Food Storage & Handling

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Food Storage and Handling

Work Instruction L3WWD/W151.R01

Effective date : 1 October 2001

Reference Procedure: General Camp RequirementsL3WWD/P019

This document is OBSOLETE when printed. 1 of 12
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Food Storage and HandlingDocument No.: L3WWD/W151.R01

Ef fect ive Date: 1 October 2001

Copyright 2001 WesternGeco. All rights reserved.

Intellectual Property

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into anylanguage or computer language in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual,or otherwise, without prior written permission of WesternGeco. Copyright violators also may be subject to civil penalties. Ifany copy of the document or portion thereof is made, it must include the copyright notice and other proprietary noticescontained herein.

Each individual document published by WesternGeco may contain other proprietary notices and copyright notices and otherinformation relating to that individual document. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication,estoppel, or otherwise any license or right under any patent, trademark, or other intellectual property right of WesternGecoor any third party.

The WesternGeco publications herein may include typographic inaccuracies or errors. Changes may be made periodicallyto these publications and such changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publications. WesternGeco may makeimprovements and/or changes in the products and/or the services described in these publications at any time withoutnotice. All documents are provided as is without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but notlimited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Work Instruct ion Tit le: Food Storage and Handling

Work Instruct ion No.: L3WWD/W151.R01

Custodian: Documentation Manager - Land Support

Line Manager: QHSE Manager - Land

NOTE

Preamble

During the integration period and until documentation is harmonized, all standards from both Geco-Prakla and WesternGeophysical have been kept, meaning that when a topic is covered by two legacy standards, it is left to the person incharge to select whichever of the two he/she will work by.

Revision History

Rev.No.

EffectiveDate Description Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by

01 1-Oct-01 Revised to WesternGeco format withoutcontent changes

M. Cooney W. Henschel W. Henschel

00 1-Mar-97 First Release W. Henschel G.Wickes, J.Tulett G.Wickes, J.Tulett

1 PurposeThe Purpose of this Work Instruction is to ensure that food in the camp is handled and stored asrequired in procedure General Camp Requirements L3WWD/P019.

Refer to the WesternGeco QHSE Reference page and OFS QHSE Policies and Standards Pagein InTouch when carrying out this work instruction.

This work instruction defines the WesternGeco minimum standard required and should be used asa guideline and adapted to local requirements, laws, directives, regulations and contractual terms.

2 of 12 This document is OBSOLETE when printed.
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Document No.: L3WWD/W151.R01Ef fect ive Date: 1 October 2001

2 Actions

2.1 To Avoid Food Poisoning

a) To avoid transferring bacteria from the raw to the cooked meat, never handlecooked and uncooked meats together.

b) Do not cut them up with the same utensils or use the same boards withoutthoroughly washing the board and the utensils, and, of course, your hands!

c) Cooked meats eaten cold are a common cause of food poisoning becauseorganisms have been transferred back to the cooked product via knives, cookingboards and hands contaminated by fresh meat.

d) Place hot food directly in the refrigerator to cool. You may be reluctant to do thisbut modern refrigerators can cope with the load. Provided the dish is covered youwill not frost up the refrigerator.

e) Serve food to be eaten cold direct from the refrigerator. This applies particularly toseafood, meat and vegetable salads, rice salads, desserts and cakes containingcream or imitation cream.

f) Avoid excessive handling of food because bacteria are always on our bodies.Although `fingers were made before forks', suitable utensils should be used toserve food and, of course, everyone handling food should be scrupulous in theirpersonal cleanliness.

2.2 Precautions During Food Preparation

a) Most cases of food poisoning are the result of eating food left to stand, cooked oruncooked, at temperatures that permit bacteria to grow, particularly those that cancause food poisoning.

b) One must be aware that these bacteria are present naturally in or on most foods,especially those used as a source of protein, such as meat, fish and poultry. Aswell, many people carry potentially harmful bacteria on face, arms, hands andother parts of the body.

c) If, through carelessness, these organisms are transferred to a food which will

support their growth such as dairy foods, especially milk and cream - and thesefoods are then held at a temperature warm enough to allow the contaminants togrow, we have a potentially dangerous situation. Similarly, transferring bacteriafrom one food to another - particularly uncooked to cooked - by careless handlingmay be equally dangerous.

2.2.1 Safe and Unsafe Temperatures

a) The temperature at which a food is kept for any time is extremely important.Between 4C and 60C (40F and 140F) is the DANGER ZONE because this isthe temperature range in which food poisoning bacteria may grow.



