Food shall be wholesome, in sound condition and safe for human consumption. Food shall be obtained from sources that comply with all applicable laws relating to food safety. Food prepared in a home shall not be used or offered for sale.
(a) Milk. Fluid milk and fluid milk products used or offered for sale shall comply with Grade A standards as established by law. Dry milk and milk products used or offered for sale shall be made from pasteurized milk and milk products.
(b) Shellfish. Fresh and frozen shucked shellfish shall be packed in non-returnable containers and identified with the name and address of the shucker-packer and the state certification number issued according to law. Shucked shellfish should be kept in their original container until used or sold. Each container of unshucked shellfish shall be identified by an attached identifying tag, which shall be retained for a period of ninety days, that states the name and address of the original shellfish processor, the kind and quantity of shellfish and the certification number issued by the state or foreign shellfish control agency, where applicable.
(c) Eggs. Only eggs, in clean shells, meeting applicable grade standards or pasteurized liquid, frozen or dry eggs, or pasteurized dry egg products shall be used or offered for sale.
(d) Ice. Only ice manufactured from potable water and handled in a sanitary manner shall be used or offered for sale. Ice offered for sale shall be packaged.
(e) Food Protection. Food shall be protected at all times from cross-contamination between foods and potential contamination by insects, insecticides, rodents, redenticides, probe-type pricing or probe-type identification tags, unclean equipment and utensils, unnecessary handling, flooding, draining and overhead leakage or condensation, or other agents of public health significance. The temperature of potentially hazardous foods shall be 45o F. (7o C) or below or 140o F. (60o C) or above at all times, except as otherwise provided in this section. Hermetically sealed packages shall be handled so as to maintain product and container integrity. Food items that are spoiled, outdated or in damaged containers that may affect the product and those food items that have been returned to, or are being detained by, the food establishment because of spoilage, container damage or other public health considerations, shall be segregated and held in designated areas pending proper disposition unless disposed of under the supervision of the City Health Department or the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
(f) Food Storage. Food packaged in an immediate closed container, once the container is opened in the food establishment prior to use or sale, shall be kept covered and protected from contamination. Food, whether raw or prepared, if removed from the immediate closed container in which it was originally packaged prior to use or offered for sale, shall be stored in a clean, covered container, except during necessary periods of preparation. Whole and unprocessed fresh raw vegetables and fresh raw fruits shall be exempted from this requirement. Container covers shall be impervious and nonabsorbent. During periods of storage, subprimal cuts of meat shall be covered with single-service wrapping material. Primal cuts, quarters or sides of meat, or processed meats such as country hams, slab bacon and smoked or cured sausages, may be hung uncovered on clean, sanitized hooks or placed on clean, sanitized metal racks in such a manner as to preclude contamination of any food products in storage.
(1) Containers of food shall be stored a minimum of six inches (152 mm) above the floor or stored on dollies, skids, racks or open-ended pallets, provided such equipment is easily movable, either by hand or with the use of pallet-moving equipment that is on the premises and used. Such storage areas shall be kept clean. Cased food packaged in cans, glass or other waterproof containers need not be elevated when the case of food is not exposed to floor moisture and the storage area is kept clean.
(2) Food and containers of food shall not be stored under exposed or unprotected sewer lines, or water lines that are leaking or on which condensed water accumulates.
(3) Packaged foods shall not be stored in contact with water or undrained ice.
(4) Food ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, baking power, cooking oil or vinegar, that is not stored in the original container and is not readily identifiable on sight, shall be stored in containers and identified by their common name.
(5) Toilet rooms and their vestibules, and garbage or mechanical rooms shall not be used for storage of food or food products.
(g) Refrigerated Storage.
