NCJ Number
141471
Journal
Large Jail Network Bulletin Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (June 1990) Pages: 8- 10
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
To facilitate more cost-effective food service for San Diego County's (California) seven overcrowded jails, a number of studies have recommended the creation of a centralized cook/chill system, which is a technique for preparing food in large volume that extends its shelf life while maintaining product quality.
Abstract
Food is cooked conventionally to pasteurization temperature and then chilled rapidly. The food is stored in a temperature-controlled environment above the freezing point and then reheated immediately before consumption. Rapid chilling inhibits the multiplication of bacteria, thus retarding the deterioration of food that occurs at normal temperatures. There are two basic methods of cook/chill: cryo-vac (tumble chilling) and blast chilling. In cryo-vac processing, liquid or viscous products such as sauces, soups, stews, cereals, and salad dressings are prepared in specially equipped kettles and then pumped through a 3-inch hose into polyethylene bags. The bags are vacuum-sealed and transferred to the chilling unit. In blast-chilling, foods such as baked chicken, meat loaf, lasagna, and hamburgers are cooked and then placed on carts in 2-inch- deep pans and rolled into a "blast" chilling unit. Blast- chilling gives the product a shelf life of 4 to 5 days. Advantages of cook/chill food processing are labor savings, energy savings, consistency and quality control, service flexibility, space savings, equipment savings, and centralized management that requires fewer personnel. To incorporate the new technology, a new, central food service production center is currently being constructed at San Diego County's East Mesa Detention Facility.