HACCP Validation Vs. Monitoring: Case Study in Cooling Hot Food

Abstract

Validation is the sixth step of a HACCP program. It involves verifying that a food safety procedure actually reduces the risk for foodborne illness. One strategy commonly used to validate the program is working is simply to review the records kept by employees. If the numbers meet the critical limits established by the food safety program, the validation step is complete. Reviewing time and temperature logs is monitoring of critical control points. Validation of one standard cooling method was the purpose of this experiment. According to the CDC improper cooling foods is the primary cause of foodborne illness in the United States. The PDA Food Code (1999) standard for cooling hot food is from 140°F to 70°F in 2 hours then to 41 °F in 4 hours for a total of 6 hours cooling time. Cooling rates were compared for four different food items in a refrigerator and a blast chiller. Two 2”pans of cream of mushroom soup, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and English peas were heated to 160°F or higher. Pans of foods were of equal weight. One pan of each food item was placed in a refrigerator and in a blast chiller to cool. Initial temperatures were taken using calibrated thermometers. Food temperatures and ambient temperatures were recorded every thirty minutes. The temperature inside the refrigerator rose into the danger zone for more than 2 hours during the experiment. After 3 hours of cooling all of the food items placed in the refrigerator were above the PDA standard of 70°F. The foods placed in the blast chiller were <70°F within 2 hours and <37°F within 3 hours of cooling. The experiment demonstrated that 2”full sized pans of these foods could not be cooled according to the PDA standard in the refrigerator. Also, placing hot food, even in shallow 2” pans, in a refrigerator for cooling will jeopardize all other foods stored in the unit. Hot foods were safely cooled using the blast chiller and other foods were not jeopardized. Foodservice directors must validate all food safety procedures and use the data derived to implement changes in operational procedures to achieve food safety goals.