[phaedrus]

So a few months into my glorious Minnesota cheffing career I talked to the health dept about what it takes to do sous vide and/or vacuum sealing in the state, and now I have a headache!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif I'm quite experienced with those techniques/technologies but in SD I didn't need any special permits or certs. I'm generally familiar with the HACCP process but I've never had to file a plan before. So I'm looking for advice from any chefs in MN that can give me some pointers on how to navigate the process.

1) Did you write your own plan? Or model it on one you found online?

2) Did you use a service to create one? I'm aware of a couple of online businesses that offer HACCP plans.

3) Did you have to explain your plan like you were defending a doctoral thesis?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif Or just generally explain how you would comply?

It's gonna really bum me out if I can't get my ducks in a row because my style involves heavy doses of sous vide and I use a chamber vacuum machine extensively.

Thanks to everyone that reads this and has some advice.

 

[chefross]

You have to explain in real time how a hazard analysis critical control point of using a Sous Vide machine could possibly malfunction and create a food borne illness situation. The create a plan to control this from happening.

Start from that point and work backwards.

I have lots of experience with this from when I was in Illinois.

Ours was serving staff carrying trays of dinners out to the dining room. The plan was to switch to carts but the plan backfired when on the first day the carts could not make it through the dining room because of dance floor tiles set in place making the carts useless.

 

[jimyra]

The Servsafe coursebook has instructions on how to create a plan.

 

[chefbillyb]

I would try to take the info that other have provided. Going through the internet it kind of tells you what they want, who does it and the logs needed to be kept. This is just another " We want you to know and have a process incorporated in your business " So they can hold you to it during an inspection. This is from King county but IMHO every state s/b close on whats required.

https://www.kingcounty.gov/healthse.../foodsafety/2012SousVideHACCPApplication.ashx

 

[phaedrus]

Thanks everyone.  I don't remember the details in the Serve-safe book and I can't locate my copy right now (all my stuff in still boxed from moving here).  I know the main hazards and the appropriate controls, I'm more curious what format the information needs to be presented.  I'm doing more research now.