DETERMINING PROCESS FLOWS IN FOOD SAFETY ALSO PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE

DETERMINING PROCESS FLOWS

from receiving through service or sale to the consumer. Several activities or stages

make up the flow of food and are called operational steps. Examples of operational

steps include receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, cooling, reheating, holding,

assembling, packaging, and serving. Keep in mind that the terminology used for

operational steps may differ between food service and retail food store operations.

Most food items produced in a retail or food service establishment can be categorized

into one of three preparation processes based on the number of times the food passes

through the temperature danger zone between 41 ºF to 135 ºF:

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The flow of food in a retail or food service establishment is the path that food follows

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Example flow: Receive - Store - Prepare – Hold – Serve

Process 1: Food Preparation with No Cook Step

(other food flows are included in this process, but there is no cook step to destroy

pathogens while in the retail or food service facility)

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Example flow: Receive - Store - Prepare - Cook – Hold – Serve

Process 2: Preparation for Same Day Service

(other food flows are included in this process, but there is only one trip through

the temperature danger zone)

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Example flow: Receive - Store - Prepare - Cook - Cool - Reheat - Hot Hold -

Serve

Process 3: Complex Food Preparation

(other food flows are included in this process, but there are always two or more

complete trips through the temperature danger zone)

A summary of the three food preparation processes in terms of number of times through

the temperature danger zone can be depicted in a Danger Zone diagram. Note that

while foods produced using process 1 may

cooked to destroy pathogens, nor are they hot held. Foods which go through the

danger zone only once are classified as Same Day Service, while foods that go through

more than once are Complex.

enter the danger zone, they are neither