Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

Food Service Manual for Health Care Institutions
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Similar quick freezing is necessary in a cook-and-freeze system to optimize the taste and
smell of the frozen food and to ensure a product free of contamination. It is recommended that
a temperature of 0°F (–18°C) or lower be reached within 90 minutes after initial cooking.
Frozen food should be stored at 0°F or lower and must be properly packaged to prevent dehydration.
Entrees should be thawed in a refrigerator and used within 24 hours after thawing. In
all cook-and-chill and cook-and-freeze systems, the temperature of the entrees should be kept
at 41°F (5°C) or lower during portioning, assembly, and distribution.
As in cook-and-serve systems (and all food production activities), good personal hygiene
for food handlers is a critical control point at all stages—initial preparation, portioning, assembly,
and service—of processing food in cook-and-chill and cook-and-freeze systems. Employees
can directly and indirectly contribute to microbiological contamination through poor personal
hygiene and work habits (see Chapter 13).
In both cook-and-chill and cook-and-freeze systems, production usually can be scheduled
into a 40-hour workweek with regular 8-hour shifts. For this reason, these systems (because
they incorporate production tasks that require high skill levels) usually require fewer skilled
employees. In cook-and-chill systems, the plating of food can be spread over a longer period
because all items are held cold during plating and tray assembly. This system can reduce the
number of employees needed and possibly increase their productivity and satisfaction.
More balanced and efficient use of equipment is possible in cook-and-chill and cook-andfreeze
systems because production can be distributed over the entire work shift rather than
being done in the limited time just before service. Total equipment requirements may be lower
than in a cook-and-serve system, but the types of equipment and capacities needed depend on
whether a cook-and-chill or a cook-and-freeze system is being followed. For example, specialized
quick-chill refrigerators are needed for both systems, but blast or cryogenic freezers also
are needed for a cook-and-freeze system.
Adequate refrigerated space must be available for storing foods and holding them during
the assembly process. Also, the amount of refrigeration space needed for pre-plated items is
greater than for bulk storage items. The acquisition of needed equipment adds to capital investment
costs. Research also indicates that more energy is used in the cook-and-chill and cookand-freeze
systems than in the cook-and-serve system because of the significant amount of
energy required to chill or freeze, thaw, and reheat foods.
Cook-and-chill and cook-and-freeze systems may operate in an on-premises kitchen, or
they may be located in a commissary separate from the service area. Many commissaries use
these systems because the scheduling and control of production and service are easier for
chilled and frozen foods than they are for hot foods.
Assembly-and-Serve System
With an assembly-and-serve food production system (sometimes called a convenience system),
most or all foods are obtained from a commercial source in a ready-to-serve form. This includes
entree items that are purchased frozen, canned, or dehydrated; ready-to-serve dessert and bakery
products that are purchased fresh, frozen, or canned; salads and salad ingredients that are
purchased ready to assemble; canned, frozen, or dehydrated sauces and soups; frozen concentrated,
portion-packed, canned, or dehydrated fruit juices and beverages; and individual portion
packets of condiments such as sugar, jelly, syrup, salad dressing, and cream.
Menu variety can be wider in assembly-and-serve systems than in cook-and-serve systems,
but it depends on the facility’s access to suppliers who can provide a wide range of products.
However, the variety of pre-plated items is not as large as that offered in bulk-packaged products.
Inconsistent quality among different products and among different lots of the same products
has been observed. Because of this inconsistency, it is desirable to try several potential vendors
before implementing an assembly-and-serve system. Also, the geographical location of the food
service operation and small purchase volumes may intensify problems in obtaining products of
the same quality from one purchase period to another.