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2.2.2 When You Prepare Food Keep Everything Clean

a) Wash hands in hot soapy water before preparing food and after using thebathroom.

b) Bacteria can live in kitchen towels, sponges, and cloths. Wash them often.Replace sponges every few weeks.

c) Keep raw meat, poultry and fish and their juices away from other food. Forinstance, wash your hands, cutting board, and knife in hot soapy water aftercutting up the chicken and before dicing salad ingredients.

d) Use plastic cutting boards rather than wooden ones where bacteria can hide ingrooves.

e) Thaw food in the microwave or refrigerator, NOT on the kitchen counter. Thedanger? Bacteria can grow in the outer layers of the food before the inside thaws.Marinate in the refrigerator too.

2.2.3 Cook Food Thoroughly

Below you will find reccomendations for cooking food thoroughly to avoid bacterial contamination.For more information see Table 1 Cooking Temperatures below for reccomended cookingtemperatures.

a) It takes thorough cooking to kill harmful bacteria, so you're taking chances whenyou eat meat, poultry, fish, or eggs that are raw or only partly cooked. Plus,hamburger that is red in the middle, rare and medium-rare steak, and roast beefare also undercooked from the safety standpoint.

b) Cook red meat to 160 F (70 C) . Cook poultry to 180 F (80 C). Use a meatthermometer to check that it's cooked all the way through.

c) To check visually, red meat is done when it's brown or gray inside. Poultry juicesrun clear. Fish flakes with a fork.

d) Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning, can grow inside fresh,unbroken eggs. So cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny.Scramble eggs to a firm texture. Don't use recipes in which eggs remain raw or

only partially cooked.

e) When you cook ahead, divide large portions of food into small, shallow containersfor refrigeration. This ensures safe, rapid cooling.



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2.2.4 Safe Microwaving

a) A great time-saver, the microwave has one food safety disadvantage - itsometimes leaves cold spots in food. Bacteria can survive in these spots. So...

b) Cover food with a lid or plastic wrap so steam can aid thorough cooking. Ventwrap and make sure it doesn't touch the food.

c) Stir and rotate your food for even cooking. No turntable? Rotate the dish by handonce or twice during cooking.

d) Observe the standing time called for in a recipe or package directions. During thestanding time, food finishes cooking.

e) Use the oven temperature probe or a meat thermometer to check that a food isdone. Insert it at several spots.

2.2.5 When You Serve Food

a) Never leave it out over 2 hours

b) Use clean dishes and utensils to serve food, not those used in preparation. Servegrilled food on a clean plate, too, not one that held raw meat, poultry, or fish.

c) Never leave perishable food out of the refrigerator over 2 hours! Bacteria that cancause food poisoning grow quickly at warm temperatures.

d) Pack lunches in insulated carriers with a cold pack. Never leave lunches in directsun or on a warm radiator.

2.2.6 When You Handle Leftovers

a) Use small containers for quick cooling

b) Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick coolingin the refrigerator. Don't pack the refrigerator -- cool air must circulate to keepfood safe.

c) With poultry or other stuffed meats remove stuffing and refrigerate it in separatecontainers.

2.2.7 Re-heating Food

a) Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165F (75 C).

b) Microwave leftovers using a lid or vented plastic wrap for thorough heating.

c) Kept it too long? When in doubt, throw it out

d) Danger -- Never taste food that looks or smells strange to see if you can still useit. Just discard it.



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e) Is it Mouldy? The mould you see is only the tip of the iceberg. The poisons thatmoulds can form are found under the surface of the food. So, while you cansometimes save hard cheese, salamis, firm fruits, and vegetables by cutting the

mould out -- remove a large area around it, most mouldy food should bediscarded.

2.3 Refrigerator Guide - A Guide to Storing Food

2.3.1 Perishable Non-Frozen Foods

a) Refrigeration can substantially reduce the rate at which food will deteriorate. Lowtemperatures slow down the growth of micro-organisms and the rate of chemicalchanges in food.

! The two storage guides below Table 2 Recommended Refrigeration Storage

Temperatures for some Foods and Table 3Cold Storage Guidecan helpyou use your refrigerator/freezer to the best advantage.

b) Thermometers made especially for refrigerators and freezers must be used

c) Uncooked minced meat, liver, kidneys, poultry and seafood need careful storagebecause they always carry large numbers of spoilage micro-organisms. Thesecan grow even at refrigeration temperatures, so always store these foods in thecoldest part of the refrigerator as close as possible to 0C (32F). The longestrecommended storage time is three days.

d) Wrapped fresh meat can be kept safely for up to three days and unwrapped freshmeat up to five days at cold temperatures 0 to 3C (32 to 38F).

e) Whole red meats (e.g. leg of lamb) and cured meats have a longer storage life,and unwrapped meats last longer than wrapped meats.

f) Wrapped meat maintains its original high water content and quality but surfacegrowth of micro-organisms is encouraged and the meat becomes slimy afterabout three days and an `off' odor can become apparent. The safe thing to dothen is to throw it out.

g) Unwrapped meat keeps longer - fresh meat for up to five days and cured meat forup to three weeks at 0 to 3C (32 to 38F). The meat surface dries out. Thisretards microbial growth but causes undesirable color changes and loss of flavor -conditions which, however, are preferable to meat going off because it iswrapped. But be sure to expose all surfaces in turn.



