Guidelines for Food Sanitation in Correctional Facilities

Maintaining high food sanitation is important in a prison environment, as illnesses caused by poor hygiene can impact a large population living in close quarters. Public authorities monitor food sanitation in both American and Canadian correctional facilities.

Monitoring Private Prison Contractors

• Food services in some American prisons are contracted to private companies. States play a supervisory role, ensuring that perishables are stored at appropriate temperatures. Kentucky's Department of Corrections requires that prison staff monitor meals served in cafeterias, noting temperatures. The department also performs full kitchen sanitation inspections twice per week. The state health department proceeds with a sanitation review twice a year.

Small Group Meal Sanitation in Canadian Prisons

• Corrections Canada oversees a program titled Small Group Meal Preparation in prisons. Inmates receive food sanitation training, after which they prepare their own meals. Inmates must inspect each perishable after delivery for signs of bruising. Canned food must not show swelling or leaks. Frozen food must not be thawed until it is ready for cooking.

Sanitation Codes

• Canadian prison cafeterias must comply with the Restaurant and Food Services Association's sanitation code. In the United States, sanitation levels in prisons must meet standards set in the Food and Drug Administration's Food Code. Rules include a ban on bare hand contact with ready-to-consume food items.