(1) Refrigeration units or effectively insulated units shall be provided in sufficient number and capacity to assure the proper refrigerated storage of potentially hazardous foods at their required temperatures. Each mechanically refrigerated unit storing potentially hazardous food shall be equipped with numerically scaled indicating thermometer, accurate to + 2o F (+ 1o C). The sensing element shall be located to measure the air temperature in the unit at a location that is representative of the air temperature in the unit. The thermometer scale shall be located to be easily readable. Recording thermometers, accurate to + 2o F (+ 1o C) may be used in lieu of indicating thermometers.
(2) Potentially hazardous food requiring refrigeration after preparation shall be rapidly cooled to an internal temperature of 45o F (7o C) or below. Potentially hazardous food of large volume or prepared in large quantities shall be rapidly cooled utilizing such methods as shallow pans, agitation, quick chilling, or water circulation external to the food container so the cooling period shall not exceed four hours. Potentially hazardous food to be transported shall be pre-chilled and held at a temperture of 45o F (7o C) or below unless maintained in accordance with hot storage requirements of this section.
(3) Potentially hazardous frozen foods shall be kept frozen and stored at air temperature of 0o F (-18o C) or below except for defrost cycles and brief periods of loading or unloading.
(4) Ice used as a cooling medium for foods or food storage shall not be used or sold for human consumption.
(h) Hot Storage.
(1) Hot food storage units shall be provided in such number and of such capacity to assure the maintenance of potentially hazardous food at required temperature during storage. Each hot food storage unit storing potentially hazardous food shall be equipped with a numerically scaled indicating thermometer, accurate to +2o F (+ 1o C). The sensing element shall be located to measure the air temperature in the unit at a location that is representative of the temperature in the unit. The thermometer scale shall be located to be easily readable. Recording thermometers accurate to +2o F (+ 1o C) may be used in lieu of indicating thermometers. Where it is impractical to install thermometers on equipment such as heat lamps, calrod units or insulated food transport carrier, a food product thermometer shall be available to check internal food temperatures.
(2) The internal temperature of potentially hazardous food requiring hot storage shall be 140o F (60o C) or above, except during necessary periods of preparation. Potentially hazardous food to be transported shall be held at a temperature of 140o F (60o C) or above unless maintained in accordance with the refrigerated storage requirements of this section.
(i) Food Preparation.
(1) All food shall be prepared with a minimum of manual contact. Food shall be prepared on food-contact surfaces and with utensils which are clean and have been sanitized.
(2) With each change in the processing of raw beef, raw pork, raw poultry or raw seafood, or a change in processing from raw to ready-to-eat foods, each new operation shall begin with clean food-contact surfaces and utensils which have been sanitized. Salads and other ready-to-eat foods should be prepared in separate rooms or in areas that are separated by a barrier or open space from areas used for processing potentially hazardous raw products.
(3) Potentially hazardous foods are in a form to be consumed without further cooking such as salads, sandwiches and filled pastry products should be prepared from chilled products.
7(j) Raw Fruits and Raw Vegetables. Raw fruits and raw vegetables that will be cut or combined with other ingredients or will be otherwise processed into food products by the food establishment shall be thoroughly cleaned with potable water before being used.
(k) Preparing Potentially Hazardous Foods. Potentially hazardous foods being processed within the food establishment by cooking shall be cooked to heat all parts of the food to a temperature of at least 140o F (60o C) except that:
(1) Poultry, poultry stuffings, stuffed meats and stuffings containing meat, shall be cooked to all parts of the food to at last 165o F (74o C) with no interruption of the cooking process.
(2) Pork and pork products shall be cooked to heat all parts of the food to at least 150o F (66o C), or, if cooked in a microwave oven, to at least 170o F (77o C).
(3) When beef roasts under ten pounds in weight are cooked in a still dry heat oven, the oven shall be preheated to and held at an air temperature of at least 350o F (177o C) throughout the process. When cooked in a cenvection oven, the oven shall be pre-heated to and held at an air temperature of at least 325o F (163o C) throughout the process. When beef roasts of ten pounds or over in weight are cooked in a dry heat oven, the oven shall be pre-heated to and held at an air temperature of at least 250o F (122o C) throughout the process.
