Cleaning and COVID
The following is a list of the steps that I take when producing cottage foods for sale.
I have specific steps for COVID time noted as [COVID specific].
I am food safety certified from the following programs:
As informed by training/certification and https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/best-practices-retail-food-stores-restaurants-and-food-pick-updelivery-services-during-covid-19
-
Ask roommates to stay out of the kitchen
-
Put on mask [COVID specific]
-
Wash hands (soap and water, 20 seconds, dry on not used before clean cloth towel or single use paper towel)
-
Make bleach sanitizing solution (1TBS/gallon = 200ppm)
-
Gather all utensils, ingredients, and clean cloth
-
Use cloth to sanitize surfaces and let air dry
-
Sanitize drying rack (minimum 10 minute soak time)
-
Sanitize all utensils (including bowls, pans, spoons, etc)
-
Let utensils air dry in sanitized rack
-
While waiting for things to dry; sanitize outside of all ingredient holders (jars of flour, sugar, tins/jars/etc) and let air dry
-
Sanitize all surfaces again making sure to get oven handles and controls
-
Wash hands again (same as above)
-
Begin crust making (or other first part of baking project)
-
Finish crust making, let rest on counter where things are sanitized
-
Place used dishes in designated (but also sanitized) spot for washing later
-
Wash hands again (same as above)
-
Make pie filling (or other second part of baking project) and let sit in sanitized counter work space
-
Repeat 15-17 as needed for more complex projects
-
Turn on oven - be glad you sanitized it earlier (sanitize again if in question)
-
Wash hands again - just in case it wasn’t fully sanitized (same as above)
-
Roll out crust and place in sanitized pie pan
-
Fill crust with filling (place empty bowls/utensils in dirty dish area)
-
Wash hands (same as above)
-
Open oven - be glad you sanitized it earlier
-
Put pie(s) in oven (no burns here!)
-
Let pies cook while washing all dishes and surfaces
-
First scraping any food residue off of dishes
-
Washing with soap and water
-
Rinsing with water
-
Sanitize in bleach solution (for a minimum of 10 minutes)
-
Let air dry
-
-
The mask can come off now [COVID specific]
-
Let pie(s) cool in oven (where it is clean and away from possible contamination from roommates) [COVID specific] {Sort of, usually I’ll let them cool on the counter while loosely covered OR if the roommates are gone and I’m going to be around then uncovered provided that I’m not in the kitchen}
-
*Time passes* The pies are now cool
-
Put on mask [COVID specific]
-
Wash hands (same as above)
-
Make new bleach sanitizing solution (because it’s been more than 4 hours since the last one was made probably) OR use bleach wipes if available
-
Sanitize counters and “the path to packaging supplies”
-
Gather packaging supplies (Stored in sealed containers as they were received)
-
Wash hands again, put on single use food-grade gloves
-
Remove pie(s) one at a time from the oven (using clean, dry, towels or hotpads) and place in new plastic bag, seal bag
-
Affix labels to outside of package
-
Remove gloves and discard
-
IF pick-up: Place in bin outside -making sure I’ve sanitized any door handles I’ll be touching [COVID specific]
-
IF delivery: Place in sanitized carrier (bag or box) with gloves and hand sanitizer. Upon arrival at destination, use hand sanitizer, put on gloves, make delivery [COVID specific]
-
[COVID specific] If you’d like to be extra careful: When you arrive home remove pie from packaging and put it in your oven and warm it (and then you can have WARM pie!) 350 for 10-15 minutes should suit - heating has been shown to have a significant effect on the virus (https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-food-risk.html and https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-and-food-safety/)
-
I don’t recommend microwaving your pie as it will change the texture of the crust
-
I would also suggest that you only warm what you intend to eat rather than the whole pie as that will keep it in the “danger zone” for food safety for longer (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Danger_Zone.pdf)