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Effective August 1, 1997 the State Public Health Code requires that each person owning, operating, or managing any Class III or Class IV foodservice operation ( Restaurants, Vendors, Caterers etc.) shall be a qualified food operator or shall employ on site at least one qualified food operator in a supervisory position. To qualify each person must complete a training course approved by the State. Top O' The Mornin' currently has 3 qualified food operators that scored above 93% on the required exam. The practices covered in this course are followed at Top O' The Mornin' on a daily basis.
OUR MOST RECENT HEALTH INSPECTION SCORE 1/2010 97
BREAKFAST LUNCH DIRECTIONS RECIPES
Food Safety & Storage Tips
WE BUY FROM APPROVED SOURCES ONLY. THEN TAKE IT A STEP FARTHER AND BUY ONLY FROM THE BEST OF THE APPROVED SOURCES.
Q. What is the leading cause of food borne illness in the U.S.? A. Failing to cook or cool foods properly. Most people think you should let a hot food item sit on the counter at room temperature to cool before it is put into a refrigerator. This is extremely unsafe. Rapid cooling and heating are key to preventing bacteria growth
84 % of food-borne illness outbreaks are caused by improper food temperatures. (63% from improper holding temperature and 21 % from inadequate cooking. ) The next leading cause is poor personal hygiene at 28 % - Contaminated equipment 23 % - Food from unsafe sources 12 %. Many restaurants have recreational fisherman try to sell them their daily catch. If you know of a restaurant that buys it - I don't recommend you eat there.
Did you know that even church dinners & carnivals should have a certified foodservice operator present at every function?
How do I guard against bacteria in leftovers ?
COOLING When you initially cool the food after it's first use you should reach an internal temperature of 40º as rapidly as possible. This temperature must be reached within four hours. You may have to break the food up into smaller portions in order to reach the 40º in four hours.
REHEATING The minimum safe internal temperature for all foods previously served and cooled ( leftovers ) is 165º. This temperature must be reached for at least 15 seconds. The heating process to reach this internal temperature can not take longer than 2 hours. Never reheat more than once.
Should I let hot food sit out on the counter to cool before refrigerating ? Never ! One of the most important aspects of food safety is rapid cooling. You have a limited time ( 4 hours total accumulated time) that food can remain inthe temperature danger zone. You want your food to go from above 140º to below 40º as rapidly as possible. If you are concerned about putting this hot food into your refrigerator and raising it's internal temperature try an ice water bath items such as pots of stew or soup or try breaking large portions up into a size that will cool faster. Remember that letting food to sit out to start cooling is extremely unsafe - refrigerate immediately !
Why can you store foods like pasta or flour at a temperature that is considered dangerous for other foods ? What makes them different ? Bacteria need water as well as food to grow. They can not ingest solid food so they must receive their nutrients in some liquid form. The lowest water activity value at which bacterial activity will occur is .85. Most fresh foods have a water activity level of .97 to .99. Dry pasta has a level of .5 therefore bacteria can not survive. The chart below will show where some foods are with regards to water content.
Q. Why is it safe to eat steaks medium rare, but not hamburgers cooked that way ? A. E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria can live in the digestive system of cattle. During processing, meat can be contaminated with the bacteria. With steak, E. coli can be on the surface of the meat and is easily killed when the steak hits the hot grill. When meat is ground however, the bacteria can be mixed throughout the hamburger and is harder to destroy. We are extremely confident in the quality and safety of the ground beef we use and will cook your burger anyway you like.
Do you have a food handling question ? send us an e-mail and we will try to find your answer
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