Introduction
Sushi rice, in broad terms, is a variety of short-grain, white rice seasoned with a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt (Knipple, Knipple and Edge 2012). The sushi rice, upon preparation, can be served with raw ready-to-eat accompaniments such as seafood and seaweeds. Notably, the sushi meal preparation goes through a lot of handling, and its accompaniments could be eaten raw. As such, the meal needs cautious handling during preparation, storage and display to assure food safety. Additionally, it requires specified conditions such as pH level and temperature to prevent the growth of bacterial and survival of pathogens that releases toxins in the prepared sushi rice. Thus, the paper evaluates the guidelines and the preparation requirements as well as the monitoring procedures to eliminate the cross-contamination. In the first section, the study will look at the ingredients and their specification settings for the sushi rice. Still, it will discuss the pre-processing and processing requirements for its preparation. Here, the review will give the conditions suitable for the sushi display. Finally, the study will analyze the risk identification and the monitoring process throughout the sushi rice preparation steps to cut the cases of cross-contamination and food poisoning.
Ingredient and specification settings
The specifications of the ingredients can be varied to suit the needs of the cook and the number of people served the meal. However, for the purpose of this study, the specifications below will be applied.
1. 3 cups of Japanese sushi rice
2. 3 1/4 cups of cold water
3. 1/3 cup rice of vinegar
4. 2 tablespoon of sugar
5. 1 tablespoon of salt
6. 20g of seafood
The most preferred rice is the short grained white rice that is soft and easy to mix with the vinegar. Additionally, the vinegar should be specifically the rice vinegar because other types have a different and unpleasant smell. Notably, the accompaniments to the sushi rice can be varied; cucumber, seaweed, vegetables and foods among other sushi products
Pre-processing and Processing requirements for Sushi
This section looks at the requirements that must comply with to assure food safety to the consumers of the final products. As such, it discusses in details the pre-preparation and preparation requirements in the process of making sushi.
Pre-Processing requirements for Sushi
The processing requirement should involve various categories of the pre-processing of the sushi rice. Particularly, there are requirements for the working area, facilities and utensils, the personnel and the sushi products. The discussion below highlights these requirements for the category.
Working area, facilities, and utensils
Several pre-preparations requirements need to be followed regarding the working area, facilities, the relevant utensils and the ingredients to be used. Firstly, the cooks should make sure that all the facilities and utensils are clean and are designated for the sushi preparations as well placing them at various strategic locations in the working area. For instance, the bamboo and plastic mats, as well as other applicable utensils, should be strategically placed. They should also be easy to clean when the need arises. Still, the mats that are reused need, and the surfaces that will be in contact with sushi products need to be cleaned and passed through sanitization process. The chopping boards and the knives, as well as wiping clothes, should also be cleaned and sanitized between uses during the pre-preparation processes. As such, there should be the cleaning agents and tap water in the working area. Additionally, there should be a working schedule of all operations and the cleaning roles throughout the steps of Sushi preparations. This is important in minimizing the flow of personnel traffic and also cutting the cases of cross-contamination of the ingredient and the raw ready-to-eat sushi products. Notably, there should be separate sets of the cutlery and chopping boards for various ingredients such as seafood, fruits and vegetables and raw ready-to-eat sushi products among other ingredients. Still, all the containers and utensils that are confusing should be clearly labeled to minimize the incidents of mixing ingredients up during the sushi rice preparation process.
Personnel
There are a number of requirements that the staff should apply throughout the process to minimize the risks of food cross-contamination. Thus, the section outlines some of the most important sushi rice pre-preparation requirements as regards the personnel. The personnel needs to maintain personal hygiene throughout the process. Therefore, all the unwell food handlers and cooks should not take any part in the sushi rice preparation to prevent contamination. Besides, the personnel should have short and clean nails as well as remove the rings and any items on their wrists among other jewellery that may come into contact with the food. Other requirements that pertain to the cooks and other supporting staff include the preparation of working schedule and familiarization with the applicable Standard Operating Procedures and food safety practices. Mainly, they should share the working space and the utensils before engaging in the sushi rice processing. Given that the sanitation, working area and ingredient designation are in place, the cooks should cross check the list to confirm that all the sushi products are available and within arm reach in the working area to cut the motion and time waste. Finally, all the personnel should have uniforms, the preparation apron, applicable outwear, masks and the proper footwear among other attire worn during sushi rice preparation. This will minimize the food contamination and other food security issues during preparation.
