Literature Recommendation?

Hey all,

We are working with our county health dept. to get our shack kitchen licensed for small time production next year. The problem is that in our county we are the first and only kitchen they will be inspecting for a maple operation. Normally we would be under the state but since we are not distributing the state said that the county can over see us. To make this go as smooth as possible, I would love to get some literature to help improve my knowledge and the health dept's knowledge of sanitary practices in the maple industry. I appreciate any help or recommendations.

Thanks,
Jacob

It would help you to get more information if you told us what state and county you are located in.

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Originally Posted by BAP

It would help you to get more information if you told us what state and county you are located in.

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Yes you are right. Illinois.

Keep in mind that this industry grew up with special sanctions from the Federal Government in times of war from the Revolution to WWII. We have been spared much of the regulation that seems necessary in other food production, and should all do our part to preserve that status by making a clean, sensibly safe product on our own without someone looking over our shoulders. Small operators can do their business completely off the radar, selling only to friends and family, and never serving the "public" at all. Make great syrup and feed your community.

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Originally Posted by Michael Greer

Keep in mind that this industry grew up with special sanctions from the Federal Government in times of war from the Revolution to WWII. We have been spared much of the regulation that seems necessary in other food production, and should all do our part to preserve that status by making a clean, sensibly safe product on our own without someone looking over our shoulders. Small operators can do their business completely off the radar, selling only to friends and family, and never serving the "public" at all. Make great syrup and feed your community.

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I totally agree. Sensible is definitely a word I like. I just want to make sure that safe accepted practices for making syrup can be communicated to our health dept in such a way that this wont be a complete headache for everyone. I want to produce great quality syrup in a sanitary environment.

I'll give an example of one of our first communication to the health dept. After they did a first walk through our kitchen to see what we would need to upgrade I had some syrup specific questions. In general in a licensed kitchen you need a 3 compartment sink for wash, rinse and sanitize compartments for dishes. Health dept says all dishes including sap pans. Well as most of us know a 2x4 or 2x6 pan won't easily fit into a 3 compartment sink. So we have worked through that. Another issue that has not been resolved is leaving sweet in the pans overnight. When I mentioned that to the health dept the lady said "well that can't be sanitary." But we know that after the initial boil most bacteria is killed and it only sits overnight and moves out as syrup the next day.

So my push for literature is to help them along in this journey. I want something I can refer them to so that they understand why any good and sanitary syrup making technique is acceptable even if some seem a bit unorthodox.