Northeast Beginning Farmer Project

Standard Operating Procedures

Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures

Introduction
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and Sanitation Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOP’s) are designed to prevent the creation of unsanitary processing conditions and ensure that food products are wholesome and unadulterated. They describe how to carry out and document safe food handling and personal hygiene practices (Good Management Practices).

1. SOP for Site Management & Pest Control

A. Frequency: prior to each scheduled processing date.

B. Person responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Visually inspect processing environment (grounds and buildings, including storage areas and sanitary facilities) for cleanliness and presence of pests. List needed corrective actions.

b. Perform corrective actions

           c. Document, sign and date in Operations Log.

2. SSOP for Personnel Health & Hygiene

A. Frequency: each day of poultry processing.

B. Person responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Interview and visually check processing personnel for health and personal hygiene considerations, prior to approving anyone for food handling. Dismiss anyone found unsuitable for work.

           b. Document, sign and date in Operations Log.

3. SSOP: Pre-­‐Operational Inspection & Sanitation Schedule

A. Frequency: each day of poultry processing

B. Persons responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Visually inspect all equipment and utensils for cleanliness and operability.

b. Clean, rinse and sanitize all product contact surfaces, equipment and utensils, including coolers.

           c. Document, sign and date in Operations Log.

4. SSOP: Daily Operational Sanitation Maintenance

A. Frequency: each day of poultry processing.

B. Person responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Kill Area
i. If a piece of equipment or a utensil falls to the floor or ground, wash thoroughly.

ii. Maintain area in a clean and sanitary condition throughout operation.
b. Processing Area
i. If a carcass falls to the ground, or comes in contact with unsanitized surface, discard immediately.

ii. Maintain entire area in a clean and sanitary condition throughout the daily operation

D. Document required corrective actions, sign and date in Operations Log when daily operation is complete.

5. SSOP for Chill Tank, Giblet Chill Containers & Refrigeration Temperature Monitoring

A. Frequency: test chill tank slurry and giblet chill containers temperatures once per hour of operation; test and record refrigerator temperature once per day.

B. Person responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Use a digital thermometer to test ice slurry temperatures of chill tank and giblet chill containers. The target temperature for chilling is between 33° and 40° F. Add ice as necessary.

b. NOTE: The chill tank must reduce the temperature of carcasses to 40° F or less within 4 hours of evisceration. Use a digital thermometer to measure internal carcass temperatures of 2% (or a minimum of 5) birds.

c. NOTE: Giblets must be chilled to 40 °F or below within two hours of slaughtering the birds

d. Use a digital thermometer to test pre-chill tank water. Add cold water frequently to maintain as cool as possible. Ice water slurry is not required.

e. Use a max-min thermometer to measure refrigerator storage temperatures. NOTE: You must hold fresh product at 33°- 40° F during storage and transit. Stored at these temperatures, product shelf life is 4 days. Freeze or discard product if held for more than 4 days.

f. Maintain Farmers’ Market cooler temperatures at 33° – 40° F for fresh product. Record cooler temperatures at start and end of the day.

6. SSOP: Post-­‐Operational Sanitation Schedule

A. Frequency: each day, after poultry processing

B. Person responsible: Producer-processor or designee.

C. Procedure:
a. Kill Area
i. Pick up feathers & other matter; deposit into receptacle for inedible material.
ii. Briefly pre-rinse all dirty areas with warm water; start the process at the top and work all material down to the floor.
iii. Apply detergent as directed.
1. Rinse all equipment from top to bottom.

2. Inspect and re-clean any missed areas.

3. After cleaning/rinsing work areas, apply sanitizer to all contact surfaces.

4. Squeegee standing water to the floor.
b. Processing Area
i. Pick up any pieces of bones, fat, meat or other matter and deposit into container for inedible material.
ii. Disassemble all equipment and place parts in their designated tubs.

iii. Briefly pre-rinse all soiled areas with warm water. Start the process at the top and work all material down to the floor.

iv. Apply approved soap as directed.

v. Rinse all equipment from top to bottom.

vi. Inspect and re-clean any missed areas.

vii. After equipment and work areas have been cleaned, apply sanitizer to all contact surfaces.

viii. Squeegee any standing water on floor to drainage areas.

ix. Remove, clean and sanitize any waste conduits or drains.

x. Apply edible oil to all surfaces that are subject to corrosion.

Back to Table of Contents

Comments