Self-assessmentprogram
The self-assessment programme covers following aspects:
- Personal Hygiene
- Provisioning
- Safe storage of food
- Prepping
5. Cooking
6. Cold table
7. Serving hot food
8.
Chilling
9. Cleaning and disinfecting
10. Maintenance
11. Pests
12. Waste /disposal
1. Personal Hygiene
Anyone who prepares meals on a daily basis must have proper personal hygiene. Ensure you have clean working clothes every day and remove all personal jewellery., wristwatches and bracelets so as not to transfer dangerous bacteria to food. Shower daily and take the lead in setting a good example. If you are ill, you must not work with food, even though you actually feel you could. You could then infect others and put the other crew aboard at risk.
Critical control points (CCP) for personal hygiene:
How to ensure good personal hygiene in the galley:
Change work clothing every day
Always wash hands
o before starting to work with food in the galley
o between work processes (e.g. between slicing vegetables and preparing chicken)
o
after you have sneezed or coughed into your hands (cough into yourarm/armpit)
o after going to the toilet
o when switching from cooking to serving
Do not work with food when you are ill
Consult the master when you have sores, cuts, infected fingers or boils.
Consider suitable food-grade gloves which give sufficient protection
2. Provisioning
It is important that you are aware of the quality requirements when purchasing provisions. Pay special attention to delivery of provisions that have come a long way and might not meet the temperature requirements. Transport can mean that goods require fast, effective sorting. Goods may also have been packed incorrectly which can reduce their shelf-life and increase the risk of contamination during transportation. This is why provisioning always requires great attention in the ship’s self-assessment programme. When the ship loads provisionings aboard, it is important to check all the products and use the CCP’S in practice.
Critical control points (CCP) for provisioning:
Check that the temperature of perishable products on receipt of order is maximum 8° C (a higher temperature on the outer packaging for a short while such as 1-2 hours is acceptable).
Check that the temperature of frozen products is less than -12° C (a higher temperature on the outer packaging for a short while such as 1-2 hours is acceptable).
Note the temperature check in your self-assessment schedule.
Observe the surface of goods and look for signs of taint such as unpleasant smell, wrong colour, wrong consistency for fresh meat, for example, and/or slimy surface (sign of decay)
Check whether the packaging is intact, clean and (for tins) no bulges, and whether the expiry date is acceptable..
When loading provisions, it is also important to:
Ensure you unpack all boxes and transport packaging and transfer it to appropriate storage containers
Sort and store products separately so they do not contaminate each other, also in the cold/freezer room.
Distribute goods quickly to their proper places in the freezer and cold rooms and dry stores
Distribute products according to their expiry day. Ensure traceability.
Check that no dirty boxes or dirty packaging get into the freezer/cold rooms or dry stores.
Never store anything directly on the deck.
Consider heavy seas in bad weather when distributing your goods aboard and secure them accordingly.
Always reject items if you can smell or see that they are not in order.
3. Safe storage of food
Critical control points (CCP) for dry storage:
The ideal temperature for storing dry goods, corn products and flour is 13°C, but any temperature between 10°C and 20°C is acceptable.
There must be enough shelves and no stores on the floor.
The shelves front should be elevated to keep goods in place during high seas.
The lowest shelf to be placed at least 15 cm above the deck.
No pallets on the deck since it must be easy to clean the floor.
The room must be ventilated so the air is dry and clean, and mould is directed away from the food products.
Critical control points (CCP) for cold room storage:
Refrigerators (perishable food, raw materials and prepared food) always less than 5°C
(Perishable food, e.g.: chilled ready meals or prepared ingredients, meat, poultry, marinating meat and poultry, eggs, sliced cold cuts, salads, cheese, sandwiches, pasta, desserts, minced meat, fish, minced fish and fresh dairy products,...)
The ideal operating temperature in a refrigerator is 2-4°C
The ideal temperatures for storing fruits and vegetables vary a lot. For correct storage check the fresh fruit an vegetables storage table included in the one-pagers.
Fruit and vegetables may be contaminated with bacteria from the soil. They must be stored separately and away from other food in a cool room or somewhere with good ventilation.
The cold room and refrigerators must be kept clean and tidy.
A separate refrigerator is required for the night tray in the mess so that crew do not enter the galley.
Critical control points (CCP) for freezer storage (frozen products) -18°C and colder:
The ideal operating temperature for a freezer is between -18°C and -21°C.
Freezers must be kept clean and tidy.
The date stamp must be clear so that new products are placed at the back and the oldest at the front. This means that the oldest products will be used before their expiry date.
Prepared food such as leftovers that have been frozen should be used within 1 month.
Frozen goods should be placed in a freezer immediately on delivery.
