Download Vacuum Packaging Module - the Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Vacuum Packaging
Food Safety Principles
Retail Meat & Poultry Processing
Training Modules
Produced under a Cooperative Agreement from the
United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Developed by:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture,
Dairy and Food Inspection Division
Hennepin County Environmental Health
Minnesota Department of Health
University of Minnesota Extension Service
September 2004
Pretest
Topics
• Reduce oxygen
•
packaging
•
methods
•
• Advantages/risks •
• Primary controls•
temperature,
types of food
packaged, shelf
life and sanitation
Back flushing
Packaging
Labeling
HACCP Plan
requirements
Training
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the advantages and risks of vacuum2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
packaged foods.
Know what particular group of bacteria presents
the greatest risk in vacuum-packaged foods and
why.
Understand how the food safety hazards are
controlled.
Explain the reason retailers use a shelf life for
vacuum-packaged foods of no longer than 14 days
while USDA manufacturers often use 30-45 days.
Define back flushing. Give an example when ‘backflushing’ would be used.
Know the labeling requirements for retail vacuumpackaged foods.
What is
Reduced Oxygen Packaging?
Food in a package with
less oxygen than
normal
Reduced Oxygen Packaging
(ROP)
Vacuum packaging
Modified Atmosphere Packaging
Controlled Atmosphere Packaging
Others: Cook Chill or Sous Vide
Advantages of ROP
• Extend shelf life
• Slows the growth
of spoilage
organisms
• Prevent color
changes
• Prevent shrinkage
and moisture loss
What’s the Hazard?
Biological Hazards
• Pathogenic bacteria
• Bacteria that grow without oxygen
 Clostridium
 Listeria
• Spoilage microbes will not grow
• Less competition for other bacteria
Bacteria of Concern
Bacteria that grow in an environment
without oxygen
• Clostridium botulinum
• Produces a toxin that is not eliminated by
heat
• Listeria monocytogenes
• Grows at temperatures down to 32°F
• A concern in ready-to-eat foods as a result
of cross contamination
Primary Controls
• Temperature
• Types of Food Package
• Shelf Life
• Sanitation
Temperature
• Keep cold at 41°F
or less
• Minimize time out
of refrigeration
during
processing
Types of Food Packaged
Retail Food Code regulations limit the types
of food that can be vacuum packaged to:
• Raw meat or poultry (beef, pork, chicken)
• Hard cheese (colby, cheddar, swiss)
• Cured meats (sausage, ham, smoked
turkey)
• Food with a low pH (below 4.6) or low
water activity level (below .91)
• Fish ONLY if frozen before, during and
after packaging
Shelf Life
• Limit the shelf life to 14 days from day of
packaging
• Increase in shelf life increases the risk of
Listeria growth
Developing SSOP’s
Written Procedures
• Detailed procedures for cleaning and
sanitizing.
• A checklist of equipment to be cleaned and
the frequency to be cleaned.
• Steps for the tear-down and re-assembly of
equipment.
• Procedures and schedule for cleaning nonfood contact surfaces and facilities.
• Instructions for use of sanitation chemicals.
More SSOPs
• Employee practices
• Steps for preparing and storing foods
» Monitoring temperatures
» Preventing cross contamination
• Pest Control
• Facility and Grounds Maintenance
Flow Diagram
Storage of Food and
Packaging Materials
Assembly and Vacuum
Packaging of Foods
Weigh and Label
Finished Product Storage
Retail Display or Cooler Storage
Storage: Foods &
Packaging Materials
• Keep potentially
hazardous food at
41°F or less.
• Store food to
prevent cross
contamination .
• Store packaging
materials in a
sanitary manner.
Assembly & Packaging
• Limit time out of
refrigeration.
• Re-chill to 41°F or
less.
• At retail, only
certain foods can be
vacuum packaged.
Packaging
• When packaging
ready-to-eat
foods, limit bare
hand contact.
• Utensils, tissues
or gloves must be
used.
Packaging
• Use the vacuum
packaging machine
according to
manufacturers
instructions.
If using a gas
displacement, be sure
equipment is used
safely and effectively.
Packaging
• Designated area for
ROP
• Separate raw from
ready-to-eat
• Physical barrier
• Timing of operations
• Check the packages
for:
• Tight seal
• Tight vacuum
Packaging Materials
• Plastic films must be approved for ROP
food packaging
• Different types of films can provide
barriers to water, oxygen, flavors,
odors
• Other properties: toughness,
brittleness, impact resistance
Labeling
• Basic labeling
requirements
• Statement to ‘Keep
Refrigerated or
Frozen’
• Instructions to
discard if not used
within 14 days of
packaging
Finished Product Storage
• ROP packaged food must be stored at
41°F or less
• Monitor and record the temperature in
all storage units
• Check products daily for faulty seals,
puffy packages
• Outdated products must be discarded
HACCP
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
1. Hazard Analysis
2. Critical Control Points
3. Critical Limits
4. Monitoring
5. Corrective Actions
6. Recordkeeping
7. Verification
HACCP Activity
1. Critical Control Point
2. Monitoring
Frequency
3. Corrective Action
4. Records
5. Verification of
instruments
A) Calibrate thermometer
B) Written procedures for
how to clean
C) Temperature logs
D) Refrigerated storage of
41F or less
E) Check case
temperature twice daily
F) Discard product
G) Reheat to 165F
6. SSOPs
HACCP
Key Points for a ROP HACCP plan:
•Cold hold at 41°F or less
•Frequency of monitoring temps
•ROP food that has been temperature
abused must be discarded
•Maintain records – temperature logs
•Calibrate thermometers
•Written SSOPs
Training
• Develop a Training Program for
employees responsible for the ROP
operation.
• Items to be included:
•
•
•
•
Concepts required for a safe operation
Equipment and facilities
Direct hand contact w/ RTE food
Contents of the HACCP plan
Summary
• Hazards with ROP products
• Clostridium botulinum, Listeria
monocytogenes
• Controls
•
•
•
•
Temperature of 41°F or less
Limiting the types of food packaged
Shelf life maximum of 14 days
Sanitation – cleaning and hand contact
• HACCP and SSOPs
Wrap-Up
• Do you have any questions?
• What information was new?
• How will you apply what you
learned today?
• Posttest