Specialized Processes in Retail Food Establishments HACCP and VARIANCE

Specialized Processes in Retail Food Establishments HACCP AND VARIANCE

(e.g., sushi rice, sauerkraut, kimchi, Specialized processes yogurt, sausage). ▪ Operating a molluscan shellfish tank to Specialized processes are processes or store and display shellfish that are procedures requiring specific food safety offered for human consumption. controls not otherwise addressed in the ▪ Sprouting seeds or beans. Minnesota food code. These techniques ▪ Preparing food any other way not often require specialized equipment, described in the food code (e.g., using ingredients or technology. Because of an different cooking times and increased potential health risk, specialized temperatures for raw animal foods, or processes in retail food establishments drying fish, meat and poultry). must be conducted under strict operational procedures. Specialized processes conducted in retail food establishments require a preapproved Specialized processes include: HACCP plan. Often, a variance is also ▪ Reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) required. including: ▪ Vacuum packaging time/temperature control for Juice safety (TCS) food (e.g., cured Producing juice is not identified as a meats, raw meat, raw poultry, raw specialized process in the Minnesota food vegetables, limited cheeses) code, but does require a HACCP plan in ▪ Cook-chill process these circumstances: ▪ Sous vide process ▪ Modified atmosphere packaging ▪ Producing unpackaged juice on (MAP) premises for highly susceptible ▪ Controlled atmosphere packaging populations. (CAP) ▪ Packaging juice in the food ▪ Curing food (e.g., ham, bacon, summer establishment, unless label sausage, salami, beef jerky/sticks, requirements in Minnesota Rules, part charcuterie). 4626.0367 B are met. ▪ Smoking food for preservation, rather than for flavor enhancement (e.g., fish, meat and poultry). HACCP plan ▪ Custom processing of game animals. Hazard analysis and critical control point is a ▪ Using food additives or adding preventive approach to food safety. It components, such as vinegar to identifies food safety hazards in the food preserve or render it a non-TCS food SPECIALIZED PROCESSES IN RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS production process and actions needed to variance request is approved before reduce those hazards to a safe level. beginning specialized processing. “HACCP plan” means a written document A variance is not required for ROP if it is that delineates the formal procedures for conducted according to specific parameters following the Hazard Analysis and Critical described in Minnesota Rules, part Control Point principles developed by The 4626.0420. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. Resources Seven principles of HACCP Minnesota Department of Health Food Business Safety 1. Conduct a hazard analysis. (www.health.state.mn.us/foodbizsafety) 2. Determine the critical control points (CCPs). FDA Food Code 2013 3. Establish critical limits. (www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceR 4. Establish monitoring procedures for egulation/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/ critical control points. UCM374510.pdf) 5. Establish corrective actions. 6. Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures. 7. Establish verification procedures that HACCP is working. Using these seven principles, the HACCP Minnesota Department of Health plan identifies and addresses critical control Food, Pools, and Lodging Services points (CCPs) where illness or injury is PO Box 64975 reasonably likely to occur in the absence of St. Paul, MN 55164-0975 the hazard’s control. 651-201-4500 [email protected] Annex 5 in the FDA Food Code 2013 www.health.state.mn.us contains HACCP guidelines. Annex 6 contains food processing criteria. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Food and Feed Safety Division Variance 625 Robert Street N St. Paul, MN 55155-2538 Exceptions to specific parts of the 651-201-6027 Minnesota food code are granted on a case- [email protected] by-case basis. If you plan on conducting www.mda.state.mn.us specialized processes in your retail food establishment, submit a variance request to JANUARY 2019 your regulatory authority. Your request must be supported by an approved HACCP To obtain this information in a different format, call: plan and documentation showing the 651-201-4500 or 651-201-6000. Printed on recycled paper. process can be done safely. Wait until your