F325 and F371 Q & A Document, State of Wisconsin

For those of you in long-term care in Wisconsin, there is a document on the State of Wisconsin, Department of Health Services website, addressing frequently asked questions pertaining to F325 and F371. http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/rl_dsl/Publications/09-032.htm. It is dated 6/11/09.

Related to F371, there are many questions on bare hand contact, gel sanitizer, dish machines, dining room service, approved food sources, potentially hazardous food, time and temperature, and raw and pasteurized eggs.

I was especially pleased (and relieved!) to see clarification on "holding" vs "service to the resident" temperatures. "Holding" and "point of service" temperatures relate to the temperature of the food as it is held on the line and plated for service. Hot foods must be held at 135 degrees F. or higher and 41 degrees F. or lower. There are no regulations stating the temperature that the food must be when the resident receives it! (There are no serving temperature recommendations in the USDA Food Code, either.)

However, appropriate temperatures for palatability are evaluated as part of the Investigative Protocol for Dining and Food Service. A facility may be cited under F364 if the residents are not satisfied with the serving temperature of the food.

Another area that is addressed is approved food sources. Basically, residents do have the right to choose to eat food brought in by volunteers, family, employees, etc. An individual facility may want to develop policies on what it will allow, however.

For those of you not in Wisconsin, if your state does not have something similar, this will provide good information. However, watch for state regulations that may differ from Wisconsin. For example, in Wisconsin produce from farmers' markets or locally grown produce is not regulated and is considered an approved source. Your state may have different regulations.

Long-term care food service regulations are complex! The federal long-term care regulations must be met, of course. But so do state long-term care regulations and state food codes.