CANNING AND CURING IN RESTAURANTS http://ChicagoFoodPolicy.org Restaurants in Chicago must follow the “Chicago Board of Health Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Sanitation Practices in Food Establishments.” According to these rules, the process of canning, curing, or fermenting foods is considered Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAS). Restaurants must apply for permission from the Chicago Health Department of Food and Dairy Protection Division to be able to practice any form of Modified Atmosphere Packaging. These preserved foods must be used within two weeks of processing. The justification for this regulation is to protect public health from harmful pathogens, such as the potentially deadly clostridium botulinum. The Rules and Regulations document further explains: “…the retail food establishment is frequently staffed with relatively unskilled personnel and experiences a high turnover rate…These two problems coupled with a lack of dedicated equipment and incomplete procedures to prevent cross-contamination in the retail establishments, lead to the tremendous potential for deviation and failure. A must more stringent oversight system must be incorporated into such retail operations…” There are several reasons why a restaurants may want to preserve and store food with canning or curing: For example, to extend the shelf life of perishable products, to have a year- long stock of local foods, to save money, or to create a marketable item to draw in customers. If a restaurant is caught canning or curing without permission or with products that violate MAP rules, they will be ordered to pour bleach over any of the food products in question and pay a fine between $250-500 for each violation. However, restaurants are not banned from preserving foods; they are just required to apply for approval from the government and to comply with the state and city rules and regulations (i.e. approved foods, labeling standards, temperature control, select packaging equipment, etc). C/o Growing Power 1741 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-486-6005 CANNING AND CURING IN RESTAURANTS http://ChicagoFoodPolicy.org REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL INCLUDE: • All chefs and staff who will be involved in the preservation of foods must take a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) course. • The restaurant must create or have a specific area where canning/curing will take place in which no other activities occurs. The only people who are allowed to enter this place are those who have been trained in the HACCP course. • Restaurants must submit a plan for running operations which outlines the methods and practices the restaurant will adopt to ensure that their MAP complies with rules and regulations. To ensure that this plan is sufficient and comprehensive, restaurants may hire a HACCP consultant to advise and write the plan. BREAKDOWN OF COSTS TO GET APPROVAL: • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points course $250 per person • Average cost to establish a separate processing space for canning/curing $50,00 • Average HACCP consultant fee to make sure plan application is complete and comprehensive $15,000 C/o Growing Power 1741 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-486-6005 CANNING AND CURING IN RESTAURANTS http://ChicagoFoodPolicy.org RESOURCES Sign Up for HACCP classes or find out more here: • http://www.chicagofoodsafety.com/classes.html Rules and Regulations Document released by the City of Chicago (see pages 35-47): • webapps.cityofchicago.org/healthinspection/docs/BoHFoodRegs.pdf HACCP Food Safety Manuals and Procedures: • http://www.haccpeuropa.com/links.html#HACCP_Plans Tutorial on writing a safety plan according to HACCP principles: • http://www.bccdc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/1A068D5D-3350-4D1C-A356- D8C6D62B7DB9/0/EnsuringFoodSafetyHACCPWay.pdf Sample HACCP restaurant plan: • http://www.haccpeuropa.com/Documentation/Plans/HACCP_Plan__Restaur ant.pdf HACCP Principles compared between FSIS, FDA, NACMCF, and CODEX • http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/00- 014R/HACCPPrinciples.pdf SOURCES City of Chicago. “City of Chicago Board of Health Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Sanitation Practices in Food Establishments.” Chicago Municipal Code; Chapter 4- 8. 2008. Shouse, Heather. “Chefs Bristle at Chicago’s Canning and Curing Laws.” Chicago.Timeout.com. Timeout, 8 October 2009. C/o Growing Power 1741 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-486-6005 CANNING AND CURING IN RESTAURANTS http://ChicagoFoodPolicy.org C/o Growing Power 1741 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-486-6005 .