Iowa Admin. Code r. 481-69.28

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 20, April 3, 2024

Rule 481-69.28 - Food service

(1) The program shall provide or coordinate with other community providers to provide a hot or other appropriate meal(s) at least once a day or shall make arrangements for the availability of meals.

(2) Meals and snacks provided by the program but not prepared on site shall be obtained from or provided by an entity that meets the standards of state and local health laws and ordinances concerning the preparation and serving of food.

(3) Menus shall be planned to provide the following percentage of the daily recommended dietary allowances as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences based on the number of meals provided by the program:

a. A minimum of 33¹/₃ percent if the program provides one meal per day;

b. A minimum of 66²/₃ percent if the program provides two meals per day; and

c. One hundred percent if the program provides three meals per day.

(4) Therapeutic diets may be provided by a program. If therapeutic diets are provided, they shall be prescribed by a physician, physician assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner. A current copy of the Iowa Simplified Diet Manual published by the Iowa Dietetic Association shall be available and used in the planning and serving of therapeutic diets. A licensed dietitian shall be responsible for writing and approving the therapeutic menu and for reviewing procedures for food preparation and service for therapeutic diets.

(5) Personnel who are employed by or contract with the program and who are responsible for food preparation or service, or both food preparation and service, shall have an orientation on sanitation and safe food handling prior to handling food and shall have annual in-service training on food protection.

a. In addition to the requirements above, a minimum of one person directly responsible for food preparation shall have successfully completed a state-approved food protection program by:

(1) Obtaining certification as a dietary manager; or

(2) Obtaining certification as a food protection professional; or

(3) Successfully completing an ANSI-accredited certified food protection manager program meeting the requirements for a food protection program included in the Food Code adopted pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 137F. Another program may be substituted if the program's curriculum includes substantially similar competencies to a program that meets the requirements of the Food Code and the provider of the program files with the department a statement indicating that the program provides substantially similar instruction as it relates to sanitation and safe food handling.

b. If the person is in the process of completing a course or certification listed in paragraph"a," the requirement relating to completion of a state-approved food protection program shall be considered to have been met.

(6) Programs engaged in the preparation and service of meals and snacks shall meet the standards of state and local health laws and ordinances pertaining to the preparation and service of food and shall be licensed pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 137F. The department will not require the program to be licensed as a food establishment if the program limits food activities to the following:

a. All main meals and planned menu items must be prepared offsite and transferred to the program kitchen for service to tenants.

b. Baked goods that do not require temperature control for safety and single-service juice or milk may be stored in the program's kitchen and provided as part of a continental breakfast.

c. Ingredients used for food-related activities with tenants may be stored in the program's kitchen. Tenant activities may include the preparation and cooking of food items in the program's kitchen if the activity occurs on an irregular or sporadic basis and the items prepared are not part of the program's menu.

d. Appropriately trained staff may prepare in the program's kitchen individual quantities of tenant-requested menu-substitution food items that require limited or no preparation, such as peanut butter or cheese sandwiches or a single-service can of soup. The food items necessary to prepare the menu substitution may be stored in the program's kitchen. These food items may not be cooked in the program's kitchen but may be reheated in a microwave. A two- or four-slice toaster may be used for tenant-requested menu-substitution items, but no bare-hand contact is permitted.

e. Tenants may take food items left over from a meal back to their apartments. The program may not store leftovers in the program's kitchen.

f. Warewashing may be done in the program's kitchen as long as the program utilizes a commercial dishwasher and documents daily testing of sanitizer chemical ppm and proper water temperatures. Verification by the department of these practices may be conducted during on-site visits.

(7) Programs may have an on-site dietitian. Programs may secure menus and a dietitian through other methods.

(8) All perishable or potentially hazardous food shall be cooked to recommended temperatures and held at safe temperatures of 41°F (5°C) or below, or 135°F (57°C) or above.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 481-69.28

ARC 8176B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 1/1/10; ARC 1376C, IAB 3/19/2014, effective 4/23/2014

Amended by IAB March 16, 2016/Volume XXXVIII, Number 19, effective 4/20/2016

Amended by IAB March 11, 2020/Volume XLII, Number 19, effective 4/15/2020