Sushi products
Finally, there are stringent guidelines and requirements regarding the sushi products before undertaking any processing of the ready-to-eat sushi rice. Firstly, there is the purchase of foodstuffs and sushi ingredient from reliable sellers or the approved dealer to cut the cases of food poisoning and cross-contamination. Still, there is the performance of visual and temperature check procedures on all the sushi products and maintenance of documents with a description of the temperature, acidic levels and other components of the ingredients. More specifically, the damaged and expired sushi products should not be disposed, and none of them should be used in the preparation process. Alternatively, the expired sushi products and ingredients that are delivered at incorrect temperature can be returned to the suppliers if it is their doing. Moreover, such ingredients as the fruits and vegetables need to be thoroughly washed before chopping them for use in the preparing sushi. However, all the cutting surfaces should be washed as a way of eliminating chances of cross-contamination before any processing for the sushi is undertaken. In the case of perishable raw ingredients, they should be properly kept at the right temperatures upon delivery. Notably, all the sushi products received from the suppliers such as cooked rice should be clearly labeled and the handlers should make sure that they have expiry dates on them. This will help in the examination of the expired products. It is also important to prevent cross-contamination of the supplied sushi products through proper storages. As such, the cooked food sushi products such as sushi rice should be stored separately from the raw ingredients. Moreover, the raw ready-to-eat sushi products need to be stored in clean and sanitized storage containers. The cooks should also store the vegetables and fruits among other products below the ready-to-eat products in the refrigerator. Essentially, all the refrigerated sushi should be covered to prevent contamination.
Processing requirements for the preparation of the sushi rice
Upon ensuring that all the pre-preparation are met, the cooks and other personnel should proceed with the preparation of the sushi rice. Here, there are requirements too that need to comply with considering that sushi has high potent of foodborne illnesses during the preparation process due to prolonged handling. The requirements fall under several classification such as the preparation techniques and the personnel involved. It is also important to note that the requirements are a continuation from the pre-preparation stage. Moreover, the section covers the display of the ready-to-eat sushi rice.
Preparation of sushi rice
The first step is to rinse the rice with water till it is clear. Afterward, add rice and water to the cooking item and boil till it is cooks. Note, the cooked rice must be kept hot, temperatures of above 60o C, before vinegar is added.
Mix vinegar, sugar, and salt till they dissolve in the liquid mixture. Then, put the cooked rice in a shallow basin or another container, preferably with a depth of less than 10cm. This will facilitate the mixture to cool faster than in a deep container. Still, it will make the penetration of the acid in the mixture into the cooked rice, hence, attain uniform acidification.
Finally, pour the vinegar mixture over the cooked warm rice and mix in a slicing action and not stirring(Matsuhisa and Edwards 2006)
The ‘vinegared' rice is then hand pressed into desired shapes, normally weighing between 25kg and 30kg. Alternatively, an automatic ‘moulder' may be used in making the rice cubes, especially for large commercial purposes. Then, the seafood is slice as an accompaniment to the rice cubes; hence, served as the seafood sushi, commonly known as the "Nigiri-Sushi"(Imatani 2009). The rice cubes may be served with other accompaniment such as cucumber and seaweed. The food is either served immediately or chilled to assure safe transport to the display units.
The first requirement during the process of preparation of sushi rice is the acidification of the cooked rice using vinegar recipes. It should be done immediately after the rice is cooked. This is so because the acidification of the warm rice ensures that there is thorough mixing as well high penetration of the acidic solution. This is important in ensuring that the rice will not be contaminated during the process as there is temporary handling; studies have shown that acidified sushi rice is not hazardous at room temperature. Additionally, the process of heating rice during sushi preparation may lead to activation of bacteria pores that release toxins; however, the preservation using the vinegar reduces such occurrences. Thus, acidity preserves the cooked rice when making the sushi. The preparation requires a temperature of above 5o C. Notably, as the sushi is being prepared; the PH must be monitored throughout to make sure it is within the required range, 4.6 and below (Bradsher, Wojtala, Kaml, Weiss and Read 2015). It is also necessary to record both the production time and the final pH for each round of sushi rice prepared for accurate indication of shelf life, in retail preparations. Moreover, there are personal hygiene requirements during the preparation of sushi rice. For instance, the food handlers and the personnel in the kitchen should wash their hands frequently. Particularly, when they handle any equipment and/or tools, before they embark on preparing any food as well as arranging the ready-to-eat food. Besides, they are required to wash their hands in between the varied roles in the kitchen such as handling raw meat, fish and vegetables as well as after going to the washroom. Still, after contacting nonfood items such as placing surfaces and after dressing, the personnel should clean their hands and sanitize them with chemicals. Normally, the food handlers and the preparation staff should always cover their mouth and hair during the preparation process of sushi rice and avoid bare hand contact with the with the ready-to-eat sushi products. Indeed, they are supposed to use chopsticks and tongs among other handling implements.
