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Published by Public Health Oakland, 2019-04-24 14:36:59

Spring 2019 Food News and Views

FlipBook_Food News and Views_2019

Basic food safety classes Spring 2019

The Basic Food Safety Class is held twice a month - once at the Summer cooler safety
Southfield office and once at the Pontiac office - and is approximately
two hours in length. The class allows the public an opportunity to learn During the summer, equipment failure can be common.
from experienced Public Health Sanitarians about food safety, without When temperatures rise, coolers often break and do not
the pressure of a standardized exam at the end. hold cold food below 41°F. Checking and recording your
equipment temperatures daily ensures that food stays at
On-site classes are also an option for facilities that have a large staff safe temperatures.
(ten or more employees in attendance) that would like to have the
classes conducted at their facility. These on-site classes are available As warmer weather approaches, check all the parts of the
upon request. cooler - especially the condenser and the interior fans - to
ensure that cold air is rotating throughout the cooler. Doing
Starting this year, the Basic Food Safety Class will also be offered in regular and routine cooler maintenance may reduce the
different languages. Four additional classes will be held throughout likelihood of malfunction during summer hot spells. Use
the year and will be taught in Arabic and Spanish. This is a great an equipment temperature log to keep track of your efforts.
opportunity for individuals whose primary language is not English.

Temporary food service licenses

When food is prepared and served to the public at a temporary location, such as a special event, a Temporary Foodservice Establishment (TFE)
license may be required. To apply for aTFE license, an application must be completed and submitted to Oakland County Health Division (OCHD)
along with an application fee. Once received, a sanitarian will be in contact prior to the event. This will provide the sanitarian and operator an
opportunity to ask and answer any questions they may have.

During an inspection, your sanitarian will check for items such as the ability to hold foods hot or cold, handwashing, thermometer, ware-
washing, gloves, hair restraints, sanitizer, and test strips. A TFE license will be issued after a satisfactory inspection. The license is valid
for the licensed operator, at the same location, for 14 consecutive days. A TFE license is a flexible option for operators to conduct food
service outside of a brick and mortar facility.

Go to www.oakgov.com/health for a fillable PDF version of the TFE license application.

In this issue

Basic Food Safety Classes......................... 1 Thermometers............................................ 2

Summer Cooler Safety............................... 1 Specialized Processing.............................. 3

Temporary Food Services Licenses............ 1 Sewage Backups........................................ 3

Article IV.................................................... 2 CBD Oil in Food Service Establishments.... 4

Bed Bugs................................................... 2 This issue available on-line at OakGov.com/Health
HEALTH DIVISION

North Oakland Health Center • Pontiac South Oakland Health Center • Southfield
1200 N. Telegraph • 34E • Pontiac, MI 48341 • Ph: 248.858.1312 27725 Greenfield Road • Southfield, MI 48076 • Ph: 248.424.7190

Article iv

Every licensed food service facility in Oakland County is required to have at least one full time employee designated as a Certified Food
Service Manager. Certificates must be maintained onsite for review by a Public Health Sanitarian during each inspection. Facilities are
encouraged to post their certificates, so that customers and staff can see their dedication to food safety.

Certified Food Service Manager certifications last for five years. OCHD offers full certification courses as well as recertification
courses on a monthly basis at multiple locations. The registration form containing the list of upcoming classes can be found on the
OCHD website at www.oakgov.com/health. Registration is required in advance of the class. Facilities interested in hosting a class
should call 248-858-7930.

ServSafe(r) was recently updated to the new 2017 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code. A PDF document outlining the new
updates can supplement the current textbook. The ServSafe(r) textbook is a good reference for food safety information and can be used
to train other staff, as well as to refresh a manager’s own knowledge. Textbooks are available in several languages such as: English,
Spanish, Chinese, and Korean. Exams are also available in several languages, such as: English, Large Print English, Spanish, Chinese,
Korean, and Japanese.

During 2018, OCHD conducted 12 ServSafe(r) Food Service Management Certification classes and 12 Recertification classes. Out of 241
students enrolled in these classes, 199 received their certification for an 82.6% passing rate.

ServSafe(r) is a registered trademark of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and used under license by
National Restaurant Association Solutions, LLC.

