Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine
Chapter 1: Food Service Sanitation
Section VI: Sanitary Precautions to be Observed When Preparing and Serving Food

1-39. Preparing and Serving.

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

1. Safe Holding Temperatures for Cooked Foods

a. General. Potentially hazardous foods which are not served immediately after cooking must be either rapidly chilled to temperatures of 40 degrees F or lower or held at 140 degrees F or higher. Growth of harmful bacteria and the development of toxins (poisons) formed by the bacteria occur rapidly in protein foods when held at temperatures between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F. Potentially hazardous foods which have been held at temperatures between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F longer than 4 hours must be considered unsafe for consumption and must be destroyed. If the product is refrigerated at intervals and then permitted to warm up, the total time of the various periods between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F must not exceed 4 hours.

b. Potentially hazardous ingredients for foods that are in a form to be consumed without further cooking such as salads, sandwiches, filled pastry products and reconstituted foods must have been chilled to 40 degrees F or below prior to preparation.

2. Reconstituting or Fortifying Food

a. The ingredients and the container must be prechilled to 40 degrees F or below before reconstituting or fortifying a potentially hazardous food with the addition of a dry ingredient such as dry milk or milk product, a dessert mix or similar product if the container is larger than 1 gallon.

b. A potentially hazardous food which has been reconstituted or fortified by the addition of a dry ingredient such as dried milk, eggs, soup, sauce, dessert mix or similar product, if not for immediate service, must be:

(1) Held at 40 degrees F or below until served;

(2) Immediately placed, after mixing, into either a frozen dessert machine or other liquid product refrigeration unit; or

(3) Held at 140 degrees F or above.

c. A reconstituted or fortified potentially hazardous food that is held between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F longer than 4 hours will not be served; it will be discarded.

4. Food to be Chilled. Potentially hazardous foods to be served cold or saved as leftovers must be cooled to 40 degrees F within 4 hours. Potentially hazardous foods, as appropriate to the food, must be cooled by placing the food in shallow pans (food depth not more than 3 inches), by breaking the food down into smaller or thinner portions, by using rapid chilling equipment, by stirring the food in a container placed in an ice water bath or by other methods which result in lowering the food temperature to 40 degrees F within 4 hours. Food being chilled must be arranged in the refrigerator to provide for maximum heat transfer through the container walls and be loosely covered during the cooling period so as not to restrict air flow to the surface of the food. Leftovers and other cooked food products should not be placed in chill/meat thaw boxes where the meat thawing process is being accomplished because of the possibility of cross-contamination.

5. Leftovers. Foods retained as leftovers must be kept to a minimum by proper food service management, by small batch preparation, progressive cooking, knowledge of the number of diners, and of diner preferences. Leftovers may be categorized as potentially hazardous food and nonpotentially hazardous food.

a. Nonpotentially hazardous leftovers are such items as commercially packaged crackers, condiments, etc., which may be recovered from the serving line, but not dining tables or trays, and be retained for reuse. Unsliced, hard skinned fruits may be retained from serving lines for reuse provided they are washed. Nonpotentially hazardous leftovers do not require labeling.

b. Potentially Hazardous Leftovers. Potentially hazardous leftovers include any potentially hazardous food prepared for a specific meal period and then retained for a later meal period. Prevention of food-borne illness is the major concern of this chapter; therefore, potentially hazardous leftovers may be retained for a later meal period only when the following provisions are satisfied:

(1) Foods composed of ingredients which have been peeled, sliced, or diced by hand after cooking must never be used as leftovers, since the 4 hour limit between temperatures of 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F is usually taken up in preparing, chilling, and serving the food. These foods include, but are not necessarily limited to potato salad, chicken salad, turkey salad, macaroni salad, shrimp salad, egg salad, and similar items. Also included are foods that have been creamed or handled a great amount (e.g., hashes, most gravies and dressings, and creamed meats) and items that are highly perishable (e.g., most seafood). Foods with commercially prepared chopped or ground meat ingredients may be retained as leftovers;

(2) Potentially hazardous food retained as leftovers must have been held at safe temperatures;

(3) Potentially hazardous food must have been protected against contamination during serving by use of sneeze guards and served by authorized servers using proper utensils and/or be individually wrapped or packaged;

(4) Nonpackaged or unwrapped potentially hazardous food recovered from a self-service line must not be retained as leftovers;

(5) Hot items to be retained chilled must be chilled as described in Article 1-39.4. above

(6) Potentially hazardous leftovers must be labeled "leftover" with the date and time prepared and the discard date;

(7) Potentially hazardous leftovers may be retained for 36 hours when properly chilled at 40 degrees F or below or 5 hours if maintained hot at 140 degrees F or higher. The only exceptions to the 36 hour holding period are as follows:

