Food Safety News and tips:

Food Safety and Power Outages

Power outages can occur in Ohio during any season from severe storms, accidents or over-consumption. These simple steps can help you determine if perishable foods at home are still safe to eat.  Simply looking at food is not a reliable way to determine if it is safe to eat.

If power is restored within 48 hours of an outage, there should be no significant problems with foods that were completely frozen before the outage

Do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unless absolutely necessary

You can safely re-freeze some foods if they still have ice crystals or if they have been kept at 40 degrees or lower for no more than two days; perishable foods which have warmed to 40 degrees or higher for two or more hours are probably not fit for re-freezing and should be thrown away.

Throw away the following foods if they are kept at temperatures of more than 40 degrees for more than two hours: raw or uncooked meat, poultry, seafood, milk, cream, yogurt, soft cheeses, fresh eggs, meat topped pizza and lunch meat, casseroles, stews or soups, cream filled pastries, mayonnaise, tarter sauce, cut melons and cut tomatoes.

Food that can be kept in a closed refrigerator for up to three days are butter and margarine, fresh fruit (other than cut melons) and vegetables, dried fruits, hard and processed cheeses, and fruit juices.

Most importantly, common sense prevails.  If you have doubts about a particular food, play it safe, throw it out.

4 Simple Rules for Better Food Safety

New State regulations regarding training for food service operations:

The State of Ohio has added mandatory training for food service operators to the Ohio Food Code in certain instances, which include:

Any new operation licensed after March 1, 2010

Any operation connected to a foodborne illness outbreak

Any operation with a history of non-compliance with the food code

This is in addition to the provision that requires that a person in charge who is knowledgeable about food safety be present in the operation at all times.

ECHD will provide this training on a quarterly basis.  Our next class will be held on August 17, 2010 from 8:30am - noon at the Elyria Police Department Community Room.   The cost of the class is $20.

In light of recent foodborne illnesses associated with fresh produce, the following tips can help reduce your risk of contracting such an illness.

Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged

Chill and refrigerate promptly - Fresh produce should be refrigerated within 2 hours after peeling or cutting.  Leftover cut produce should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Wash hands often - especially before and after handling fresh produce, raw meats, poultry or seafood.

Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating (consider washing bagged items as well).  Use a clean produce brush on items such as melons and cucumbers.

Wash surfaces often - cutting boards, dishes, utensils need to be washed and sanitized with 1 teaspoon bleach in a quart of water after contact with fresh produce, raw meats, poultry or seafood - especially if using the same utensil or surface to work with multiple items.

Discard outer leaves of lettuce, cabbage and other greens

Buy local produce in season when possible

Buy only as much produce as you will use in a week.

Purchase loose instead of packaged produce, so it can be inspected.

Use a cooler with ice or gel packs when transporting, storing or serving fresh produce outdoors.

The Food Safety Division:

The FOOD SAFETY DIVISION is responsible for inspecting and licensing all food service and retail food establishment operations within the City of Elyria. Food vending machines, restaurants, and the food service operations of schools, day care centers, nursing homes, and the hospital, as well as food services at festivals are licensed and inspected. Thanks to an ongoing working relationship between ECHD's Registered Sanitarians and the food service operators in Elyria, the community is efficiently protected against foodborne illnesses resulting from health code violations and improper food handling.

FUNCTIONS

Click here to view the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code  

Click here for additional food safety tips and information

Click here for information on recalled food products  

Forms:

Click here for a copy of our checklist on how to obtain a food service license (pdf)

Click here for a copy of our application for food service plan review (pdf)

Click here for a copy of our checklist and procedures for obtaining a temporary food service license