NRFSP Grocery Store Food Safety Manager cheat sheet

The Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) credential is earned by passing an accredited exam; the certificate is valid for 5 years, and the person in charge (PIC) must be on site during all operating hours.

Active managerial control means the PIC continuously monitors critical control points, verifies corrective actions, and documents them, rather than relying on periodic inspection.

A HACCP plan has seven principles: hazard analysis, determine CCPs, set critical limits, monitor, corrective actions, verification, and recordkeeping.

Critical limits are measurable values (time, temperature, pH, aw, sanitizer concentration) that separate acceptable from unacceptable product at a CCP.

Corrective action decision rule: if a critical limit is missed, hold the product, evaluate safety, rework or discard, then record the action and root cause.

Verification confirms the plan works (calibration checks, record review, product testing); validation confirms the critical limits actually control the hazard.

Required written procedures typically include employee health reporting, cleaning and sanitizing, temperature monitoring, produce washing, and consumer advisory for raw/undercooked animal foods.

Records must be kept on site and retrievable: temperature logs, receiving records, sanitizer logs, and corrective actions; retention periods vary by jurisdiction, commonly 90 days to 6 months.

The PIC must exclude or restrict employees per the employee health policy and must demonstrate knowledge by being a CFPM or being trained and supervised by one.

Five CDC risk factors: improper holding temperatures, inadequate cooking, contaminated equipment, food from unsafe sources, and poor personal hygiene.

Bacterial growth danger zone is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C); the fastest growth occurs near 98°F to 112°F, and lag phase shortens as temperature approaches optimum.

TCS foods require time/temperature control for safety: high moisture plus protein or carbohydrate, including cut melons, cut leafy greens, cooked rice, sprouts, and garlic-in-oil mixtures.

Big six pathogens for exclusion: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, and nontyphoidal Salmonella.

Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks; it spreads person-to-person, survives freezing and many sanitizers, and requires exclusion of symptomatic food handlers.

Spore-formers survive cooking: Clostridium perfringens grows in cooling foods (41°F–135°F), Bacillus cereus causes emetic and diarrheal syndromes, and Clostridium botulinum is controlled by acid, refrigeration, or pressure canning.

Listeria monocytogenes grows at refrigeration temperatures and is controlled by date marking, cold holding at 41°F or below, and sanitation of ready-to-eat contact surfaces.

Parasites and viruses are not destroyed by refrigeration; cooking to proper internal temperature and buying from approved suppliers are the controls; Trichinella is killed at 145°F for 15 seconds.

Foodborne illness investigation uses onset time and symptoms: rapid onset (1–6 hours) suggests toxin producers such as Staphylococcus aureus or Bacillus cereus; 12–72 hours suggests viral or bacterial infection.

Handwashing procedure: wet hands, apply soap, scrub for at least 10–15 seconds including under nails, rinse, dry with disposable towel, then turn off faucet with the towel.

Handwashing is required before starting work, after using the restroom, after touching the face or hair, after handling raw animal foods, after cleaning, and after handling garbage.

Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food is prohibited; use single-use gloves, deli tissue, tongs, or utensils, and change gloves when torn, soiled, or switching tasks.

Exclusion is required for food handlers with vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, or infected wounds on hands, and for the big six diagnoses.

Restriction (work with no food contact) applies to employees with uncovered wounds on hands or arms, or with persistent sneezing and coughing.

A cut or wound must be covered by a bandage and a single-use glove or impermeable cover before the employee handles food.

Employees must report symptoms and diagnoses to the PIC; the PIC records the report and applies exclusion or restriction rules; return to work requires symptom-free status or medical clearance.

Personal items such as jewelry (except a plain ring), watches, and cell phones are prohibited in food prep areas; hair restraints are required for anyone in the food prep area.

Eating, drinking, and smoking are allowed only in designated areas away from food, equipment, and utensils; drinking cups must have lids and straws.

Receiving temperature limits: cold TCS food at 41°F (5°C) or below, live shellfish at 45°F (7°C) with shellstock tags kept 90 days, hot TCS food at 135°F (57°C) or above, and frozen food solid with no thaw evidence.

Reject deliveries for temperature abuse, damaged packaging, pest evidence, expired code dates, or missing documents such as shellstock tags or USDA inspection marks.

Cooling rule: 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then 70°F to 41°F within the next 4 hours (total 6 hours); use shallow pans, ice baths, or blast chillers.

Reheating for hot holding must reach 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds within 2 hours; reheating for immediate service may use lower time-temperature combinations.

Time as a public health control allows TCS food without temperature control for up to 4 hours if starting at 41°F or below or 135°F or above, and the food is discarded at 4 hours.

Date marking: ready-to-eat TCS food held over 24 hours must be marked with a discard date of 7 days at 41°F or below, counting the prep day as day 1.

Storage order top to bottom: cooked ready-to-eat, whole seafood, whole beef and pork, ground meat, then poultry; store raw animal foods below ready-to-eat foods.

Frozen storage is at 0°F (-18°C) or below; freezer thermometers must be accurate to ±3°F (±2°C), and cold-holding thermometers to ±2°F (±1°C).

Thawing methods: under refrigeration at 41°F or below, under running water at 70°F or below, in a microwave if cooked immediately, or as part of the cooking process.

Cleaning removes soil with detergent and water; sanitizing reduces pathogens to safe levels and requires a clean surface, correct concentration, contact time, and temperature.

Chemical sanitizer concentrations: chlorine 50–100 ppm at 75°F–100°F with 7 seconds contact, quaternary ammonium 200–400 ppm per label, iodine 12.5–25 ppm at 68°F with 30 seconds contact.

Test sanitizer concentration with the correct test kit (chlorine, quat, or iodine strips); high concentration is a chemical hazard and can leave residue on food-contact surfaces.

Three-compartment sink order: wash in detergent, rinse, sanitize for the required contact time, then air dry; do not towel dry sanitized items.

Mechanical dishwashing: hot water sanitizing requires 180°F final rinse at the manifold or 160°F at the plate level; chemical sanitizing requires the labeled concentration.

Clean-in-place equipment must be disassembled, cleaned, sanitized, and reassembled; food-contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours during continuous use.

Handwashing sinks must be accessible, stocked with soap and towels, and used only for handwashing; no dumping mop water or storing supplies in them.

Pest control: seal openings larger than 1/4 inch, install door sweeps and air curtains, keep dumpsters closed, and use licensed pest control with documented service reports.

Integrated pest management uses inspection, exclusion, sanitation, and monitoring (traps, glue boards); pesticide application in food areas must be done by a licensed applicator and never over food or food-contact surfaces.