AboutCarol Schlitt Expertise I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).
Experience I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Organizations International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.
Education/Credentials BS - University of Illinois
MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Question I would be sending the entrees from a small restaurant
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The text above is a follow-up to ...
-----Question-----
Hi,
I was hoping to get some information on the safety requirements for flash
freezing restaurant quality entree's for shipping. I was also trying to find out
what the best methods of flash freezing are.
Thanks for your help
Sean
-----Answer-----
Hi Sean,
I need a little more information before answering this question.
1. Are you in the restaurant business and want to market and ship your
frozen entree's to vendors and individuals?
or
2. Are you an individual that want's to freeze entree's and send to them to
someone so they can enjoy high-quality frozen foods?
There is a big difference between the 2 scenerios (regulations, equipment,
etc)
Please give ma a little more information and I'll be happy to answer you
question.
Carol
Answer Hi Sean,
Okay, I understand your situation and here are my answers:
1. When you expand your restaurant business to become a manufacturer of food items for shipping -- you've now crossed the boundary from a restaurant to a manufacturer. The regulatory agencies will change (from your local health department to your state Dept. of Agriculture or other state regulatory agency the monitors interstate food traffic). I suggest you first contact your local health department (your sanitarian that inspects your restaurant) and ask for contacts in your state for the regulatory agency that monitors and inspects food manufacturing plants.
2. Flash freezing in the commercial kitchen is different than in the home kitchen. If you are looking at freezing entrees on a large scale, you'll undoubtedly need to invest in a blast freezer. This equipment quickly freezes foods increasing the quality of the texture of the frozen food. For information on blast freezers, see: www.blastfreezer.com and www.empirebake.com/blast-freezing.htm
You might also want to contact a food entrepreneural program for low-cost consultation on ways to prepare and market your product. Several states have programs including the University of Nebraska. Check out their website at: http://fpc.unl.edu/Entrepreneur/ I've found Jill Gilford, their director, very helpful and knowledgable in directing clients to resources for starting/expanding their business.
Good luck, Sean. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.
