August 2018
In this issue
The county has released its draft revisions to the recycling
ordinance, which includes a requirement for businesses that generate large
quantities of food waste to implement food waste recycling by January 1, 2020.
Requirements would apply to certain businesses, including restaurants, hotels,
grocers, food manufacturers/distributors and others, that generate one ton of
trash or more per week or contract for weekly collection of eight or more cubic
yards of trash. To be in compliance with the proposed requirements, businesses
must:
- Have food waste recycling service in place
- Provide food waste collection containers back-of-house and properly label them
- Separate food waste from trash in back-of-house operations
- Provide education and train employees annually
Review a summary
of the proposed requirements and the draft
revisions. Comments are being accepted through August 17 via a survey
or by email to environment@hennepin.us.
Stay informed about the process by signing
up to receive county notifications with updates.
 Cleaning
wipes are popular items in the arsenal of busy germaphobes. In fact, we have
now entered the era of DIY
cleaning wipes and a social consciousness of these product’s impact
on the environment. They come in an overwhelming variety from cell
phone cleaners to biodegradable earth-friendly sorts, but are these cleaning
wipes safe to use in your licensed food operation? The key to that answer is on the
label.
Cleaning
wipes are okay to use in the kitchen if the label contains instructions
specific for “food contact surfaces” or “for surfaces that come in contact with
food.” If the label does not have these instructions, then those wipes are not
appropriate for your kitchen. The instructions for use must be strictly
followed. The use of sanitizer test strips must also be used to ensure the concentration is within the required range.
Wipes are
often highly concentrated, and they will leave an unsafe residual amount of
chemical on your counters or surfaces. This is why the labels say to rinse after using the wipes. You do not want
that excess chemical getting into your food or mouth.
There may
also be a specific amount of time in which the surface needs to remain “wet”
with the chemicals. This is called the contact
time. It is important to note if the label indicates a certain contact
time is needed in order to work as promised.
Please
remember that it is never safe to use cleaning wipes to wash dishes or clean porous surfaces (such as wood). Those surfaces require the old fashioned
wash-rinse-sanitize and air dry methods that you have used in the past.
For
questions about using wipes in your food operation, contact your health
inspector or our inspector on call at 612-543-5200.
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Testing the concentration of sanitizer wipes using quaternary ammonium test strips. Concentration should be between 200-400 ppm.
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If you haven’t taken a close look at your can opener
recently, there is no time like the present. Due to the frequency of use and
the difficulty of cleaning, can openers often get overlooked in kitchens, which can cause problems.
There is the obvious food and oil residues that build up
on the hand-held unit and counter mounts. An area that may be overlooked is the interior portion that houses the
blade -- metal shavings from the blade and can rims can accumulate here. These small pieces of metal
will fall into freshly opened cans if not cleaned out regularly.
This is a serious health hazard for everyone.
Dirty can opener
Can openers need to be washed at a frequency which eliminates the food debris and metal shavings building up inside. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions and clean more often if needed. Remember that all sorts of bacteria can grow within food residues and that the piercing part of a can opener blade touches the food in the can while opening.
4626.0840 4-601.11 from the Minnesota Food Code states that, “equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch.” Please ensure your can openers meet this requirement.
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 Hennepin County Health Department will be offering a basic food safety class:
Thursday September 13, 2018
9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
1011 South 1st Street, Hopkins
Second floor, room 233
The flyer with further information can be found on our website under the Basic food safety class tab. Questions can be answered by calling our office at 612-543-5200.
Section 7 K. from the Hennepin County food ordinance states that food establishments exempt from needing a Certified Food Manager (4626.2010 lists the exemptions) still need a person in charge, trained in basic food safety, during all hours of operation. This training can be accomplished by attending an approved basic food safety course such as this one offered in September.
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- General environmental health
- Basic food safety classes
- Temporary food stand licensing
- Food license information, categories, and fee schedule
- New construction or remodeling application
Septic system requirements and procedures
hennepin.us/septic
Body art licensing information (tattooing and piercing)
hennepin.us/bodyart
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About us
Food Digest is a quarterly newsletter written by inspectors from Hennepin County Public Health Department. Articles are meant to support and educate Hennepin County food facility owners and operators. Topics focus on food safety and requirements from the Minnesota Food Code and Hennepin County food ordinance.
Location
1011 South 1st Street, Suite 215
Hopkins, MN 55343-9413
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
612-543-5200
hennepin.us/envhealth
Past issues
Previous issues of Food digest available in our archive.
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