Display of the sushi rice
After the preparation of sushi rice, it is either taken to display units or the packed as the finished products for supply to the retailers. The display of the sushi rice entails holding the final products in a facility with specified conditions within a stipulated time for sale. Particularly, the holding area should have certain temperature. Though initially, sushi rice was held for a short duration, the emergent of the retail sushi sale has led to the prolonged holding through stringent control and monitoring to make sure that food safety is adhered to before consumption. Particularly, the display unit should have a temperature of 5°C or below. On the other hand, the packaged sushi rice products should be clearly labeled, properly stored and their shelf life indicated. Typically, the product is held for a maximum of 24 hours in retail, if it exceeds that time, it should be discarded. Strictly, the displayed products should not be taken to the storage units after display. Moreover, the storage units and equipment’s should be above the floor, the recommended height is 6 inches above the floor, and a distance from the ceiling and walls. Additionally, the storage containers, shelves as well as pallets among other materials used in the storage of sushi rice should not be water absorbent. Still, they should be easy to clean to prevent cross-contamination.
Identification and monitoring of risks
This section highlights the procedures and the ingredient that have high chances of contamination and short shelf life. Particularly, it gives the standard conditions that must be used in the monitoring procedures to identify the risks. Additionally, it offers the right approaches to cut the risks of disposal resulting from off-conditions and cross-contamination. It has two parts, the identification of risks and monitoring process.
Identification of risks
Sushi is a high risk food since it can support the microbial growth as well as toxins formed by the pathogens (Page and Page 2005). This is so because of the lengthy and continuous handling during the preparation and the absence of heating process after preparation and before the sushi products are served. This supports the growth of microorganisms. Moreover, sushi may be served together with raw sea food that may be inhibiting microorganisms due to absence of heat or cooking. Given that there are risks of pathogens, bacteria as well as other microorganisms resulting from the preparation, storage and consumption of raw food in the sushi meals, it is rational to monitor all the procedures and products as discussed below.
Monitoring
The entire process from the purchase of ingredients and storage, handling, pre-preparation and preparation of sushi rice as well as display and packaging require stringent monitoring to make sure that the final product is safe for human consumption. As such, the monitoring is routine activity over the entire steps of sushi preparation. In the case of purchasing the ingredients, the retailer should make sure they are not expired and they are stored in the right temperature and acidic levels. This will help the sushi dealers to acquire products with health certification from competent authority. Moreover, they should regularly check and monitor as well as record the temperature of the refrigerated sushi products. If during the periodic check the temperature is above 5oC, the process and the products should be evaluated in the stored and display units. This will yield the actual temperatures and the duration the products have been exposed to ‘outside’ temperature. In case there are products that are off-conditions and out-of-date, the retailer should discard them to assure safety of the consumers. Additionally, the retailers should maintain a record demonstrating that the pH is below 4.6, otherwise the rice will be hazardous for consumption at room temperature. Additionally, monitoring personnel should ensure that the chilled food is kept in a temperature of 0-4oC; this range does not support the growth of bacteria. Similarly, the raw ready-to-eat accompaniments such as vegetables and sea weeds need to be thoroughly washed and stored in temperature below 5oC to kill the microorganism before consumption.
The monitoring procedures also cover the preparation of sushi. Particularly, in the preparation of rice; cooking, cooling and acidifying by the mixing with vinegar, salt and sugar, need care monitoring. During this process, acidifying assures safety and the pH is taken throughout the process to make sure it is with the proper range. Likewise, there should be separate chopping boards, cutlery and other utensils for preparation of various raw ready-to-eat and cooked foods to prevent the cross-contamination. The rice should be washed thoroughly before being cooked and the sushi should not be prepared in excess because it has short shelf life. Additionally, the transportation of the chilled food to the display needs to be conducted at temperature below 4oC. Notably, all the transport vehicles and facilities in the transportation system should be kept clean and maintained to prevent the contamination and exposure of the sushi products to off-conditions (Thompson, Brecht and Hinsch 2002). Finally, in the display and delivery, the products are placed in covered plates before serving or kept in packed plastic containers for optimal conditions during the display. Alternatively, the sushi may be packed separately in plastic paper to prevent cross-contamination by the raw ready-to-eat accompaniments. Throughout all these stages and activities, temperature should be below 4oC to prevent growth of bacteria and release of the toxins. At the end of the business day, any remade rice or sushi that has been exposed to off-conditions should be disposed and the displayed sushi products should not be taken to the store.
References
Bradsher, J., Wojtala, G., Kaml, C., Weiss, C., & Read, D. (2015). Regulatory foundations for the food protection professional.
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Imatani, A. (2009). Sushi the beginner's guide. New York, Penn/Imagine. https://www.overdrive.com/search?q=B64C5EF0-B275-4C98-B3CA-30C0FB75F16D
Knipple, P., Knipple, A., & Edge, J. T. (2012). The World in a Skillet a Food Lover's Tour of the New American South. Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10539316.
Matsuhisa, N., & Edwards, M. (2006). Nobu West. London, Alhambra Editions.
Page, R. H., & Page, C. P. (2005). Yucatán: healthy traveler's handbook. Tempe, AZ, MedToGo.
Thompson, J. F., Brecht, P. E., & Hinsch, T. (2002). Refrigerated trailer transport of perishable products. Oakland, Calif, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