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2.3.2 Refrigeration Hints

a) Throw out food which is going off because putting it in a colder part of therefrigerator will not stop it deteriorating further. As well it can taint other food.

b) Store food you want to keep for a long time, or items like seafood which are quitesusceptible to spoilage, in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Cover all cookedfoods and store them on a shelf above uncooked goods. This minimizes the riskof food poisoning organisms being transferred from uncooked to cooked foodsthrough drip.

c) Foods with strong odors, such as seafood and some cheeses, should bewrapped, and you should avoid storing them for long periods near food such asmilk and cream which are susceptible to tainting.

d) Some flexible films are effective barriers to the transmission of odors but they arenot readily available to consumers. The common cling wrap polyethylene films arenot very effective, but they are useful in the short term and stop spillage. Closedglass or plastic containers are preferable.

2.3.3 Dehydrated or Dried Foods

a) Dehydrated foods do not readily go bad while dry, but they are deterioratingslowly all the time, particularly once the packets are open to the air. Dehydrationinhibits the growth of microbes by removing water but it does not make foodssterile and these foods may carry a high level of contaminating micro-organismswhich become active again in the presence of water.

b) Re-hydrated dried foods - those to which water has been added - need to betreated as highly perishable and kept in the refrigerator.

2.3.4 Storage of Dried foods

a) Store in a cool place away from obvious sources of heat such as a stove or directsunlight. Dried foods will keep in an unopened container for about six months at21 to 24C (70 to 75F).

b) Inspect regularly for insect infestation as this is a constant problem.

c) If possible store opened packages or dried fruits in the refrigerator to maintainquality for a longer period.

d) Dried soups re-hydrated as a base for savoury dips should be kept in therefrigerator. Once the soup mix is combined with other moist ingredientsconditions are right for the growth of bacteria.

e) Stocks and gravies made from dehydrated ingredients should also be kept in therefrigerator.



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2.3.5 Canned Foods

a) Most canned foods have been sterilized during processing, which means anycontaminating organisms originally present on the food have been destroyed andthe cans need only be stored in a cool place. But watch for swollen or leakingcans. This indicates some failure in processing and the contents of the can shouldnot be tasted.

b) Products such as canned ham which are marked `Store below 4C' (about 40F)must be stored in the refrigerator. The ham has not been fully sterilized becauseprolonged heating adversely affects the texture of the meat. The same applies tosome imported canned meats and fish products and all labels should be readcarefully before the food is stored.

c) Once Can Foods are opened:

! Adopt the same storage precautions for the contents of a can as you would forfresh food of the same kind. This is because contamination is possible assoon as the can is opened and some of the contents removed.

! Throw out the contents of any can which have any unusual odor. Some foodsmay be stored in the can in the refrigerator and partly used cans should becovered with plastic. However, there are some preserved foods which do notstore well in cans. Highly acid or salted foods such as fruit juices or tomatoproducts do attack tinplate in the presence of air and they should betransferred to a glass or plastic container before refrigerating.

d) Storage life of Canned Foods:

! Unopened canned foods can be stored at 21 to 24C (70 to 75F) for atleast 12 months.

! Many canned foods will keep longer but because of uncertainty as to the trueage of the food a 12-month maximum should be set.

! Canned rhubarb, fruit juices, soft drinks and some baby foods are exceptionsand have a maximum storage life of about six months.



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Table 1. Cooking Temperatures

Cooking temperatures are critical in fighting of bacterial contamination. Temperatures shouldbecome a part of the recipe and should be memorized by all people who are involved in theprocess of cooking food. Always use a thermometer that measures the internal temperature of thefood, it is erroneous to think that the set temperature of the oven is the internal temperature of thefood.

