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.

EMAIL

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!