 Personal Chef Foods owns and operates its manufacturing operations in Phoenix, Arizona. The plant is a USDA compliant, inspected operation. Personal Chef Foods production equipment is custom made state of the art and represents the finest the industry has to offer.
Because of bacteria outbreaks with hamburger and processed meat products that resulted in consumer deaths and sickness, Congress passed the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System) act, making it a mandatory USDA inspector certified requirement program for all meat manufacturers. Many small to medium manufacturers closed because of it, for they unable to reinvest into their facilities to bring them into compliance. Public assurances in food safety issues are tantamount for any success in the future. We saw these developments as an opportunity to recast the manufacturing with HACCP as our safety cornerstone. We presently have four HACCP certified employees who are responsible for managing the HACCP plan.
Personal Chef Foods has a team of quality control professionals to ensure that the company's and our customer's standards are always met. Our team inspects the procedures and production of product through all of its different steps to ensure quality. They implement company policy for random microbiological testing of products for safety and shelf life studies to make sure our products are the highest possible quality we can offer our customers. Our SSOP (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures), are consistently undergoing revisions to meet the ever changing environmental issues that manufactures are up against. This speaks highly of our procedures and the dedication of our personnel.
 Personal Chef Foods commitment to innovation and high standards of quality is the driving force behind our Research and Development department. R & D works very closely with customers and consumer focus groups to ensure the development of great product lines. The development of our fresh Home Meal Replacement lines (patent pending on production technology) that insures shelf life up to 21 days, is but one example of what can be created with team work. There are many new products and venues to be explored in the food industry and we want to be a recognized leader in the marketplace.
All raw materials are inspected upon arrival for defects. A Personal Chef Foods quality control inspector is on duty during the processing of all products. Each Personal Chef Foods inspector has the authority to stop production and/or retain product when it does not meet our purchase order specifications.
In our packaging room, we have installed a custom designed shower station just past the metal detector located on the exit end of our packaging lines. This unit sprays chilled chlorinated water that immediately reduces the surface temperatures, sanitizes the exterior, and helps reduce leaker rejects.
Prior to shipping, all orders are re-inspected before and during packing for any and all types of defects.
Plant procedures are far more extensive and detailed; this is a broad simple overview of our manufacturing philosophy and Personal Chef Foods commitment to the highest quality, best tasting, and safe food products available today.
Personal Chef Foods processing programs are as follows:
- N.L.V. - Nutritional Label Verification
- T.Q.C. - Total Quality Management
- U.S.D.A. - Certified Choice Beef Program
- U.S.D.A. - Certified Angus Beef Program
- U.S.D.A. - Certified Processed Verified Piedmontese Beef Program
- A.H.A. - American Heart Association, Heart Healthy Program
- M.F.G. - Planning & Control Systems
- H.A.C.C.P. - Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program
- S.S.O.P. - Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
 How long can I keep my fresh meat in the refrigerator?
Sealed, prepacked fresh meat cuts can be kept in the refrigerator 2 to 4 days; sealed ground meat will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If you do plan on keeping the raw, fresh meat longer than 2 to 3 days before cooking it, store it well-wrapped in the freezer.
What length of time can I keep meat in the freezer?
Generally, fresh cuts of meat, like roasts, chops and tenderloin can be kept well-wrapped in the freezer up to 6 months. Well-wrapped ground meat can be kept for about 3 months in the freezer.
How do I properly wrap my fresh meat to keep it in the freezer?
Follow these steps to help keep your meat fresh in the freezer
- Use one of these freezer wrap materials: specially-coated freezer paper (place the waxed side against the meat); heavy-duty aluminum foil; heavy-duty polyethylene film; heavy-duty plastic bags.
- Re-wrap meat in convenient portions: leave roasts whole, place chops in meal-size packages, shape ground meat into patties. Put a double layer of waxed paper between chops and patties.
- Cover sharp bones with extra paper so the bones do not pierce the wrapping.
- Wrap the meat tightly, pressing as much air out of the package as possible.
- Label with the name of the meat type, cut, and date.
- Freeze at 0 degrees F or lower.
How long can I store ham or other smoked products in the refrigerator?
Whole smoked ham and whole ham slices can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or the use by date on the label. Smoked sausages, hot dogs, bacon and other luncheon meats can be kept for up to 7 days.
The National Pork Board does not encourage freezing cooked ham, since it affects the quality and mouth-feel of the meat. However, leftover ham for use in soups or casseroles can be cut up into slices or cubed and stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
How long can bacon be stored?
Store bacon in the package in the coldest part of the refrigerator at a temperature between 36 and 40 degrees F. Check the freshness date ("open by date") on the package. Once the package is opened, use within five to seven days.
Unopened packaged bacon can be stored in the freezer at 0 degrees F. for up to one month. To store smaller amounts, wrap two to six slices tightly in plastic wrap, then store in small freezer bags. Defrost by submerging the freezer bags in cold water for 10 minutes.
I have leftovers from a big roast, how long can I keep them?
Leftovers should be placed in the refrigerator within 1 to 2 hours of serving. Store cooked leftovers in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Well-wrapped leftovers can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can I brown my fresh meat this morning, put it the refrigerator and finish cooking it tonight?
Never brown or partially cook any meat.
Is it safe to eat leftover food that was left out on the counter to cool at dinnertime, then forgotten until morning?
No. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F, some doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. Some types will produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking.
Pathogenic bacteria do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, one cannot tell that a food has been mishandled or is dangerous to eat. If a food has been left in the "Danger Zone" - between 40 and 140 degrees F - for more than 2 hours, discard it, even though it may look and smell good. Never taste a food to see if it is spoiled. It is always best to use the rule of "When in doubt, throw it out."
What is the best way to thaw frozen meat?
The best way to defrost meat is in the refrigerator in its wrapping.
You can defrost in the microwave by following the microwave manufacture's guidelines for defrosting meat. Cook meat immediately after microwave thawing.
My roast isn't thawed completely, but I need to get my meal started. Can I still cook it?
It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen meat in the oven, on the stove or grill without defrosting it first; the cooking time may be about 50% longer. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It is best if frozen roasts are cooked at an oven temperature of 325 degrees F. Do not cook frozen meat in a slow cooker.
Can meat be refrozen if it has thawed?
According to the USDA, once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods
What about trichinosis?
Because of modern feeding practices, trichinosis is no longer a concern. If it were present in the meat, it would be killed at 137 degrees F. That's well below the recommended end cooking temperature for meats, which is 160 degrees F.
|