Bed bugs Thermometers

Bed bugs are considered a nuisance pest and are not A thermometer is an important piece of equipment for food service
known to transmit communicable diseases. However, if facilities. A food thermometer is the only way to accurately check if food
you have a suspected bed bug problem or have questions, is fully cooked or stored at the correct temperature.
OCHD can help. OCHD provides education on proper
identification and treatment for potential bed bug infesta- Using a thermometer that is properly calibrated is important. If a
tions at hotels, movie theaters, and other public locations. thermometer is improperly calibrated and reads temperatures too
high, food may be served unintentionally undercooked, and food that
If you experience bed bugs, it is highly recommended to is perceived to be holding hot enough could actually be holding below
work with a licensed pest control operator to accurately the hot holding critical limit of 135°F. If a thermometer is improperly
locate and properly eliminate the insects. Some licensed calibrated and reads temperatures too low, food that may appear to be
pest control operators even have K9 units available to cold enough could be held above the cold holding critical limit of 41°F.
determine where bed bugs may be present. The most These errors could result in devastating consequences for businesses.
effective treatment for bed bugs is high heat treatment. A
list of the pest control operators licensed in Michigan can To test for a thermometer’s accuracy:
be found at https://bit.ly/2TkFcCQ. • Make an ice water bath by completely filling a cup with ice and adding
water just below the level of the ice.
For additional information, visit Michigan.gov/bedbugs. • Submerge the probe of the thermometer for 30 seconds. It should
read 32°F; if it does not, calibration is necessary.
• For a metal stem analog thermometer, adjust the hex nut underneath
the thermometer dial until it reads 32°F while keeping the stem in the
ice water bath.
• For digital thermometers, check the manufacturer’s directions for
calibration; some will have a reset button that can be pushed. Others
may need to be sent back to the manufacturer for calibration.

2 Oakland County Health Division • Environmental Health Services • Spring 2019

Specialized processing

When performed according to specific time and temperature requirements outlined in the Food Code, many food production processes
are approved in restaurants. However, as menu offerings become more creative and complex, some facilities may wish to integrate
specialized processing methods into their food preparation.

Specialized processes include:
• Curing using nitrites/nitrates or curing salt
• Smoking with the intent of food preservation
• Reduced oxygen packaging (ROP), including vacuum sealing, canning, or bottling
• Cook/chill and sous vide
• Seed sprouting
• Pickling, fermentation, and acidification (examples: kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt)
• Custom processing of wild game animals

When performed improperly, specialized processing methods can lead to uncontrolled growth of pathogens like Clostridium botulinum
and Listeria monocytogenes, foodborne illnesses which can cause severe illness or death. For this reason, OCHD requires written
standard operating procedures, a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, and/or a variance to ensure the specialized
processing method is performed safely when used in the restaurant.

If your facility is interested in performing one of the above procedures, contact OCHD prior to initiation of the process to discuss
requirements. A Specialized Processing Methods Variance Toolkit is available from OCHD.

Sewage backups

Sewage backups can affect any facility and vary greatly in scope. In the Michigan Modified Food Code, sewage is defined as “liquid
waste containing animal or vegetable matter in suspension or solution and may include liquids containing chemicals in solution.” In a
restaurant, overflow of sewage can occur at equipment or plumbing fixtures, such as a sink basin, toilets, or directly from floor drains.

You never know when an emergency can occur. The first step to addressing a sewage backup in your facility is to create an Emergency
Action Plan (EAP) before the problem arises. You can download EAP Guidelines from the Michigan Department
of Agriculture and Rural Development. EAP manuals are also available for download in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic at
https://bit.ly/2TQlswi.

In addition to using the guidelines referenced above, a facility’s EAP should have three basic stages:

1. Assessment: The Person-in-Charge is responsible for both an initial and continuous assessment of the following:
• The complexity and scope of response required
• The duration of the emergency event
• The impact on flow of food service (example: does the emergency affect food, equipment, utensils, linens, single service/use
items, and/or employee health)
• The availability of alternative procedures that can be used to meet Food Code and Food Law requirements
2. Response: Have a list of professionals to aid in repair, such as a plumber. Define alternative procedures to follow to continue normal
operations. If the sewage back up interrupts sanitary operations and an acceptable alternative is not available, the facility must close
until repairs are made.
3. Recovery: Describe the necessary steps to clean and sanitize to return to normal, safe operations.

Prior planning is the best way to minimize the impact of sewage backups and other health emergencies.

Oakland County Health Division • Environmental Health Services • Spring 2019 3

CBD Oil in Food Service Establishments

Due to the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, there has been an increased interest in using Cannabidiol (CBD)
in products offered at food service establishments. However, current federal and state regulations do not allow for the use of CBD
in food service products.

Both CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are active ingredients in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs, and
under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, it is illegal to introduce drug ingredients into the food supply. Additionally, according to the
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), there is no producer within the state of Michigan currently
approved to produce CBD as a food. MDARD relies on the federal government to determine which food additives are generally
recognized as safe (GRAS) and these approved food additives can be found on the FDA list of GRAS ingredients.

Most recently added to this list (effective December 20, 2018) are hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein, and hemp seed oil.
These items can now be included in human foods provided they do not make disease treatment claims. Hemp derived CBD oil
(from the stalks of the plant) is not currently included on the list of GRAS ingredients, and per section 3-302.14 of the 2009 FDA
Food Code, “Food shall be protected from contamination that may result from the addition of unapproved food or color additives.”

Please contact OCHD for further guidance on this evolving topic and when looking to introduce new food items or make changes
at your facility.

Learn more about FDA guidance in relation to CBD at: https://bit.ly/2y7cjCB


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