Write plans and follow them
Whenever a retail food establishment is operating, there must be a designated person in charge (PIC). The PIC is responsible for ensuring safe food handling practices at all times. Minnesota food code effective Jan. 1 includes:
- 17 areas of knowledge
- 16 duties
Several parts of the food code describe in detail what the PIC needs to do in order to fulfil those 16 duties. This article focuses on how the PIC can fulfill their duties to ensure written procedures and plans are created, approved when required, kept on file, and followed by all employees.
It is the duty of the PIC to ensure that written procedures and plans are maintained and followed for:
- Time as public health control (TPHC)
- Noncontinuous cooking
- Specialized processing and Reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) with a HACCP plan
Different food preparation processes carry different food safety risks. Minnesota food code requirements are stricter for processes with higher food safety risks.
Written procedures and plans help control increased public health risks
When you use food handling procedures that increase the risk of foodborne illness, Minnesota food code requires additional safeguards. Writing procedures and plans as required in Minnesota food code helps the PIC and other food employees identify food safety hazards and control foodborne illness risk factors.
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TPHC allows TCS food to remain in the temperature danger zone for a short time. It is essential to closely monitor the length of time the food is between 41°F and 135°F and discard the food when food safety can no longer be ensured.
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Noncontinuous cooking does not effectively destroy disease-causing bacteria during the initial heat treatment and extends the amount of time the food is in the temperature danger zone. Effective written procedures ensure that noncontinuous cooking is done in a way that controls risks.
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Specialized processes and reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) require specific food safety controls not otherwise addressed in the Minnesota food code. These techniques often require specialized equipment, ingredients or technology. Because of an increased potential health risk, specialized processes in retail food establishments must be conducted under strict operational procedures.
TPHC: Maintain written procedures
When using time only, rather than both time and temperature, to control the safety of time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food, maintain written procedures on site. TPHC procedures do not need to be preapproved by the regulatory authority .
The PIC must know:
- The required cooking and holding temperatures and times for TCS food before and during TPHC.
The PIC must be able to explain:
- The responsibilities of the PIC, employees and the regulatory authority when an establishment is using TPHC.
The PIC must ensure that employees are trained and follow written TPHC procedures, including:
- Cooking, cooling or reheating TCS food to proper temperatures and times before using TPHC.
- Marking food containers and discarding food when required.
- Routinely monitoring food temperatures and times.
If you serve a highly susceptible population such as immunocompromised persons of any age, preschool-age children, or older adults, you cannot use TPHC for raw eggs.
Noncontinuous cooking: Get preapproval
Before you use a noncontinuous cooking process, have your written procedures approved. We encourage PICs and other food establishment representatives to work with their inspectors to develop procedures that will comply with noncontinuous cooking requirements.
MDH has developed a form you can use to write your procedures and keep monitoring records. The Noncontinuous Cooking Form is available from MDH and includes important details about the requirements.
Using this form is one way you can create written procedures that ensure employees use safe practices when conducting noncontinuous cooking of raw animal foods.
The PIC must know:
- The required temperatures and times for the initial heating, cooling, storage, and final cooking of raw animal food during the noncontinuous cooking process.
The PIC must be able to explain:
- The responsibilities of the PIC, employees and the regulatory authority when an establishment is using noncontinuous cooking.
The PIC must ensure that employees:
- Are trained and follow written and preapproved noncontinuous cooking procedures.
- Routinely monitor food temperatures and times.
Animal food cooked using a noncontinuous process may not be served undercooked or raw, even upon consumer request or with an adequate consumer advisory.
Specialized processes and reduced oxygen packaging: Submit HACCP plan
Before you conduct a specialized process or reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) in your retail food establishment, submit your HACCP plan for review by MDH, MDA, or your local regulatory authority.
The PIC must know:
- How the PIC and employees comply with the HACCP plan.
The PIC must be able to explain:
- The responsibilities of the PIC, employees and the regulatory authority when an establishment is using a specialized process or conducting ROP without a variance.
The PIC must ensure that employees:
- Are trained in HACCP procedures.
- Follow the HACCP plan.
- Routinely monitor food temperatures and times.
"HACCP plan" is defined in Minnesota food code.
Learn more about PIC knowledge and duties
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