HACCP Plan For Potato Salad

Jackie Geitz
Human Nutrition 450
February 2, 2012
 Instilling a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program is essential for
proper food handling and safety. Creating a HACCP procedure entails a systematic
approach to reduce the risk of food-borne illness and pathogen infection. By using
this system, a food establishment will conduct hazard analysis, clarify critical
control points at which one can interfere to avoid, eliminate, or decrease food
hazards to safe levels, as well as determine critical limits, monitoring limits,
corrective actions, verification procedures, and effective record keeping procedures.
Each step is a key component in taking proactive measures to ensure that any
potential hazards are prevented, making the food product safe for consumers.
A recipe that demonstrates a need for the HACCP system is a baked potato
salad. In this recipe, the potatoes are boiled which may cause any present
Clostridium botulinum to produce spores. A way to help control this pathogen is to
hold and maintain this food at a proper temperature of 41F. Bacon is cooked to
155F. However, because bacon’s delicate thickness presents a challenge in taking
the temperature manually, one can assume it is safe for consumption once cooked to
a crispy texture (1). This step is critical to heat off pathogens present, as well as
holding the salad at 41F once bacon is combined. This is simply because this recipe
includes baked potato, bacon, sour cream, and mayonnaise which are all TCS
ingredients. The baked potato is most at risk for Clostridium botulinum, the bacon
most at risk for Clostridium perfringes, the sour cream for Salmonella. Mayonnaise
becomes a TCS ingredient once combined with the potato, bacon, and sour cream,
making it (as well as the other ingredients) susceptible to Shigella and
Staphylococcus aureus. To best prevent these pathogens from intoxicating
consumers, the salad must be held at 41F in a refrigerated condition for no more
than 7 days.
Reviewing the attached flow chart and HACCP chart, one can observe the
CCP’s and CL’s of each ingredient. Critical control points are seen at cooking and
cold holding points in the flow of food chart. The HACCP chart provides a more
detailed description of how to prepare the salad in a safe matter and what to do at
each critical control point to prevent any pathogens, such as cooking the bacon until
crispy, or washing hands to help prevent Shigella or Staphylococcus aureus.
The bacon, potato, mayonnaise, and sour cream were selected as TCS
ingredients based on their risk factor of being contaminated by pathogens with no
preventative measures. To be classified as a TCS food, there needs to be a water
activity of > .85, protein, or a pH of 4.6-7.5. Clostridium botulinum grows
anaerobically and produces a deadly toxin if time-temperature precautions aren’t
taken. The baked potato is very susceptible to this pathogen, if temperature abused,
due to its high water content and its growth underground with low oxygen reserves.
If potatoes aren’t held at a proper time and temperature, the spores of Clostridium
botulinum can infect many foods and potentially people. If Clostridium botulinum is
consumed, one may experience symptoms of nausea, vomiting, weakness, double
vision and trouble speaking. Bacon proves to be an appropriate TCS food from its
vulnerability to Clostridium perfringes. This pathogen can be found in soils and in
the intestines of humans and animals, causing a risk for pigs to ingest it. If bacon is
kept at refrigeration temperatures, Clostridium perfringes cannot grow, but it can
grow rapidly in the temperature danger zone with the range of 41F to 135F. Bacon
has protein present in it, making it more appealing for pathogens. Clostridium
perfringes produces symptoms of diarrhea and severe abdominal pain if ingested.
In addition, many dairy products run the hazard of being contaminated with
Salmonella, sour cream being one of them. Salmonella is found naturally in farm
animals, which makes dairy products produced from farm animals at risk for this
bacterium. Sour cream has a high water activity as well as protein, making it further
at risk for bacteria such as Salmonella. This TCS ingredient needs to be refrigerated
at 41F to prevent infection. Being a ready to eat food also presents a hazard in
regards to sour cream. Fortunately, this ingredient is pasteurized; nevertheless,
keeping a close eye on the expiration date can prevent consumption of pathogens.
Each of the TCS ingredients previously described pathogens are chosen
based on the independent ingredient. Yet, once all of these ingredients are combined
to produce a potato salad, other pathogens can become dangerous. Shigella as well
as Staphylococcus aureus are commonly found within salads, like potato salad.
Human hands can easily contaminate salads containing TCS ingredients such as
potatoes, bacon and sour cream. While the salad is being prepared, these pathogens
found on humans can infect the food if humans don’t practice proper personal
hygiene. Anytime someone touches his or her hair, skin, nose, throat, or uses the
bathroom, they should immediately wash their hands before preparing the salad.
Thus, once mayonnaise is introduced to the mix, it goes from being a non-TCS
ingredient, to a TCS ingredient simply by being exposed to human hands.
Furthermore, salad should be stored and held at a refrigerated temperature of 41F
for no more than 7 days.

