Meat products are purchased using specifications recommended by the USDA Meat Buyers' Guide. All meats, including boxed meats, have specifications which must be met by the vendor. Only USDA Choice items are purchased (This means that the USDA has graded this beef to meet the "Choice" requirements.). The grading by USDA is Prime, Choice, Select, and Cutter. (We purchase beef graded higher than several national steak house chains.)

Meat products are purchased from reliable local cutters and ground beef products are from a nationally-known meat processing company. In addition to the meat products, poultry products are also from reliable and nationally-known companies.

Produce is purchased using predetermined specifications. All incoming produce orders are thoroughly inspected upon delivery and staff ensure that the produce meets or exceeds specifications.

Yes, all meals are prepared on campus in food service kitchens and service areas, unless they are prepackaged items. All breads, hamburger rolls, hot dog buns, etc., come from a local bakery. Many dessert items, such as cookies, cakes, pies, Jell-O, pudding, etc., are baked fresh daily. Some dessert items from manufacturers are served as well.

A computer program called FoodPro from Aurora Systems has been used for over 14 years to provide standardized recipes for our cooks to follow. This computer program provides a nutritional analysis of all food products and recipes served. Recipes are developed by our Corporate Executive Chef. New products or different products are also added to the menu on a continual basis, but only after testing and sampling have been completed. Please visit the Nutrition section for information.

The cooking staff is made up of full-time technical service employees. The lead cooks are "Food Preparer A's", and assistant cooks are called "Food Preparer B's". In order to be hired as a cook, they are required to pass a culinary exam. Our cooks are also required to take and pass the National Restaurant Associations' Applied Foodservice Sanitation course. In addition, all storeroom workers, food service workers, and management staff are required to take this course.

A professional management staff supervises each and every meal. Over 90 percent of our management staff have degrees in either food service management, restaurant and hotel administration, nutrition, or business management. They are required to take the Applied Foodservice Sanitation program, as well as participate in all culinary training programs. The management staff requires food servers and preparers to monitor cooking and holding temperatures of all hot entrees and cold foods (i.e. salad bar and deli bar) throughout the meal. These temperatures are recorded on logs and kept for two years. All staff is expected to handle food properly, including wearing plastic gloves when handling food, and wearing proper hair restraints, clean uniforms, and aprons.

In addition to the monitoring of temperatures, monthly sanitation inspections of each unit are required. Once a semester, the food service operation, the central warehouse, and Bakery at University Park are also inspected (unannounced) by a professionally trained HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) team. A complete HACCP Inspection is performed, which requires examination of food temperatures, storage and handling, personal hygiene of food handlers, consistent monitor of temperatures, etc.

Food borne illness is a disease that is carried or transmitted to people by food. This type of illness is confirmed when laboratory analysis shows that a specific food is the source of the illness. Although any food can become contaminated, most food borne illnesses are transmitted through food in which microorganisms are able to grow rapidly. Such foods are classified as potentially hazardous. Examples of some potentially hazardous foods are meat, milk, baked potatoes, tofu, fish, and eggs.

Many different food borne illnesses can result when food is handled or stored improperly. Bacteria are most often involved in a food borne illness outbreak. Although the symptoms of each food borne illness vary, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever are often present. It usually takes several hours to several days before most food borne illness symptoms occur.

Training
Penn State Food Services requires every full-time food service employee to be certified in ServSafe. This requires taking an intense 2-½ day course developed by the National Restaurant Association's Education Foundation and passing an examination. Employees receive a certificate after passing the exam, and are certified for five years.

Inspections
Every food service operation is inspected each semester by a trained team of sanitation inspectors (unannounced visits) and monthly by an in-house team of employees and staff.

Temperatures
Additionally, an emphasis is placed on maintaining safe cooking and holding temperatures of hot and cold food. Throughout every meal period, food temperatures are monitored and recorded in each operation. If temperatures are not within acceptable ranges, the food is either reheated to 165 degrees F° or discarded.

Reliable Food Sources
Purchased food must meet certain specifications set by our Purchasing Department before it is received and accepted by the Housing and Food Services warehouse and each unit. Once it is delivered to the individual food service operation (i.e. dining commons or snack bar), it is inspected again before being received.

Food service is our business, and we take it very seriously. If there is a claim that a customer has gotten ill and suspects a food borne illness, we want to know about it and investigate it immediately. If you are a Penn State student and suspect food borne illness, please contact or visit Housing and Food Services and University Health Services immediately. Procedures for such incidents are in place, and we work in conjunction with the Penn State Environmental Health and Safety Department to investigate these claims.