Classroom Food Safety

Many schools have classroom parties for the holidays or other special occasions that include refreshments. In addition, students may bring treats from home to celebrate a birthday or other special day. Since improperly handled food can be the source of foodborne illness, it is wise to use caution when planning these events.

Always practice good hygiene when offering food in classrooms, including diligent and effective hand washing. Hands must be washed before setting up the event, after using the restroom, after sneezing or coughing, and as necessary when food is being served.

The Snohomish Health District offers the following guidelines for handling or serving food in classrooms:

Limit the types of food you allow. All food must come from an approved commercial source – no home prepared food items due to the concern for food safety and allergens.
Limit foods that need refrigeration or keep it cold by refrigerating on site or storing on ice.
Fresh fruit can be used if it is washed and cut immediately before it is to be served. Cut melons can grow bacteria and must be refrigerated if not served immediately. Wear disposable gloves when cutting fruit or vegetables.
Never serve unpasteurized milk or juice of any kind, especially apple juice or cider.
Food served to children should be served with tongs, spatulas, or other utensils. Disposable utensils and cups are preferable.

If you have any questions concerning these guidelines, please contact the Food Program at foodsafety@snohd.org.

Food Sharing Tables

Food sharing tables are designed to reduce food waste and provide the option for students to have extra nutritious food if they are still hungry. If your school is considering implementing a sharing table, you will need to create a clear plan and get that plan approved by the Snohomish Health District using this Share Table form.

The plan needs to address and include the location of the sharing table, signage, allergy concerns, time and temperature controls, not accepting home prepared lunch items, and a system to throw food away after the lunch period. The plan will need to be supported by the principal, building staff and school nurse. The plan will also need to describe how students will be educated to make sure the sharing table process is successful. It is important that students and staff understand that only commercial unopened food or food from the school kitchen can be placed on the sharing table.

Kitchen staff should not re-use food placed on a sharing table for another day. If kitchens have developed a kitchen recollection plan, students must give the food directly back to the kitchen and not to a sharing table. School served foods, from the current meal period, that are allowed to be placed on a sharing table or recollected by the kitchen are unopened dairy products (milks, yogurts, or string cheese), whole fruits with non-edible peels (oranges and bananas), and unopened, commercially pre-packaged items (granola bars, packaged apple slices, crackers, raisins).

Using Oven Gloves Correctly

Oven gloves are an important tool used in a school kitchen. They must be used correctly to prevent cross contamination. Make sure to wash your hands and put on new gloves if needed after you use oven gloves.

Diarrhea and Vomit Clean Up Plan

Establishments must have written procedures for employees to follow when responding to events that involve the discharge of vomit or fecal matter onto surfaces in the food establishment. The procedures must include specific actions employees must take to clean and sanitize the area to:

Minimize vomit and fecal matter exposure to employees and customers.
Minimize the contamination of food and surfaces.

The Washington State Department of Health has created a Vomit and Diarrhea Clean-up Plan template to help establishments with their written clean up procedures. Employees must be trained so that they understand these written procedures. The plan should be specific to each facility, but must include these topics:

Quickly remove the ill person from the area.
Block off and clean the affected area. Other staff and customers must be 25 ft. away from the contaminated area.
Have available and use proper personal protective equipment like gloves and masks.
Use an approved disinfectant that will be effective against Norovirus (read the label).
Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Norovirus contaminated materials must not be cleaned in the kitchen.
Procedures for disposal or disinfection of tools/equipment used for cleanup.
Dispose of any food that may have been directly or indirectly exposed.
Employee must change outer clothes after cleaning up the mess.
Watch for symptoms of illness after cleanup for at least 24 hours. Norovirus can be airborne and is very contagious.

Food Service Workers in a school kitchen

Certified Food Protection Manager

The new food code will require a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) for each food service establishment by March 1, 2023. The CFPM will need to have passed an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved food manager test. This is a list of the ANSI six approved courses that will meet that requirement.

Five things to note about the new requirement:

The CFPM does not need to be on-site, although a copy of the certificate does. This means that not all managers need to be certified. You could have one person designated as the CFPM for each school or even the whole district.
An establishment will have 60 days to replace a CFPM if their previous CFPM leaves.
The CFPM will be responsible for implementing a food protection program which helps each Person in Charge (PIC) and any other employees follow the food code.
The CFPM will be responsible for training each PIC so that they understand food safety concepts and are able to demonstrate knowledge and maintain Active Managerial Control (AMC).
A CFPM is not required to take a class, although it is encouraged. They are just required to pass one of the ANSI approved food manager tests.

Snohomish Health District to Merge into County Health Department

The Snohomish Health District Board of Health and Snohomish County Council have voted to merge the Health District into county government. This means Snohomish County will be forming a new health department effective January 1, 2023, and the Snohomish Health District staff will become part of that new department instead of continuing as a separate public health district. Environmental Health and the Food Safety Program will remain a core piece of our work. For our partners, including the many food businesses we work with, our work and services won’t change. We look forward to continuing to work with everyone to keep our community safe and healthy.

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