4. Prepping
Some food products are highly perishable and therefore require greater attention, especially during preparation. Clean chopping boards, knives and a high level of personal hygiene are essential.
Critical control points (CCP) for prepping:
Thorough hand washing and removal of jewellery and wristwatches.
Thorough hand washing when switching from one product to another, for example after having cracked eggs.
Clean dishcloths and tea towels and clean work clothing.
Only take food out of the refrigerator when it is required.
Use clean machinery, chopping hoards and knives, and paper for drying after washing.
Separate your raw products while prepping, as well as durihg all your work processes.
(e.g. keep soiled and clean ingredients separate)
Use different coloured chopping boards as followed:
o Red = Raw meat
o Brown = Cooked meat
o Blue = Fish and seafoods
o Yellow = Poultry
o Green = Fruit, vegetables and herbs
o White = Cheese, dairy
o Wood = Bread
Use minced meat and fish within 12 hours (must be correctly stored before use)
Always defrost food in the refrigerator. Frozen products that have been frozen in bulk take a long time to defrost.
Rule of thumb:
o Bulk frozen items: defrost 24 to 48 hours in advance inside the refrigerator.
o Portioned or separately packed items: defrost 12 to 24 hours in advance inside the refrigerator.
Defrost meat, poultry, fish and seafoods covered and in separate and dedicated containers at the bottom of the refrigerator.
The use of a microwave to defrost food is allowed yet to be avoided. Food that has been defrosted this way should be processed and consumed instantly.
Only use food-grade HACCP-approved storage boxes for storing both raw and cooked components.
Keep as much dirt out of the galley as possible, such as soiled packaging.
Scrub soiled vegetables separately in the same sink every time, to avoid dirt to be spread in the galley.
Pay extra attention to the following food products:
Raw meat and poultry taken from refrigeration is highly perishable because it very quickly offers perfect conditions for bacteria to grow. In just a short while, bacteria in a hot galley can turn into a bacteria bomb.
Fresh fish must always be kept on ice or at 2°C and for a maximum of 24 hours unless it is frozen fish. Shellfish and seafood require similar precautions
Minced meat and minced fish have a greater surface area. When meat and fish are minced and finely chopped. it gets easier spoiled because the bacteria have a greater surface area to multiply on. All minced meats and fish must only be kept for a maximum of 12 hours at 2°C.
Mixed forcemeat should be used immediately and never left to the next day.
Marinated raw meat must always be kept at a maximum of 5°C. Marinade can be used to tenderise meat or give it extra flavour. Marinade containing for example lemon juice and vinegar are acidic which reduces the PH at the meat surface. The acid makes it difficult for bacteria to multiply. But only acidic and very sugary marinades provide conservation.
Do not reuse marinades for other dishes.
Eggs must always be kept separate from other food because there can be bacteria on the shells and inside the eggs. Eggs require a high degree of hygiene, so always wash hands thoroughly when using fresh eggs and after touching them. All dishes containing fresh eggs must be heated to at least 75°C. Boiled and fried eggs served with liquid yolks should only be cooked using eggs from countries, which take active measures against salmonella. If there is doubt about eggs’ country of origin, always use sufficient heat so that the yolk sets. .
Vegetables with visible dirt should be prepared by themselves and preferably in a sink reserved for the job. If there are enough sinks in the galley then use the same one for prepping every time. Or set aside a sink for prepping so you are certain that for example dirt from root vegetables and the intestines of fish do not come in touch with fresh ingredients. Remember also to clean the sink between cleaning vegetables and other food such as fish. Always rinse fresh fruit and vegetables under running water before use.
5. Cooking
When cooking, you must keep temperatures under control. So make sure you always have clean surface thermometers and one or more clean roasting thermometers to hand.
Critical control points (CCP) for cooking:
All raw products that are being cooked must reach a minimum core temperature of 75°C.
Always use a roasting thermometer and ensure that the whole product or dish is heated to the core temperature throughout.
Stir the sauce or stew to distribute the heat when measuring the temperature.
All food that are being reheated must be heated to a core temperature of at least 75°C.
When reheating food in the microwave oven, only use packaging that is approved for the microwave.
Regardless of the type, all thermometers must be calibrated every six or twelve months.
Exceptions to the rule:
Bacteria are normally only to be found on the surface of a whole piece of meat, such as roast beef. The core of a whole piece of meat is generally sterile and you can therefore roast the meat and leave it medium done inside although pork must never be eaten raw. When preparing pork, the meat juices should preferably be clear and the juices should not be raw and pink.
6. Cold table
Most ships get salted, smoked and cooked meat products, which have either already been sliced or packed as whole pieces and supplied frozen. When working with cold cuts, if possible you should always arrange them so the different types of cold cuts do not touch each other. Proper hygiene and good hand washing are important, for example, when moving from arranging fresh vegetables to cold cuts, especially in a hot galley.
