Important Hepatitis A Information for Food Managers and Operators
Local, state and federal public health officials continue to investigate a large hepatitis A outbreak in southeastern Michigan. As of February 14, 2018, 751 people have been sick with hepatitis A and 25 people have died. The majority of people sick with hepatitis A live in southeast Michigan, but recently it has spread to other parts of our state. Many people who have been diagnosed as part of this out-break are seriously ill, with nearly 9 out of every 10 people hospitalized after getting sick.
Public health officials have been working to make people aware of the outbreak and stress the importance of handwashing and vaccination to prevent hepatitis A infection. Your help is needed to prevent additional illnesses and possible outbreaks in your food establishment.
We need your continued partnership so we can stop the spread of hepatitis A and keep your employees and customers healthy. We must increase vaccination among the highest risk individuals which may include food han-dlers.
Vaccine is available through most healthcare providers and pharmacies. Those without health insurance coverage should contact LCHD at (517)546-9850 to check on availabil-ity of free or low-cost vaccination.
For more information on hepatitis A, includ-ing information about the current outbreak area, visit www.michigan.gov/hepatitisAoutbreak. Please visit the website, share this info with your employees, and get vaccinated!
Spring 2018
Volume 5
Environmental Health Division
2
Ice Machines—Out of Sight, Out of Mind! Many studies have shown that ice machines and ice bins are often contaminat-ed with harmful germs. Every year, ice machines are implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks across the nation. The most common sources of contamina-tion include bare hand contact when dispensing, improper ice scoop storage, refilling soiled containers, and airborne contaminants such as mold spores and dust. Even though ice machines operate at temperatures well below the “danger zone,” viruses and bacteria can still survive for long periods in sub-freezing temperatures.
Since ice is considered food, the ice making equipment must be cleaned and sanitized like any other food equipment. Inspect and clean your ice making units and ice bins regularly.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning frequency for the ice mak-ing unit. Clean more frequently if necessary to prevent mold buildup.
Only use cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer.
Even if the unit is self-cleaning, additional manual cleaning may be necessary in hard-to-reach areas.
The ice storage bin should be completely emptied and cleaned/sanitized at least on a monthly basis. More frequent cleaning may be necessary depending on use. Consider using a professional service technician for major cleaning.
Train employees about proper ice handling and dispensing:
Always use a proper scoop (with a handle) to dispense ice. Never use drink glasses or bare hands.
Ice scoops should be stored outside the ice bin in a clean contain-er. Never store ice scoops on top of the machine, which could be contaminated with dust.
Advise against storing the ice scoop in the ice, since the handle could contaminate the product.
Clean and sanitize ice scoops and ice buckets daily.
Keep the ice bin door closed between uses.
Do not return unused ice to the ice bin.
Sources: Powitz, Robert W. “The Sanitation of Ice-Making Equipment.” Food Safety Magazine, www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/augustseptember-2013/the-sanitation-of-ice-making-equipment/. Staff, FQ&S. “Keeping Your Ice Safe.” Food Quality & Safety, 16 Dec. 2014, www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/special-feature-14-ways-to-keep-your-ice-safe/. Chan, Jim. 4 Ice Safety Steps for Restaurants, Bars and Hotels. www.easyice.com/ice-safety-steps-restaurants-bars-hotels/.
“Since ice is considered food, the ice making equip-ment must be cleaned and sanitized like any other food equipment.”
Equipment Change Permits
Food service establish-ments are required to un-dergo a site review evalu-ation for the addition of any major food service equipment item, including but not limited to refriger-ation units, dish machines, hot water heaters, and food/beverage self-service stations. It may also be required for other equipment replacement if it is not replaced by simi-lar equipment. You also need to contact the local building department for any additional require-ments.
If there will be multiple equipment changes, or a change to the layout or flow of the facility, then you must submit a com-plete plan review applica-tion and worksheet and pay the appropriate full or partial plan review pro-cessing fee. This applica-tion form can be found on our website: lchd.org
Food Safety Tools
Temperature Logs
Do you check food temper-
atures regularly to ensure
food is at proper tempera-
tures? Monitoring temper-
atures for foods that re-
quire time/temperature
control for safety (TCS)
helps to prevent custom-
ers from getting sick. TCS
foods stored between 41°
F and 135° F (the “danger
zone”) support the rapid
growth of harmful bacte-
ria. By using temperature
logs for hot and cold hold-
ing, you will likely be able
to catch a cooler/warmer
equipment issue before
you have to throw the
affected food away. Food
that is in the danger zone
for less than two hours
may be quickly cooled or
reheated to safe tempera-
tures. Sample temperature
logs are available on our
website.
Pesticide Strips—Read the Label!
3
As always, make sure
that you are using any
pesticide strictly as di-
rected on the label.
Unfortunately some
labels are confusing or
have tiny print that is
difficult to read. Some dichlorvos-containing pesticide
strips are being marketed to restaurants as safe, but they
are actually prohibited near food/drink or where people
are present more than four hours a day. While some facilities may have
enclosed locations where there is no food-related activity (such as mop
closets), the locations inspectors have been finding them include food prep
areas and/or areas where staff spend more than four hours a day. These
strips are sold under the brand names of Hot Shot® No-Pest® Strip and Fruit
Fly BarPro® Fly Control Strip.
FOG - Fats, Oils and Grease: Why be concerned? When food service establishments improperly dispose of fats, oils and
grease, byproducts may end up in wastewater treatment plants and storm
water systems. FOG buildup in pipes can become as hard as concrete and
may completely block pipes, resulting in back-ups of raw sewage and/or
flooding. Since food service providers are generators of FOG, they are re-
sponsible for selecting and implementing the best handling and disposal/
recycling methods for FOG. You can save money with the proper use of a
grease trap/interceptor or a disposal service. Sewer repair fees and cleanup
costs can be much greater than a hauler's service fees.
FOG Best Management Practices to Prevent Clogs:
Don’t pour excess oil or grease down the drain. Pouring excess oil or grease down the drain is a big no-no.
Scrape all extra grease and greasy food scraps off plates and cookware before using pre-rinse spray valve and dishwasher. Dispose of excess grease in the trash or recycle it as part of a food waste recycling pro-gram.
Install drain screens, particularly in your sinks, to help prevent much of the grease and food particles from clogging your pipes.
Wipe up grease with a paper or cloth towel before using water and soap to clean the floor to minimize grease washing down your drains.
Only put non-greasy foods (e.g., raw vegetables) into your garbage dis-posal to minimize the amount of grease ending up in your drains.
RENEW FOOD LICENSES BY APRIL 30TH!
New licenses are mailed in March and due by April 30, 2018 in order to
avoid late fees. See the penalty fee schedule below.
Please write legibly and fill out the email section. We use this email
address to send important notices.
Remember that since January 2017, at least one of the managers certified in food protection must also complete the online allergen course:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-50772_50775_51206---,00.html
Penalty fee (% of food service license fee) for license renewal after April 30th
May 1—7 10% Penalty
May 8—14 20% Penalty
May 15—21 30% Penalty
May 22—28 40% Penalty
May 29—June 4 50% Penalty
After June 5 75% Penalty + administrative action referral
2300 East Grand River Avenue Suite 102
Howell, Michigan 48843
Phone: (517) 546-9858 Fax: (517) 546-9853
www.lchd.org
Environmental Health Division
Recent changes to the Health Department’s permitting
and cash receipting software has resulted in the need to
collect a convenience fee associated with any credit card
transaction. The convenience fee is 3% of your fee to-
tal. Please keep this in mind when renewing your food
service license!