ALL SEAFOOD ITEMS: Will be cooked to a final cooking temperature of 145 degrees and that final cooking temperature along with the time will be recorded on temperature log. (Note from a quality standpoint temperatures beyond 145 causes moisture loss and texture change with some seafood items).

    EGG ALERT: Shell eggs present a food safety concern so do wash hands at any time where there is an opportunity for contamination. Pasteurized eggs must be thawed under refrigeration and be 41 degrees or lower at time of use. (DO NOT CRACK SHELL EGGS IN ADVANCE) Final cooking temperature for egg dishes is 160 degrees and that final cooking temperature along with the time must be recorded on the temperature log.

    BAKING ALERT: While a knife or toothpick coming out clean indicates doneness, temperature as well depending on hazardous ingredients could also be used.

    NO BARE HAND CONTACT: With ready to eat foods. Must use disposable gloves, tongs, tissue, etc. Batch cooking or holding temperature above 140 is vital as reheating destroys quality of some products.

    Batch cooking and holding at 140 degrees or above is vital as reheating destroys quality of this product.

    Reheating of all products will be to a maximum temperature of 165 degrees.