Sandwiches

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foods may be thawed in microwave ovens provided they are fully cooked immediately thereafter as part of the continuous cooking process.

Freezing leftovers is prohibited. This includes meat sauces, casseroles, and the like. Reconstituted and dehydrated foods are as susceptible to bacteria and spoilage as fresh items. Dehydrated foods must be refrigerated or cooked immediately after reconstitution.

Sandwiches

Due to the method of preparation, types of filling, handling, and storage procedures, sandwiches are potentially hazardous food items. The following requirements are therefore necessary.

Sandwiches not prepared at the activity will be procured from an approved commercial source. They must be freshly prepared and the time between preparation and consumption held to a minimum. Sandwich fillings containing meat, meat products, eggs, poultry, poultry products, and fish that are to be held longer than 3 hours before consumption must be prepared at room temperatures of 80°F or below and refrigerated until consumption. Sandwiches that contain protein fillings exposed to temperatures between 40° to 140°F must be consumed within 3 hours or disposed of.

Mayonnaise, catsup, and other condiments, including pickles, are issued as separate items and not included in the sandwich. Sandwiches must be individually wrapped.

Chilled and frozen sandwiches are categorized as follows:

Class I—Sandwiches containing meat, cheese, salad fillings, and leftovers. These sandwiches are prepared and refrigerated daily and normally dispensed over the counter, in mobile food service trucks, or in refrigerated vending machines.

Class II—Frozen sandwiches intended for use in flight or boat meals. These sandwiches are prepared in enlisted dining facilities and are authorized only when the preferred method of handling special meals is not feasible. The following special requirements apply to class II sandwiches:

Only freshly prepared sandwiches containing suitable ingredients for freezing will be used.

Each sandwich will be individually wrapped and sealed in a double thickness of polyethylene film, waxed paper, or other moisture-proof material.

Immediately after wrapping, sandwiches will be frozen to a temperature of 0°F or below and maintained at that temperature.

Frozen sandwiches must be consumed within 5 hours after removal from the freezer. Each sandwich will be labeled at the time of issue with the time and date; for example, “Consume by ______________________.”

Class III—Frozen sandwiches produced in a commercial frozen food operation in which a central kitchen is designed specifically for mass sandwich production. Each sandwich is hermetically sealed and frozen to 0°F or below and maintained at that temperature during transportation and storage. These sandwiches are limited to bread, meat, and cheese portions and condiments not considered potentially hazardous foods, such as mustard.

Frozen sandwiches are subject to the same requirements for thawing as other frozen foods. Outdated sandwiches must be discarded. Each sandwich must be labeled, marked, or stamped with the date and time of preparation and a “pull date.” In addition, each carton or case of sandwiches must be stamped or affixed with the name and address of the processor and the preparation date.

Pastries

Cream puffs, custard filled cakes and pies, eclairs, and similar products must be prepared under strict sanitary conditions, covered, cooled quickly, and refrigerated until use. These items are highly perishable and provide ideal breeding grounds for pathogenic organisms. Only the quantity that will be consumed at each meal period will be prepared or procured. They must remain under refrigeration while on the serving line, and any leftover items must be discarded as garbage.

Other Foods Information concerning salad bars, serving lines, and self-service items is contained in the Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine, chapter 1.