Handling and Preparing Resources
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As a part of a packinghouse environmental monitoring program, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), protein, and allergen swabbing is used to ensure that packinghouse equipment and surfaces have been properly cleaned and prepared for sanitation. ATP, protein, and allergen swabbing is frequently incorporated to complement microbial swabbing practices or as an independent program. These swab types indicate the presence of soils and residues on equipment, determining the effectiveness of the cleaning portion of a sanitation program. Sample results can be read in minutes, unlike microbial swabs, which take days. For this reason, ATP, protein, and allergen swabs are used immediately after cleaning to rapidly confirm that cleaning procedures were thorough. Operations then sanitize and collect microbial swabs to verify the effectiveness of the sanitation process.
Laurel Dunn
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Read about safe thawing, cooking, and storing a turkey, including current estimates of the time needed for safe thawing and cooking. Because bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature, never defrost a turkey on the counter! The cold water and microwave methods may be used when you don’t have time to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. Whole poultry is safe when the meat is cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. All turkey meat, including any that remains pink, is safe to eat as long as all parts reach at least 165 °F.
Carla Luisa Schwan
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Under the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule, produce operations are mandated to provide training to their workers on the safe handling of produce in fields and in packing operations. Currently, there are few, if any, materials available for these operations to use. As we have conducted Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training across Georgia and throughout other areas, we have been requested to develop these much-needed materials. These materials provide food safety information, consistent with the Produce Safety Rule, for training workers on produce farms and/or farmer/growers of fresh produce and can also be used with low literacy audiences and Spanish speaking audiences as well.
Judy A. Harrison, Mark A. Harrison, Ines Beltran, Laurel Dunn, and Carla Luisa Schwan
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This bulletin provides the scientific basis and food-safety framework for developing a food safety plan for acid/acidified foods. This includes practical food-safety examples for the acidified foods, including foundational support of a recordkeeping system and forms. Learning how to develop a process-flow diagram, developing recordkeeping forms, and applying food-safety principles during acid/acidified-food production will provide a processor with a better understanding of how a systematic approach to food-safety principles should be applied during the production, processing, packaging, storage, and distribution of acid/acidified foods. This publication contains information on how to develop a plan, including FDA requirements for developing a food safety plan, and sample recordkeeping forms to guide an acid/acidified food processor to safely process, package, and distribute acidified foods in commerce.
Anand Mohan
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This bulletin is written to provide some of the basic information required to make various types of sausage. It is for those who enjoy good homemade sausage and who wish to obtain the greatest satisfaction from the trimmings and variety meats generated from farm slaughtered livestock or the results of a good hunt.
The recipes listed in this publication collected from various sources and have been prepared and tested. They are suitable for beginners and experts alike. Also included is information on the history of sausage making, sausage types and ingredients, sausage making equipment and procedures, and food safety concerns and procedures.
Anand Mohan
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