Hazard Analysis Vacuum Packing printable pdf download

Tillamook County

Tillamook County Health Department

Our Mission . . . To protect and promote the health of all people in Tillamook County.

What are the rules with Reduced Oxygen Packaging (aka

Vacuum Packing)?

What is Reduced Oxygen Packing (ROP)? The reduction of the amount of oxygen in a package by removing

oxygen.

If I squeeze the air out of a Ziploc bag is this considered ROP? No. This definition applies to vacuum

packaging in which air is removed from the package of food and the package is hermetically sealed so that

a vacuum remains inside the bag.

Are there any risks associated with ROP? The main risk associated with ROP is foodborne botulism.

Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that will only grow without the presence of oxygen. When botulism

grows it produces a toxin that can cause paralysis or death if eaten. Needless to say, this is not something

to be taken lightly.

What can be vacuum packed with low risk? Raw pork, poultry, and beef may be vacuum packed and frozen,

as long as it is thawed at 41F or below. Other products with low risks include fruit, produce, and baked

goods.

What about prepackaged food that I purchased from the store, such as lunchmeat. Can I vacuum pack it and

freeze it? Yes. This can be vacuum packed a frozen because it meets the two barriers requirement.

However, it is highly recommended that facility open the packages when thawing as a precautionary

measure.

My facility smokes its own meat and then vacuum packages it. Is this okay? No. No cooked meat produced in

the facility may undergo ROP without a variance. It must be purchased from a USDA licensed processing

plant.

What about raw fish? Raw fish is considered a high risk food. Facilities must undertake extra steps to

ensure its safety. A facility that wishes to ROP fresh fish to freeze must have a HACCP plan written

down; educate all employees and staff regarding the HACCP plan, and follow it! The HACCP plan must

outline how these guidelines will be met:

Raw fish must be frozen prior to vacuum packing/ROP.

Fish must remain frozen.

When fish is thawed, the packaging should be opened to break the vacuum and allow oxygen in.

What is a HACCP Plan and how do I create one? A HACCP plan means a written document that outlines

the formal procedures for following the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles developed by

the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. An example HACCP plan for

raw fish and a blank form are included with this packet.

Hazard Analysis Vacuum Packing