NRFSP Food Safety Manager cheat sheet

TCS foods need time/temperature control: milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, cooked rice, cut melons, and leafy greens.

Temperature danger zone is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C); bacterial growth is fastest from about 70°F to 125°F.

Big 6 pathogens: Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., E. coli O157:H7, and nontyphoidal Salmonella.

FATTOM growth factors: Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen, and Moisture.

Staphylococcus aureus toxin is heat-stable and survives cooking; Clostridium botulinum toxin is destroyed by boiling.

Spore-formers Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens survive cooking and grow when food cools slowly.

Norovirus and Hepatitis A are not reliably destroyed by cooking and spread through bare-hand contact and contaminated water.

Major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.

Physical hazards include glass, metal, bones, and jewelry; chemical hazards include cleaners, pesticides, and toxic metals.

HACCP seven principles: hazard analysis, CCP identification, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and recordkeeping.

A critical limit is a measurable boundary, such as 165°F for 15 seconds, that separates safe from unsafe food.

Monitoring is a scheduled measurement; a corrective action is the step taken when a critical limit is missed.

Validation provides scientific evidence before use; verification confirms the system works through records, calibration, and testing.

Retain shellfish tags 90 days, and keep temperature logs, corrective action records, and training records on file.

An imminent health hazard such as sewage backup or a long power outage requires stopping operations and notifying the regulatory authority.

Active managerial control means the certified manager monitors and enforces food safety practices daily, not only during inspections.

Prerequisite programs include SOPs, approved suppliers, pest control, cleaning schedules, and employee health policies.

Flow of food: purchasing, receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, holding, and service.

Receiving: cold TCS food at 41°F or lower, frozen food solid, shell eggs at 45°F or lower, and milk at 45°F or lower then cooled to 41°F within 4 hours.

Reject deliveries with torn packaging, pest evidence, off odors, expired dates, or thawed and refrozen product.

Keep shellstock tags 90 days from the date the last shellfish is sold, and record the tag date.

Storage order top to bottom: ready-to-eat food, seafood, whole beef and pork, ground meat, then poultry.

Use FIFO rotation, store food 6 inches off the floor, and keep it away from walls.

Date-mark ready-to-eat TCS food held over 24 hours; hold no more than 7 days at 41°F, counting the prep day as day 1.

Dry storage: 50–70°F, 50–60% humidity, and separate from chemicals.

Store chemicals below and away from food and food-contact surfaces, and keep them labeled.

Purchase only from approved suppliers.

Minimum cooking temperatures: poultry 165°F for 15 seconds; ground meat 155°F for 17 seconds; whole meat and fish 145°F for 15 seconds; eggs 145°F.

Reheat food for hot holding to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours.

Cool food from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within 4 more hours, 6 hours total.

Approved thawing: refrigeration at 41°F or lower, running water at 70°F or lower, microwave then cook immediately, or as part of cooking.

Microwave cooking must reach 165°F, with covering, rotation or stirring, and a 2-minute stand time.

Prevent bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food by using gloves, utensils, or deli paper.

Pooled eggs must be pasteurized or cooked immediately; never pool leftover eggs.

Stuffed foods and dishes combining raw and cooked ingredients must reach 165°F.

Hot-held vegetables and other TCS foods must stay at 135°F or above.

Hot holding must maintain 135°F or above; cold holding must maintain 41°F or below.

Check holding temperatures every 4 hours and discard food that has been out of range longer than 4 hours.

Time as a public health control allows a maximum of 4 hours without temperature control if the start time is marked, then food is discarded.

Self-service requires sneeze guards, single-use utensils, and no refilling of soiled plates.

Use an ice scoop with a handle; never use glass or bare hands, because ice is food.

Reheat leftovers to 165°F within 2 hours before hot holding.

Transport food at 41°F or lower or at 135°F or higher in insulated containers.

Discard buffet food after 4 hours if it was held without temperature control.

Store serving utensils with handles up and clean and sanitize them between uses.

Handwash for 20 seconds with warm running water and soap, then dry with a single-use towel.

Wash hands after restroom use, handling raw meat, coughing or sneezing, touching the face, and taking out trash.

Exclude employees with vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, an infected wound, or a Big 6 diagnosis.

Employees must report Big 6 illnesses, symptoms, and infected wounds to the manager.

Change single-use gloves when torn, soiled, between tasks, and after handling raw food.

Keep fingernails short and clean; no polish or artificial nails.

No jewelry except a plain band; wear an effective hair restraint.

No eating, drinking, or smoking in food preparation areas.

Hand sinks must be accessible, stocked, and used only for handwashing.

Cleaning removes soil; sanitizing reduces pathogens on a clean surface to safe levels.

Manual dishwashing: wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry; wash water at 110°F or above.

Chemical sanitizer concentrations: chlorine 50–100 ppm, quaternary ammonium 200–400 ppm, iodine 12.5–25 ppm.

Verify sanitizer strength with the correct test strips and follow the label contact time.

Hot-water sanitizing requires a final rinse of 180°F at the dish surface.

Store clean equipment 6 inches off the floor and covered.

Prevent backflow with an air gap or vacuum breaker; never create a cross-connection.

Use a three-compartment sink or dish machine; mop sinks must be separate from hand sinks.

Clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces after each use and between raw and ready-to-eat foods.

IPM sequence: prevent entry, deny food, water, and shelter, then monitor and eliminate pests.

Pest evidence includes droppings, gnaw marks, tracks, nests, and live insects; report it to the manager and pest control operator.

Seal openings and keep exterior door gaps at 1/4 inch or less; use screens and air curtains.

Keep trash lids closed, remove trash frequently, and place dumpsters on a hard surface away from the building.

Only a licensed pest control operator may apply pesticides, and application records must be kept.

Never store pesticides near food or food-contact surfaces, and do not spray in prep areas.

Do not place traps or bait stations in food preparation areas.

Keep vegetation and debris away from the building exterior to remove pest harborage.

Maintain plumbing, lighting, and ventilation so the facility stays clean and dry.