Critical control points (CCP) for cold table:
Prepare all your cold dishes, sandwiches, bread and butter, etc., as close to the time of serving and keep as cold as possible.
Switch between the different coloured chopping boards and clean them as you proceed. Switch to a clean knife when you use a chopping board of another colour.
Separate your work processes depending on the product and type of food.
If you use a meat slicer, it must be washed thoroughly after each specific work process.
Use the smallest portions possible and never mix “new and old” when filling dishes and bowls.
If available, always use pasteurized eggs when making desserts which need raw eggs. If you make for example dessert cream, it must be chilled as quickly as possible.
When using fish and shellfish in dishes, make sure you comply with the use-by date.
Never reuse food that has been on the buffet unless it can be heated to at least 75°C.
7. Serving hot food
Regardless of whether food is being served on the buffet (often on larger ships) or as in an ordinary household (often on smaller ships), there are clear rules for how food should be kept hot at a certain temperature when it is on the table for some time. For example, if bowls are served on a table in the mess, it is important that food does not stand waiting for too long.
Critical control points (CCP) for self-assessment of serving hot food:
All hot food should be heated to 75°C before serving.
Use a probe thermometer to take random samples of core temperatures.
You can either use hot plates or water baths for serving on the buffet.
All hot food on the buffet must have a constant temperature of at least 65°C.
When wiping off spills on the edge of dishes and bowls, use paper and not a dishcloth.
Make sure there are sufficient serving tongs, spoons. etc., so that crew do not touch the food or dishes. Maintain good hygiene at meal times and at table.
In case of spillage, wipe it up quickly and thoroughly.
Never mix “new and old” and use small bowls: also to reduce food waste.
Leftovers can only be reused if reheated to at least 75°C
Limit the time for buffet. Food should only stand out for a maximum of three hours from being taken from and replaced in the refrigerator. This requires that the hot food has been kept at a minimum of 65°C the whole time and the cold food at a maximum of 5°C.
In case someone postpones his meal, prepare an already chilled portion on a plate and reheat it in the microwave if you have one aboard.
8. Chilling
Critical control points (CCP) for chilling:
Divide large portions of food in smaller portions. Food then cools faster, because of an increased surface.
Allow scalding hot or reheated dishes to cool for a while before refrigeration
Be aware that very hot food placed in the refrigerator can make the temperature of the refrigerator rise rapidly, so keep an eye on your refrigerator temperature.
Containers and flat trays or-bowls that come in contact with food must be clean.
When you repackage items or if you want to save leftovers, they must be properly hygienically
handled. The utensils you use must be absolutely clean in advance. Always remember to put
sticky labels with dates on packs when repacking your products or saving leftovers in boxes.
Hot food should be chilled from 65°C to 10°C within a maximum of three hours.
All food and dishes must be refrigerated to a maximum of 5°C.
Limit the time for buffet. Food should only stand out for a maximum of three hours from being taken from and replaced in the refrigerator. This requires maximum temperature of 5°C the whole time.
Refrigerated or frozen food should be kept separate and not be tightly packed to prevent the risk of cross contamination.
Keep leftovers in their own containers and do not mix with fresh food.
9. Cleaning
There are several reasons why it is necessary to have high standards of cleaning. First, food remnants can contain harmful bacteria and must be removed to prevent food poisoning. It also prevent pests from arriving. Furthermore, cleaning cuts the risk of foreign bodies physically contaminating food. Finally, it promotes awareness of hygiene amongst galley personnel and crew and creates a pleasant working environment.
Critical control points (CCP) for cleaning:
Clean all appliances thoroughly. Take them apart as much as you can and then disinfect it.
Clean everywhere thoroughly and use hot water and suitable soap.
Follow the directions for mixing strength, overdosing has no effect, pollutes the environment and costs money.
Avoid mixing different detergents. This can cause poisonous vapours.
Use the right detergent designed to dissolve the dirt when washing the floor.
Always wash down the deck with clean water to remove detergent and use a squeegee to
remove the water.
Remember that you should only use chemical disinfectants on clean surfaces since the effect is lost on dirty surfaces.
Use boiling water where this can replace chemical disinfectants, for example on chopping boards.
Consider using a steamcleaner on large areas that can tolerate being cleaned with steam.
Never use stronger detergents than necessary.
Ensure you frequently clean and disinfect all storage rooms such as dry stores, cold and freezer
rooms, for example before each time the ship arrive at port.
Ensure you replace dishcloths and tea towels daily.
Ensure you clean cooker hood and grease filters regularly. Dirt forms the perfect place for microorganisms to grow. Unmaintained cooker hood reduces suction and forms condensation that can drip down onto food.