Use cooking thermometers frequently (and sanitize before inserting into foods)

Product Fahrenheit / CelsiusEggs and Egg Dishes

Eggs Cook until yolk and white are firm

Egg dishes 160 / 70

Ground Meat and Meat MixturesTurkey, chicken 170 / 78

Veal, beef, lamb, pork 160 / 70

Fresh Beef

Rare (some bacterial risk) 140 / 60

Medium 160 / 70

Well Done 170 / 78

Fresh Veal

Medium 160 / 70

Well Done 170 / 78

Fresh Lamb

Medium 160 / 70

Well Done 170 / 78

Fresh PorkMedium 160 / 70

Well Done 170 / 78

Poultry

Chicken, whole 180 / 84

Turkey, whole 180 / 84

Poultry breasts, roasts 170 / 78

Poultry thighs, wings Cook until juices run clear

Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird) 165 / 74

Duck and Goose 180 / 84

Ham

Fresh (raw) 160 / 70

Pre-cooked (to reheat) 140 / 60Fish 140 / 60



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Table 2. Recommended Refrigeration Storage Temperatures for SomeFoods

Food Storage Temperature C Shelf Life

Seafood 0-3 3 Days

Crustaceans & Molluscs 0-3 2 Days

Meat 0-3 3-5 Days

Minced meat & Offal 0-3 2-3 Days

Cured meat 0-3 2-3 Weeks

Poultry 0-3 3 Days

Fruit juices 0-7 7-14 Days

Milk 1-7 5-7 Days

Cream 1-7 5 Days

Cheese 0-7 Variable (1-3 Months)

Butter 0-7 8 Weeks

Oil & Fat 2-7 Variable (6 Months)

Margarine 2-7 Variable (6 Months)



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Table 3. Cold Storage Guide

These SHORT but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becomingdangerous to eat. These time limits will keep frozen food at top quality.

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Product Refrigerator (40F)(5C) Freezer(0F) (-18C)

Eggs

Eggs, Fresh, in shell 3 weeks Don't freeze

Eggs, Hard-cooked 1 weeks Dont freeze

Liquid pasteurized eggs or eggsubstitutes, opened

3 days Don't freeze

Bread Don't 3 months

Butter 8 weeks 6-9 months

Margarine 10 weeks 12 months

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise, commercial (Refrigerateafter opening)

2 months Don't freeze

Cheese: Edam, Gouda, Swiss, Cheddar 2 weeks 6 weeks

Soups and Stews

Soups and Stews Vegetable or meat-added

3-4 days 2-3 months

Hamburger, Ground and Stew Meats

Hamburger and stew meats 1-2 days 3-4 months

Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb, andmixtures of them

1-2 days 3-4 months

Hot-dogs and Lunch Meats

Hot-dogs and Lunch Meats Hot-dogs,opened package

1 week In freezer wrap, 1-2 months

Hot-dogs, unopened package 2 weeks In freezer wrap, 1-2 months

Lunch meats, opened 3-5 days In freezer wrap, 1-2 months

Lunch meats, unopened 2 weeks In freezer wrap, 1-2 months

Bacon and Sausage

Bacon and Sausage Bacon 7 days 1 month

Sausage, raw from pork, beef, turkey 1-2 days 1-2 months

Hard sausage -- pepperoni, jerky sticks 2-3 weeks 1-2 months

Ham, Corned Beef

Corned beef (in pouch with picklingjuices)

5-7 days Drained, wrapped- 1 month

Ham, canned (Label says keeprefrigerated)

6-9 months Don't freeze

Ham, fully cookedwhole 7 days 1-2 months



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Page 2 of 2

Product Refrigerator (40F)(5C) Freezer(0F) (-18C)

Fresh Meat

Steaks, beef 3-5 Days 6-9 months

Chops, pork 3-5 days 2-3 months

Chops, lamb, veal 3-5 days 3-4 months

Roasts, beef 3-5 days 6-12 months

Roasts, lamb, veal 3-5 days 6-9 months

Roasts, pork 3-5 days 3-6 months

Variety meats

Tongue, brain, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings 1-2 days 3-4 months

Meat Leftovers, Cooked meat and meat dishes 3-4 days 2-3 months

Gravy and meat broth 1-2 days 2-3 months

Fresh Poultry

Chicken or turkey, whole 1-2 days 10 months

Giblets 1-2 days 3-4 months

Cooked Poultry

Fried chicken 3-4 days 4 months

Cooked poultry dishes 3-4 days 4-6 months

Pieces, plain 3-4 days 4 months

Pieces covered with broth, gravy 1-2 days 6 months

Chicken nuggets, patties 1-2 days 1-3 months

Fish

Mackerel, Salmon 2-3 days 2-3 months

Cod, Haddock, Sole 2-3 days 6 months

Cooked fish or Seafood 2-3 days 3 months

Shrimps, uncooked 2-3 days 12 months

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Food Storage & Handling