(a) Unsliced bulk meat items prepared within the facility (e.g., ham, whole poultry, large beef roast, etc.) that have been covered and placed directly from cooking (not recovered from a serving line) into refrigeration will be labeled with the time and date prepared and the discard date. They are to be served or disposed of within 60 hours of preparation. Once sliced and offered for service, these bulk meat items must not be retained for leftovers

(b) Commercially prepared luncheon meat loaves (e.g., bologna, salami, processed ham, etc.) and high moisture cheese must be served or disposed of within 120 hours of first being removed from the original container and cut. Slices recovered from the serving line must not be retained for leftovers; other slices may be retained for 36 hours, for one meal period only, providing the 120 hours is not exceeded;

(c) Dry or semidry sausage and hard natural cheese are exempt from leftover holding rules (e.g., 36, 60, and 120 hours), however, these items must be visually inspected prior to serving and must be discarded at the first sign of deterioration

(8) Potentially hazardous leftovers may be offered for serving only once. Any product remaining after that meal period must be discarded. Freezing of leftovers is prohibited.

c. Reheating Potentially Hazardous Food.

(1) Potentially hazardous food that has been cooked and then refrigerated and which is reheated for hot holding must be reheated so that all parts of the food reach 165 degrees F.

(2) However, food taken from commercially processed hermetically sealed containers, food in intact packages from commercial food processing establishments, and whole or remaining unsliced portions of beef roasts may be reheated to 140 degrees F for hot holding.

6. Food Preparation in Local Facilities

a. Food which has been ground or chopped in a food service facility and is to be cooked later or incorporated into a recipe must be refrigerated immediately in shallow pans filled to a depth of not more than 3 inches and must be kept covered until cooked. Grinding or chopping food increases the surface area for possible contamination and growth of harmful bacteria. The grinding process also warms chilled foods to the point where microbiological growth may start. Only the quantity of ground foods that will be consumed at one meal period should be prepared and must not be retained as leftovers. To assure a safe product, ground or chopped foods must be prepared and cooked in accordance with the methods prescribed in the Armed Forces Recipe Service.

b. Meats. Cut, sliced, or diced meats must be placed in shallow containers not more than 3 inches deep, loosely covered with a lid, waxed paper, polyethylene film, plastic wrappings, etc., or other appropriate coverings and be refrigerated immediately to protect the meat from contamination and ensure quick cooling.

c. Green Vegetables. Green vegetables of uncertain origin (especially those purchased in foreign countries) or suspected of being contaminated with pathogenic organisms must be chemically disinfected by immersion for at least 15 minutes in a 100 ppm FAC solution or 30 minutes in a 50 ppm FAC solution (or other approved solution) and thoroughly rinsed with potable water before being cooked or served. A 100 ppm chlorine solution can be made by adding 3 tablespoons of 5% sodium hypochlorite to 5 gallons of water; use 1 1/2 tablespoons for a 50 ppm solution. Head items such as lettuce, cabbage, celery, etc., must be broken apart before disinfection.

7. Frozen Foods. Frozen foods are subject to deleterious quality changes in color, texture, odor, flavor, and nutritional value if they are not properly managed with regard to packaging, freezing, storage and thawing. The proper procedures for managing frozen foods include sealing the foods in moisture and vapor proof wrappers or containers to prevent dehydration and freezer burn; freezing foods in process freezers designed to cool bulk foods quickly to reduce chemical and biological deterioration; storing the frozen foods at a constant temperature not higher than 0 degrees F to prevent tissue damage as a result of ice crystal growth and limiting the time of storage of frozen foods to the storage life listed in NAVSUP PUB 486, Volume 1, Chapter 5. Frozen foods that require thawing prior to prepartion should be thawed slowly in a controlled temperature refrigerated space to reduce the amount of moisture lost as a result of bleeding or leakage. Once thawed, meat, poultry, fish, and other potentially hazardous foods must be maintained at 40 degrees F or below, or heated to 140 degrees F or above, to prevent or retard microbiological activity. Repeated freezing and thawing of foods is prohibited because it compounds tissue damage and moisture losses, and increases the potential for pathogenic growth and toxin production in potentially hazardous foods.

a. Thawing Procedures

(1) Frozen foods must not be thawed by exposure to excessive heat, warm air currents or immersion in water. The proper procedure is to place frozen foods particularly meat, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products under controlled thawing temperatures (36 degrees F to 38 degrees F) in their original wrappers or containers to enhance uniform thawing and reduce moisture loss. A standard reach-in refrigerator will not maintain (36 degrees F to 38 degrees F) temperature range; when frozen meat is placed inside, the internal box temperature drops below 32 degrees F. The thaw box must have the capability of tempering the internal circulated air within the specified range.

(2) Frozen foods may be thawed in microwave ovens provided they are immediately cooked thereafter as a part of a continuous cooking process.