HACCP CHART
Process Hazard CCP Standards Monitor Corrective
Action
Receiving Bacterial No Take temp Use clean Reject if
Growth <41°F sanitized unacceptable
Damage to (bacon, sour calibrated
packaging cream) probe
Take temp thermometer.
45°F-50°F(2) Observe as
(potatoes). well. . Check
Bacon expiration
should be dates (sour
pink with cream)
marbleized
white fat.
No strong
odors.
Storing Bacterial Yes Keep sour Set Quarantine
Growth (sour cream and refrigerator food and
cream) bacon at to proper contact
<41°F. temperature. supervisor.
Potatoes Use clean
should be sanitized
kept in a calibrated
cool and thermometer.
dark area. Do not exceed
manufacture’s
expiration
date (sour
 cream)
Cooking Bacterial Yes Cook bacon Observe Continue
survival and to 145° F or bacon texture. cooking.
contamination until crispy. Should be
Boil potato crispy. Use
until 208°F clean ,
(2) Keep sanitized,
sour cream calibrated
and probe.
mayonnaise
in <41°F
until ready
to combine.
Cold- Bacterial Yes Hold salad Label salad Discard after
Holding growth and at <41°F. with date 7 days.
contamination Prepare produced. Use
salad in clean
small sanitized
batches. calibrated
Cool probe.
potatoes to Practice
room personal
temperature hygiene.
within an
hour.

FLOW OF FOOD CHART

Purch Receive Storing Preparing Cooking Cold-

asing Ingredients Holding

Not Not CCP. Receive CCP. Keep Not CCP. Hold CCP. Bacon has CCP. Hold
CCP. bacon and sour bacon and bacon and CL of 145°F. salad at CL of
cream at <41°F. sour cream at sour cream at Check for <41°F.
Potatoes at 45°F- <41°F. <41°F until crispiness. Discard after
50°F Potatoes at ready for Potatoes have CL 7 days.
45°F- 50°F. cooking. of 208°F when
boiled. Sour
cream stays at
<41°F until ready
to combine.
RECORD KEEPING FORM
Date Salad
Produced:
Today's
Date:

Cold-Holding Potato Salad

Temperature-Time Log

Time Temperature Action Employee Initial

 The above chart illustrates what record keeping would be needed to ensure
the potato salad is being properly held at the cold-holding stage. Theoretically, an
employee will check the temperature of the potato salad once every four hours
using a sterilized, clean, calibrated probe thermometer. They will record the date of
production labeled on the salad as well as the date they’re recording temperatures.
Completing these steps will ensure the salad is stored for no longer than seven days
and maintains a proper CL of <41°F. If the recorded temperature is not <41°F, the
supervisor should be notified in order to take corrective action. They will either
quarantine the food or adjust the refrigeration temperature.
On day seven of cold holding, the salad should be thrown out. Employees
should sign their initials in order for the employer to determine the salad is being
properly monitored and to have a source of responsibility if a problem were to arise.
Using this form of record keeping will illustrate to the manager if the salad can
maintain a <41°F temperature throughout seven days. If a pattern evolved of the
salad where it would surpass its CL prematurely, the manager would be able to alter
his or her cold holding plan to accommodate safe food handling and prevention of
pathogens.
 Recipe:

 2 pounds red potatoes, skin on, washed

 3/4 cup sour cream
 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 6 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
 In a large pot of salted water, add potatoes and cook until just fork tender.
Remove from boiling water and cool. When cool enough to handle, cut
into 1-inch cubes.
 While potatoes are cooking and cooling, fry bacon in a large
nonstick frying pan, remove to paper towel lined plate to drain. Strain out
bacon fat.
 Remove potatoes to a plate to cool, season with a pinch of salt.
 Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Chop
bacon. Combine potatoes and dressing, adjust seasoning as necessary.
Refrigerate for 1 hour, top with bacon before service.

References:
1) USDA, Bacon and Food Safety. May 31, 2012
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Bacon_and_Food_Safety/index.asp#27
2) Grown in Idaho, Frequently Asked Questions. 2012
http://www.idahopotato.com/faqs#1