If your ALF has 11 beds or more, when your facility kitchen is inspected by the Health Department and even AHCA they will be looking at the following:
1. What is the process for receiving food?
2. Do staff take and record delivery temperatures?
In order to be able to prove that you are doing the right thing and checking to make sure that food is delivered at the correct temperatures, you will need to keep a log as documentation of having done this task. As the saying goes if it’s not written it wasn’t done.
I recommend you use an infrared thermometer as it makes this test a lot faster and easier. You can find one Online there are many different brands and types so shop prices
REGULATION
64E-11.004 Food Protection.
(1) Food while being transported, stored, prepared, displayed, served or sold at a food service establishment shall be protected
from dust, flies, rodents or other vermin, toxic materials, unclean equipment and utensils, unnecessary handling, coughs and
sneezes, flooding by sewage, overhead leakage and all other sources of contamination. Different types of raw animal products such
as beef, fish, lamb, pork or poultry shall be separated during storage and processing by use of different containers, partitions,
shelves, or by cleaning and sanitizing the equipment between product use. Raw food products shall be physically separated from
ready-to-eat food products during display or storage by storing the raw products below ready-to-eat food products or using other
approved methods.
(2) Perishable food shall be stored at such temperatures as will protect against spoilage. All potentially hazardous food shall
be kept at safe temperatures, 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below and 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above, except during necessary
periods of preparation and service.
(3) Potentially hazardous foods which are to be served without further cooking, such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad,
shrimp salad, lobster salad, tuna salad, potato salad and other mixed foods containing potentially hazardous ingredients or
dressings shall be prepared from chilled products with a minimum of manual contact. The surfaces of containers and the utensils
used for preparation and subsequent storage shall have been effectively cleaned and sanitized immediately prior to use. Potentially
hazardous food requiring refrigeration after preparation shall be rapidly cooled to an internal temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit
or below.
Guide For Incoming Food Into Your ALF
All food that enters a food establishment must be inspected prior to placement in the appropriate storage unit. Inspection criteria usually is based on temperature of the food, condition of the package, and sensory characteristics of the food. The following guidelines are commonly used to determine if food should be accepted.
MEAT — includes beef, pork, mutton, lamb, and goat
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and includes USDA inspection stamp
- Sensory characteristics — The color of beef should be bright, cherry red and vacuum packaged beef will appear purple; lamb should be light red; pork should have light pink meat. The texture of meat should be firm. There should be no odor.
POULTRY — includes chicken, turkey, duck, goose, guinea, and any migratory waterfowl, game bird, such as pheasant, partridge, quail, grouse, or guinea, or pigeon or squab
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and includes USDA inspection stamp
- Sensory characteristics — No discoloration, such as the presence of green or purple around the neck. The texture should be firm and there should be no odor.
FISH — includes all fish except for shellfish and crustacea
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact and clean. If packed in ice the fish must be surrounded by crushed, self-draining ice
- Sensory characteristics — Bright red gills, firm flesh, and a mild ocean or seaweed smell. The eyes should appear bright, clear, and full
SHELLFISH — includes live or shucked clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops
- Temperature — 45 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and if unshucked must include the shellstock identification tag
- Sensory characteristics — Mild ocean or seaweed smell. The shells should be closed and unbroken.
CRUSTACEA — includes shrimp, crab, and lobster
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder unless alive
- Package — intact, clean
- Sensory characteristics — Mild ocean or seaweed smell. The shells of lobsters and crabs should be hard and heavy. If the tail of a lobster does not curl when picked up, it is a sign that it is dead and so should be rejected.
EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS — includes shell eggs, pasteurized liquid whole eggs, and egg substitute. This does not include dry egg whites.
- Temperature– 45 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and includes the USDA inspection stamp
- Sensory characteristics — No odor and the shells are clean and unbroken
MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS — includes milk, butter, buttermilk, yogurt, cheese
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and is labeled “pasteurized.”
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odor or curdling
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES — includes all fresh produce that is either whole or cut. This does not include produce that has been processed, such as canned or dried
- Temperature — varies. Produce Facts, a series of fact sheets published by the University of California Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center, contains information about optimum temperature other relevant information. Select Produce Facts to access this information.
- Package — clean and free of pests
- Sensory characteristics — no molding, cuts, mushiness, discoloration, wilting, or undesirable odors
REFRIGERATED PROCESSED FOODS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS
- Temperature — 41 degrees F or colder
- Package — intact, clean, and dated with use by date
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors
FROZEN PROCESSED FOODS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS — includes food such as burritos, gravy, ice cream
- Temperature — 0 degrees F or colder; ice cream at 6-10 degrees F
- Package — intact, clean, and dated with use by date
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors
VACCUM PACKAGED FOODS — includes modified atmosphere packaged foods and sous vide packaged food
- Temperature — 41 degrees F unless specified otherwise by the manufacturer
- Package — intact, clean, and dated with use by date
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors or colors
CANNED FOODS
- Temperature — room temperature
- Package — clean, not swollen or severely dented, not leaks, label intact
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors upon opening
DRY FOODS — includes all shelf-stable dried foods
- Temperature — room temperature
- Package — intact, clean, labeling visible, and no sign of pest damage
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors, molding, or discoloration upon opening
ULTRA-HIGH TEMPERATURE (UHT) PASTEURIZED FOODS — dairy creamers
- Temperature — 41 degrees F unless specified by the manufacturer
- Package — intact, clean, and properly dated
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors or discoloration detected upon opening
ASEPTICALLY PACKAGED FOODS — includes non-dairy creamers and juices
- Temperature — room temperature
- Package — intact, clean, and properly dated
- Sensory characteristics — no undesirable odors or discoloration detected upon opening
BAKERY FOODS — includes breads, cookies, cakes
- Temperature — room temperature
- Package — intact, clean, and no signs of pest damage
- Sensory characteristics — no discoloration or molding