(3) On board ships, and only during emergency situations when microwave ovens and refrigeration equipment are down, it may be necessary to use a thawing method not approved by FDA; e.g., thawing at room temperature. In this situation, the following guidelines must be used:

(a) Frozen foods are thawed in the galley or meat preparation space;

(b) The room temperature must not exceed 80 degrees F.

(c) Meat, poultry, and fish must remain in their original sealed wrappers or containers;

(d) Proper precautions must be taken to ensure potentially hazardous foods are not allowed to remain at room temperature once thawed;

(e) The MDR must be notified.

(4) Commercial-type Frozen Food Operation. This is the only authorized operation in which food intended for use at a future time is prepared, frozen, and stored. Such an operation must conform to the following requirements:

(a) All relevant requirements of this chapter governing the preparation, handling, and storage of potentially hazardous foods including the 4 hour rule must be followed;

(b) The minimum equipment necessary must include process freezers designed for rapid cooling of bulk foods, e.g., blast freezers;

(c) Raw or precooked food ingredients to be used must not have been previously frozen; precooked meat must not have been previously frozen in the raw state;

(d) Commercially prepared blast frozen entrees containing potentially hazardous foods intended for conventional or microwave heating by patrons must be stored and transported frozen and held in refrigerators or refrigerated vending machines at 40 degrees F or lower for no longer than 60 hours

(e) All foods prepared in these operations must be labeled with the date and time of preparation and the activity or processor's name and address;

(f) Navy and Marine Corps frozen food processing operations must obtain CHBUMED approval for operations not previously authorized.

(5) Cook-Chill Food Service Operations. This method is used in some Naval Hospitals and allows food to be cooked, held at very low refrigeration temperatures for serving at a future meal period (some foods may be held for more than 3 days). Since the food is rapidly chilled (using blast refrigeration units) to 32-35 degrees F, it is not considered leftovers. General requirements concerning the "cook-chill" method are discussed below:

(a) After cooking all foods must be chilled to an internal temperature of 40 degrees F within 3 hours;

(b) The maximum holding time for potentially hazardous foods under refrigeration at 32-35 degrees F is limited to 72 hours from the time of cooking;

(c) Prior to serving, all foods served hot will be reheated to 165 degrees F and be held at 140 degrees F until served;

(d) Potentially hazardous foods which are not reheated to 165 degrees F before serving, (e.g., custards and cream filled pies) must be served within 36 hours of cooking;

(e) Potentially hazardous foods which have been cooked, chilled and reheated for service are not saved and served as leftovers. The maximum amount of time these foods are allowed in the dangerous temperature range (between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F) would most likely be exceeded before the food could be served again

(f) The food service refrigeration units (blast refrigerators) must be dedicated to this operation and meet NSF Standards or be equivalent;

(g) Navy and Marine Corps "cook-chill" food service operations must be individually authorized by CHBUMED prior to commencement of operations.

(6) Freezing of Leftover Foods. Freezing of leftovers is strictly forbidden. This includes freezing of meat sauces, casseroles, and any other food prepared in dining facilities with the exception of commercial frozen food operations described above.

8. Reconstituted, Dehydrated Foods. Food items such as dehydrated eggs and vegetables are as susceptible to spoilage after reconstitution as the fresh items. Dehydrated foods must be reconstituted with chilled ingredients and be cooked or refrigerated immediately following reconstitution.

9. Sandwiches. Sandwiches are considered potentially hazardous food because of the nature of their fillings and potential contamination during preparation.

a. Sandwiches not prepared at a Navy or Marine Corps activity must be procured from a commercial establishment that is listed in the area Directory of Sanitarily Approved Food Establishments for Armed Forces Procurement as published by the Department of the Army.

b. Sandwiches must be freshly prepared with the time between preparation and consumption or storage kept to a minimum. They must be labeled, marked, or stamped with the date and time of preparation and a 'pull date.'

c. Sandwich fillings containing meat, meat products, poultry, fish or eggs that are to be held longer than 4 hours before being consumed must be prepared in rooms not to exceed 80 degrees F and be promptly refrigerated; or, under proper conditions frozen until consumed.

d. Sandwiches containing protein fillings exposed to temperatures between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F must be consumed within 4 hours of manufacture or refrigeration; if not consumed they must be disposed of as garbage. Class II sandwiches are an exception. See Article 1-39.9.g.(2).

e. Sandwiches intended to be eaten hot,.such as a reuben or hot roast beef, must be prepared upon customer request or immediately prior to serving in a feeding operation such as a general mess.

f. Sandwiches must be individually wrapped in wax paper or similar materials, except in those instances when sandwiches are made to individual customer order such as a short order line.

g. Classification. For convenience, chilled and frozen sandwiches are categorized into three classes:

(1) Class I. Sandwiches containing meat, cheese salad fillings, and other similar ingredients including leftovers. These sandwiches are prepared daily, refrigerated, and normally dispensed over the counter in mobile food service trucks or in refrigerated vending machines.