Cleaning and disinfecting workplaces, machinery and equipment should be done in six stages:
- Remove all visible dirt for example with a scraper, brush or broom with scraper blade (for the deck). Use gloves
- Use hot water with a measured dose of suitable detergent to remove dirt. Read the directions on the datasheet/label.
- After cleaning, wash down the areas with clean water and take care to remove all soap residu.
- Use disinfectants at the correct dilution. Follow the directions on the packaging.
- Wring out a clean cloth rinsed in clean water with disinfectant to dry off surfaces so there are no detergent residues on tables and surfaces that are in direct contact with food. Cleaned surfaces should be visibly dry.
- Your detergents and disinfectants should be stored separately from food to prevent contamination.
CAUTION: Biofilm
Biofilms arise when food residues are not removed. A thin layer is sufficient for bacteria to reproduce and build up the slimy layer, which the bacteria use to protect itself from being killed. It is sticky and without effective cleaning, it really sticks to surfaces such as stainless steel, plastic utensils and wooden chopping boards, and for example the interior of meat slicers and rubber seals and on all surfaces that are not cleaned daily such as corners, joints, cracks and nooks. Biofilm cannot be seen with the naked eye and can appear on surfaces that look perfectly clean. The danger of biofilms is that they can contain many bacteria that under normal conditions reproduce in a very short time. There is no danger of food contamination as long as the bacteria remain encapsulated. But very little is required to break the biofilm, thus enabling the bacteria to be transferred to clean food.
Biofilm can be ticking bombs for contamination and are thus a risk for food safety. Remember to thoroughly clean and disinfect everywhere in the galley, that is all surfaces, all corners, the floor, refrigerators, freezer and store rooms. etc.
10. Maintenance
Nothing in daily use lasts forever and this also comes to the inventory and equipment in the galley. Peeling paint, cracked tiles or uncared chopping boards can collect a lot of grime and bacteria.
Critical control points (CCP) for maintenance:
Scraping and repairing paintwork (ceilings, bulkheads, doors and equipment).
Cracked tiles and cracks in coatings (bulkheads and deck).
Cracks between joints, stainless steel and poor welds (work tables and equipment).
Signs of rot in woodwork and leaking portholes.
Rust on iron (fixtures and equipment).
Insufficient/poor exhaust (ventilation and hoods).
Roasting and surface thermometers.
Dishwasher temperature too low.
Cold/freezer room and refrigerator temperatures too high.
Worn wooden and stainless steel utensils.
Worn wooden chopping boards or heavily scored plastic chopping boards.
Pest control chemicals (ant poison containers, mousetraps, cockroach traps).
Waste grinder and drains
If a problem occurs which requires repairs, it must be dealt with immediately. If several problems occur at the same time, a priority plan can be included.
11. Pests
Animals that come into contact with food aboard can spread disease and cause allergies in humans. Pests such as rats, mice and insects can get into stores and the galley. Especially in the tropics, cockroaches can get aboard because they are brought in with packaged food. Special action may have to be taken depending on the pests involved. So pests should always be reported to the shipowner which can contact specialists or other experts for advice and guidance.
Critical control points (CCP) for pests:
You should contact the master if you discover something suspicious so that preventative action can be taken in good time.
Find out how the animals get in and prevent them from getting in anymore. This could for example be by installing netting or repairing holes in the bulkhead. If you have to use chemicals to combat pests, you should be very aware of preventing chemicals from getting into contact with food products used in cooking.
Throw out ALL damaged and contaminated food products. Be alert to signs of dirt or droppings from pests on the surface of your foods even though they look fine.
Clean thoroughly with appropriate detergents where pests have been, also to remove chemical/poison residues.
12. Waste disposal
Waste can be a serious source of contamination and should therefore be managed with great care.
Critical control points (CCP) for waste disposal:
Food waste must not be kept in a room where food is stored. Daily routines that follow the shipowners/ship’s waste procedures must ensure that waste is removed and stored during the day. As a minimum, waste must be removed from the galley at the end of the working day.
Waste in the galley should be placed in bins with lids and should be of a suitable size. They must be kept in good condition and be easy to clean and disinfect.
Large pedal bins are recommended since otherwise you have to touch the lid of the waste bin with your hands. Waste bins can be a serious source of contamination.
Garbage and refuse must be kept in durable, easily cleaned, insect and rodent-proof containers.
Empty, wash and disinfect garbage containers frequently.
Store the garbage properly at onboard dedicated areas.
Garbage facilities must be constructed and run in such a way that they can be kept clean and
prevent access by pests.
All garbage should be disposed of as per “MARPOL Annex V” regulations.
