Production of safe school lunchboxes

Common production systems

Common pathogens

Food safety problems

Production flow charts for school lunch boxes

Food safety measures

Other reference documents

Common production systems

Common pathogens

Food safety problems

To avoid food poisoning, school lunchbox suppliers should have a thorough understanding of the following food safety problems.

Cook-serve

Cook-chill

Production flow charts for school lunch boxes

Cook-serve                                                                                         Cook-chill

Production flow charts for school lunch boxes

Food safety measures

In order to ensure the safety of foods, basic food hygiene/safety principles as well as the following suggestions should be followed:

Cook-serve system

Cook-chill system

Summary of important food safety points

Steps Cook-serve Cook-chill
Cooking
  • Where possible, cook all food items (including sauce and soup) on the day of consumption
  • Cook food thoroughly (i.e. core temperature at 75oC or above)
  • Cook food thoroughly (i.e. core temperature at 75oC or above)
Hot Holding and Packaging
  • Avoid preparing food too far in advance before consumption
  • After cooking, pack food into containers as quickly as possible
  • Pack food under carefully controlled sanitary conditions (both personnel and equipment) in order to prevent cross-contamination
  • If not packed immediately, keep food in utensils maintained at above 60oC
  • After cooking, pack food into containers as quickly as possible
  • Pack food under carefully controlled sanitary conditions (both personnel and equipment) in order to prevent cross-contamination
  • Chill food as quickly as possible after cooking (e.g. within 30 minutes of cooking)
Rapid Chilling
  • Chill food rapidly (e.g. within 90 minutes) to 4°C or below
  • Store food at 4oC or below immediately after chilling
Hot Holding
  • Immediately store food in thermal boxes or other utensils maintained at above 60oC
Transport to Satellite Kitchens
  • Keep food at 4oC or below during transportation
  • At satellite kitchens, store food immediately in chillers maintained at 4oC or below
Reheating
  • Reheat food to 75oC or above
Transport to Schools
  • Use thermal boxes or other effective means to keep food at above 60oC
  • Use thermal boxes or other effective means to keep food at above 60oC
Consumption
  • Deliver to students as quickly as possible for consumption
  • Deliver to students as quickly as possible for consumption

Note: it is a good practice to check and record the temperature of the food during production; for example, when the food is cooked, chilled, reheated, hot -held and/or at schools.

Desserts and fruits

Recently, desserts (e.g. jelly, yoghurt, fruits juice, etc.) and fruits (e.g. oranges, apples, etc.) have been included in the menus of many suppliers. These food items will likely introduce new food safety issues if they are not prepared and handled properly and hygienically. Suppliers are advised to consider the following suggestions before providing the food items:

Other reference documents