(2) Class II. Frozen sandwiches intended for use in flight or boat meals. These sandwiches are prepared in enlisted messing facilities and are only authorized when the preferred method of handling special meals described in Article 1-41 is not feasible. The following special requirements apply to Class II sandwiches;

(a) Only freshly prepared sandwiches containing suitable ingredients for freezing will be used. "Suitable ingredients" refers to food and food products which have never been frozen and are not adversely affected by the freezing process;

(b) Each sandwich must be wrapped and sealed separately in a double thickness of wax paper, or other moisture/vapor proof packaging material;

(c) Immediately after wrapping, sandwiches must be frozen at 0 degrees F or below and maintained at, or below, that temperature

(d) Class II frozen sandwiches must be consumed within 5 hours from the time they are removed from-the freezer. Each sandwich must be labeled at the time of issue with the appropriate time and date.

(3) Class III. Frozen sandwiches produced in a commercial type frozen food operation in which a central kitchen is designed specifically for mass sandwich production, each individual sandwich is sealed and frozen to 0 degrees F or below, and maintained at that temperature during transportation and storage. These sandwiches are limited to bread, meat, beans, and cheese portions with condiments that are not considered potentially hazardous foods, e.g., mustard and pickles. Gravies and sauces are prohibited. Frozen sandwiches are subject to the same requirements for thawing as other foods.

h. Storage Requirements (Shelf Life)

(1) Commercially prepared Class I and III sandwiches may be stored, consumed or pulled in accordance with the manufacturer's label providing the following criteria are satisfied:

(a) The production facility must be listed in the Directory of Sanitarily Approved Food Establishments for Armed Forces Procurement;

(b) Each individual sandwich is sealed, labeled with the production date and pull date, and rapidly chilled to 40 degrees F or lower, or frozen to 0 degrees F or lower;

(c) During the period from production to consumption, the proper storage temperatures are maintained.

(2) Holding times and temperatures for sandwiches other than commercially prepared sandwiches are found in Table 1-7. Outdated sandwiches must be discarded.

Table 1.7 Summary of Holding Times and Temperatures for Sandwiches

Category of Sandwich	Storage Temperature (Freezer)	Maximum Time in Freezer	Storage Temperature (Reefer Thaw Box)	Maximum Time in (Reefer Thaw Box)	Total Maximum Storage Time	Maximum Times Between 40-130 degrees F
Class I	--	--	34-40 degrees F	36 Hr.	1 1/2 Days	4 Hr.
Class II	0 degrees F or Below	15 Days	--	--	15 Days	5 Hr.*
Class III	0 degrees F or Below	60 **/ 15 Days	34-40 degrees F	60 Hr.	77 1/2 Days	4 Hr.

* From time sandwich is removed from freezer.
**60 days maximum in a central freezer, 15 days maximum from date of delivery to consuming activity.

(3) Identification of Processor and Dating of Sandwiches

 

(a) Each sandwich must be labeled, marked or stamped with the date and time of preparation and a 'pull date.'

(b) In addition, each carton or case of sandwiches must be stamped or affixed with the processor's name, address of the preparation site, and preparation date.

10. Pastries

a. Cream puffs, custard filled pies and cakes, eclairs, and similar products must be prepared under sanitary conditions, covered, cooled quickly, and refrigerated until served. They must remain under refrigeration on the serving line and any leftover items must be disposed of at the end of the day.

b. When these items (filled with dairy products/ eggs) are procured commercially, they must be delivered under refrigeration and remain under continuous refrigeration, including on the serving line. Any leftover items must be disposed of at the end of the day.

c. These items are highly perishable and provide ideal culture media for pathogenic organisms. Only the quantity of food which will be consumed for the day will be prepared or procured. To assure uniform and safe products, foods must be prepared and cooked using the methods prescribed in the Armed Forces Recipe Service.

d. Synthetic cream pastry fillings will not support pathogenic growth and toxin production at room temperature if the pH and water activity (Aw) values are maintained at 4.6 or below and 0.85 respectfully (see Paragraph 1-3.15., Potentially Hazardous Food). Therefore, in those instances when the synthetic pastry manufacturers are able to demonstrate their products meet the above criteria, they may be authorized to deliver their synthetic pastries unrefrigerated. Those products individually wrapped and labeled may be stored at room temperature. Products not individually wrapped and labeled (bulk shipments) should be refrigerated because of the possibility that improper handling could result in contamination and pockets with higher water activity values could occur within these pastries.

Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.

The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source. 

Operational Medicine 2001

Health Care in Military Settings

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