Food Safety
Unity College Dining follows strict food safety and sanitation guidelines as dictated by the US FDA and State of Maine Food Codes. Food is purchased from approved vendors, and from the time it is received to the time it ends up on your plate, it is handled with the utmost caution to prevent growth of harmful pathogens.
Our staff undergoes continuous food safety training, and most of our associates are ServSafe® Certified, meaning they have taken an 16-hour National Restaurant Association food safety and sanitation course taught by our Assistant Manager Lorey Duprey who is a certified proctor/instructor and have passed a nationally-administered exam. Anyone in Maine or surround areas can take this course and can contact Lorey at lduprey@unity.eu or 207 948-3131 extension 264.
After taking this course participants will become certified in ServSafe once they pass the ServSafe test. Some areas of importance that are covered are:
Food Handlers;
• Hair should be contained
• Wash Hands after using bathroom, coughing/sneezing, touching other foods to avoid cross contamination, touching nose, face hair, ECT.
• If using disposable gloves change as soon as
o They are soiled or torn
o Changing task
o Handling raw meat, and before handling cooked ready to eat food
• No Smoking, chewing tobacco, or eating & drinking while preparing or serving food
Storage;
• Cold food storage should be @ 45 degrees or lower
• Raw poultry should be stored under everything to avoid contamination
• Ground meat should be stored above poultry /below everything else
• Make sure all meat juices are contained
• Ready to eat foods should be on top ( deli meat salads )
Food Preparations;
• Thaw food in refrigeration, under running cold water, microwave or as part of the cooking process
• You have a 4 hour window in which food can become dangerous this includes the time the food is produced, transported, Ect.
• The Danger zone is 41 – 145 degrees F anything in this area should be cooled or reheated rapidly or discarded.
Cooking guidelines;
• 165 – 15 seconds
o Poultry
o Dishes with raw ingredients
• 155 – 15 seconds
o Ground meats
o Eggs that are to be held and served
• 145 -15 seconds
o steaks/ chops/ Roast
o eggs be served immediately
• 135 – 15 seconds
Cooling Food;
• Food should be cooled from 135 – 70 degrees within 2 hours
• Then cooled from 70 – 41 degrees or lower within 4 hours
• Cooling methods;
o Ice bath
o Smaller amounts
o Do not put large pots and pans in cooler/fridge
Do Your Part Too!
Unwashed hands spread infection, especially in the winter months. You can help each other stay healthy by washing your hands before you dine in our facilities. If for some reason you can’t, use the hand sanitizer located in the Cafeteria and Student Center. Sanitizers don’t replace hand washing, but they are a next best alternative.
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