Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options

Variances by Section
 
Variances by: Section
 
Click on the Section Number hyperlink below to view a list of cruise ships with the variances.
 
Operational Manual Section: FOOD SAFETY
  
7.2.1.1.1: Because of the risks for foodborne illness inherent to the food operation, ensure the supervisor or person in charge of food operations on the vessel demonstrates to VSP - during inspections and on request - knowledge of foodborne disease prevention, application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Point principles, and the food-safety guidelines in this manual. Ensure that the person in charge demonstrates this knowledge: (1) By compliance with these guidelines; (2) By being a domestically or foreign certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program; or (3) By responding correctly to the inspector's questions as they relate to the specific food operation. Ensure that the areas of knowledge include: (1) Describing the relation between prevention of foodborne disease and personal hygiene of a food employee; (2) Explaining the responsibility of the person in charge to prevent transmission of foodborne disease by a food employee who has a disease or medical condition that may cause foodborne disease; (3) Describing the symptoms associated with diseases that are transmissible through food; (4) Explaining the significance of the relation between maintaining the time and temperature of potentially hazardous food and the prevention of foodborne illness; (5) Explaining the hazards involved in the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, and fish; (6) Stating the required food temperatures and times for safe cooking of potentially hazardous food, including meat, poultry, eggs, and fish; (7) Stating the required temperatures and times for the safe refrigerated storage, hot holding, cooling, and reheating of potentially hazardous food; (8) Describing the relation between prevention of foodborne illness and management and control of the following: cross-contamination, hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, handwashing, and maintaining food operations in a clean condition and in good repair; (9) Explaining the relation between food safety and providing equipment that is sufficient in number and capacity as well as properly designed, constructed, located, installed, operated, maintained, and cleaned; (10) Explaining correct procedures for cleaning and sanitizing utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment; (11) Identifying poisonous or toxic materials on the vessel and the procedures necessary to ensure they are safely stored, dispensed, used, and disposed of according to law; (12) Identifying critical-control pints in the operation from purchasing through service that when not controlled may contribute to the transmission of foodborne illness and explaining steps taken to ensure the points are controlled in accordance with the guidelines in this manual.


  
7.2.1.2.1: Ensure the supervisor or person in charge of food operations on the vessel monitors that: (1) Food operations are not conducted in a room used as living or sleeping quarters; (2) Persons unnecessary to the food operation are not allowed in the food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. (3) Employees and other persons such as delivery and maintenance persons and pesticide applicators entering the food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas comply with the guidelines in this manual; (4) Food employees are effectively cleaning their hands; (5) Employees are observing foods as they are received to determine that they are from approved sources, delivered at the required temperatures, protected from contamination, unadulterated, and accurately presented; (6) Employees are properly cooking potentially hazardous food, being particularly careful in cooking foods known to cause severe foodborne illness and death, such as eggs and comminuted meats; (7) Employees are using proper methods to rapidly cool potentially hazardous foods that are not held hot or are not for consumption within 4 hours; (8) Consumers who order raw or partially cooked ready-to-eat foods of animal origin are informed that the food is not cooked sufficiently to ensure its safety; (9) Employees are properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils before they are reused; (10) Consumers are notified that clean tableware is to be used when they return to self-service areas such as salad bars and buffets; (11) Employees are preventing cross-contamination of ready-to-eat food with bare hands by properly using suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment; (12) Employees are properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness, as it relates to their assigned duties; (13) Food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the supervisor or person in charge information about their health and activities as they relate to diseases that are transmissible through food.


  
7.2.1.2.1.12: Person in charge: Ensure that employees are properly trained in food safety as it relates to their assigned duties.


  
7.2.1.2.1.2: Person in charge: Ensure that persons unnecessary to the food operation are not allowed in the food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas, except that brief visits and tours may be authorized if steps are taken to ensure that exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles are protected from contamination.


  
7.2.4.3.1: Ensure food employees, while in working uniforms, do not use toilet rooms designated for passenger use.


  
7.3.1.1.1: Ensure food is safe and unadulterated.


  
7.3.2.1.4: Ensure whole-muscle, intact beef steaks that are intended for consumption in an undercooked form without a consumer advisory are: (1) Obtained from a food-processing plant that packages the steaks and labels them to indicate they meet the definition of whole-muscle, intact beef; or (2) If individually cut on a vessel, cut from whole-muscle intact beef that is labeled by a food-processing plant to indicate the beef meets the definition of whole-muscle, intact beef, and prepared so they remain intact.


  
7.3.2.1.7: Ensure fish that are received for service are commercially and legally caught or harvested or otherwise approved for service by VSP through an approved variance. Ensure that molluscan shellfish that are recreationally caught are not received for service. Ensure that molluscan shellfish is obtained from sources according to law and the requirements specified in the FDA National Shellfish Sanitation Program Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish, or equivalent standards. Ensure that molluscan shellfish received in interstate commerce is from sources listed in the FDA Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List or equivalent foreign certified shellfish listing.


  
7.3.2.1.7: Fish and Molluscan Shellfish Sources: (1) Fish that are received for service shall be commercially and legally caught or harvested or otherwise approved for service by the VSP. (2) Molluscan shellfish that are recreationally caught may not be received for service. (3) Molluscan shellfish shall be obtained from sources according to law and the requirements specified in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, National Shellfish Sanitation Program Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish or equivalent standards; and received in interstate commerce shall be from sources that are listed in the FDA Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List or equivalent foreign certified shellfish listing.


  
7.3.3.1.2: Ensure that food employees do not contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands and use suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment.


  
7.3.5.2.1: Ensure cooked potentially hazardous food is cooled from 57C (135F) to 21C (70F) within 2 hours and from 21C (70F) to 5C (41F) or less within 4 hours.


  
7.4.1.1.3: Ensure cast iron is not used for utensils or food contact surfaces of equipment.


  
7.4.1.1.7: Ensure that wood and wood wicker is not used as a food-contact surface.


  
7.4.2.2.6: Ensure that nonfood-contact surfaces are free of unnecessary ledges, projections, and crevices, and designed and constructed to allow easy cleaning and to facilitate maintenance.


  
7.6.2.2.1: Ensure only poisonous or toxic materials that are required for the operation and maintenance of a food area of the vessel, such as for the cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and utensils and the control of insects and rodents, are allowed in the food areas of the vessel.


  
7.7.1.1.2: Ensure a handwashing facility is within 8 meters (26 feet) of all parts of the area and is not located in an adjacent area that requires passage through a closed door where the user makes hand contact with the door. Ensure handwash sinks are at least 750 millimeters (30 inches) above the deck so that employees do not have to reach excessively to wash their hands.


  
7.7.4.1.4: Ensure that bulkheads and deckheads have smooth, hard finishes, and light colored surfaces.


  
7.7.4.1.6: Install exposed utility service lines and pipes, including lines for fire detection and protection systems, so they do not obstruct or prevent cleaning.

Vessel Sanitation Program