Food Safety for Everyone

In this episode, we share exciting information with NH and ME farmers about the Jumpstart to Farm Food Safety program. Our special guest, Rob Machado from UMaine Extension and Mary Choate from UNH Extension are working together on this program to bring expert farm food safety advice and recommendations to small and medium-sized produce farms. Jumpstart to Farm Food Safety website. Includes “pushbutton” for applying for the Jumpstart program: https://bit.ly/jumpstartfarm Jumpstart to Farm Food Safety Resources page has many farm food safety links to templates, videos, fact sheets and articles on specific topics farmers may be looking for. For info on writing SOPs, click on “Documents”:  https://bit.ly/jumpstartsafety Mary Choate at UNH Extension  email: [email protected]   phone 603-787-6944    Rob Machado at UMaine Extension  email: [email protected]   phone: 207-581-3144 

In episode 2, we touch on the foods that must be made there, and the additional training you may need if producing acidified or fermented products. We talk about ideas on where to find a commercial kitchen to rent and finish off with a story of a canning botulism scare and how and why to calibrate your food thermometer.  Also, one correction: We stated that pepper jelly was one of the foods that must be made in a commercial kitchen. Pepper jelly can be made in a home kitchen after it has had a process review by a Food Processing Authority and been found to be safe.  Show Notes include the websites and resources we mention in the podcast: NH Department of Health and Human Services- FAQ for Food Processors https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/documents/processing-faqs.pdf The 5-part series on Selling Homemade Food in NH: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/selling-homemade-food-products-new-hampshire-five-part-fact-sheet-series Food Processing Authority- Cornell Food Venture Center https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/partners-institutes/cornell-food-venture-center/cfvc-services-fees Food Processing Authority- University of Maine - Beth Calder [email protected] 207-581-2791 https://umaine.edu/foodandagriculture/process-product-review-testing Food processors Floor plan review Royann Bossidy- NH Food Protection Food Safety and Defense Specialist [email protected];  603-271-3989 New Hampshire He-P 2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food  Retail food establishments - commercial kitchens Apply for a New License or Change of Ownership, NH Department of Health and Human Services.   FDA HACCP Principles & Application Guidelines https://www.fda.gov/food/hazard-analysis-critical-control-point-haccp/haccp-principles-application-guidelines   Introduction To HACCP Friendly webinar for people who are new to HACCP, presented by the Fermentation Association. The principles apply to anyone starting a food business of any kind that requires a HACCP plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSZO5q-ITw Commercial Kitchen businesses in NH: Genuine Local, Meredith Creative Chef Kitchens, Derry Chester Kitchen in Chester, NH  Signs that a Canned Food May be Contaminated with Botulism Toxin https://www.fda.gov/media/107843/download  Calibrate your THERMOMETER  Two-minute video from Colorado State University: https://bit.ly/calibrateit PDF: https://bit.ly/calibratepdf  Funding for the Homestead Fact Sheets project by USDA-NIFA Award 2018-70020-28876.  Special appreciation to Royann Bossidy of the NH Food Protection Section for her insights and guidance in putting together the fact sheet series.   

Our inaugural episode of Food Safety for Everyone covers the food safety and legal requirements of foods you can make in your home kitchen. We review what is needed under the Homestead Exemption (no license required) and when you will need to get a Homestead H license.   Starting a Homestead Food business is a good way to ease into a food venture. Doing it right and knowing the rules can make expanding your business that much easier.   We finish up the episode with our question of the day and our food safety tip of the day.  Show Notes include the websites and resources we mention in the podcast:  New Hampshire Self-Inspecting Cities & Towns- 2021 https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/documents/selfinspect.pdf National Center for Home Food Preservation https://nchfp.uga.edu NH Public Health Lab Food Safety Section. Phone: 603-271-4665 NH Department of Health and Human Services- FAQ for Food Processors https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/documents/processing-faqs.pdf Labeling example in Selling Homemade Food in NH Part one: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/selling-homemade-food-products-new-hampshire-basics-part-one-fact-sheet The 5-part series on Selling Homemade Food in NH: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/selling-homemade-food-products-new-hampshire-five-part-fact-sheet-series Food Processing Authority- Cornell Food Venture Center https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/partners-institutes/cornell-food-venture-center/cfvc-services-fees Food Processing Authority- University of Maine - Beth Calder [email protected] 207-581-2791 https://umaine.edu/foodandagriculture/process-product-review-testing Food processors Floor plan review Homesteads NH Food Protection Food Safety and Defense Specialist - Royann Bossidy; [email protected]; 603-271-3989 NH Food Protection Frequently Asked Questions about Homestead Food Businesses Class H Homestead license ($150) www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp/documents/happlication.pdf New Hampshire He-P 2300 Sanitary Production and Distribution of Food  Retail food establishments - commercial kitchens Apply for a New License or Change of Ownership, NH Department of Health and Human Services.   Funding for the Homestead Fact Sheets project by USDA-NIFA Award 2018-70020-28876.  Special appreciation to Royann Bossidy of the NH Food Protection Section for her insights and guidance in putting together the fact sheet series.