(4) Beef roasts, if cooked in a microwave oven, shall be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145o F (63o C).
(l) Bakery Product Fillings. Custards, cream fillings, and similar products, including synthetic fillings, shall meet the temperature requirements in subsection (g) hereof following preparation and be maintained at that temperature during storage, transportation, and display. Products with synthetic fillings may be excluded from this requirement if:
(1) The food, including the interface between the bakery product and the filling has a pH level of 4.6 or below or a water activity (aw) value of 0.85 or less under standard conditions; or
(2) It is handled in such a manner as to preclude contamination with and the growth of pathogenic microorganisms after heat processing; or
(3) Other scientific evidence is on file with the City Health Department demonstrating that the specific product will not support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
(m) Reheating Food. Potentially hazardous foods that have been cooked and then refrigerated shall be reheated rapidly to an internal temperature of 165o F (74o C) or higher before being placed in hot food storage holding units. Food warmers and other hot food holding units shall not be used for the reheating of potentially hazardous foods.
(n) Food Product Thermometers. Metal stem-type numericallly scaled indicating thermometers, accurate to + 2o F (+ 1o C) shall be provided and used to assure attainment and maintenance of proper temperatures during preparation of all potentially hazardous foods.
(o) Thawing Potentially Hazardous Foods. Potentially hazardous foods shall be thawed:
(1) In a refrigerated unit at a temperature not to exceed 45o F (7o C); or
(2) Under potable running water at a temperature of 170o F (21o C) or below, with sufficient water velocity to agitate and float off loose food particles into the overflow and for a period not to exceed that necessary to thaw the food; or
(3) In a microwave oven only when the food will be immediately transferred to conventional cooking units as part of a continuous cooking process or when the entire, uninterrupted cooking process takes place in a microwave oven; or
(4) As part of the conventional cooking process.
(p) Food Display. Potentially hazardous foods shall be held at an internal temperature of 45o F (7o C) or below or at an internal temperature of 140o F (60o C) or higher during display, except that rare roast beef offered for sale hot shall be held at a temperature of at least 130o F (55o C).
(q) Frozen Foods. Food intended for sale in a frozen state shall be displayed at an air temperature of 0o F (-18o C) or below, except for defrost cycles and brief periods of loading or unloading. Frozen foods should be displayed below or behind product food lines according to cabinet manufacturer's specification.
(r) Food Products. Food on display, other than whole, unprocessed raw fruits and unprocessed raw vegetables, shall be protected from contamination by being packaged, by display cases, by covered containers for self-service, or by similar protective equipment. All food shall be displayed above the floor in a manner that protects the food from contamination. Hot and cold food units shall be provided to assure the maintenance of potentially hazardous food at the required temperature during display. Potentially hazardous food shall not be provided for consumer self-service.
(s) Food Dispensing Utensils. Unnecessary manual contact with food shall be avoided and suitable dispensing utensils and single-service articles shall be provided and used by the food establishment employees. Consumers who serve themselves bulk food shall be provided suitable dispensing utensils. Dispensing utensils shall be:
(1) Stored in the food with the dispensing utensil handle extended out of the food;
(2) Stored clean and dry in a place free from contamination;
(3) Stored in potable running water with sufficient water velocity to agitate and float-off loose particles into the overflow.
(t) Food Promotion and Demonstration Samples. When food sample demonstrations and food promotions are carried out in food establishments, the person in charge shall ensure that such promotional activities comply with applicable sanitation provisions of this chapter.
(u) Food Transport By Food Establishment. Food, other than hanging primal cuts, quarters or sides of meat, and raw fruits and raw vegetables, shall be protected from contamination by use of packaging or covered containers while being transported. All food being transported shall meet the applicable requirements of this chapter relating to food protection and food storage. Food packaged in immediate closed containers do not need to be overwrapped or covered if immediate closed containers have not been opened, torn or broken.
(Ord. 89-20. Passed 1-10-89.)