© 2012-2014 National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc. v3659
SafeEggs.com/foodservice

What you don ’ t know can hurt you — and the people you care for.

Even when the kitchen LOOKS clean, germs can hide.
Look at the top 5 causes of foodborne illness: :
Food from unsafe sources
Contaminated equipment or work surfaces
Poor personal hygiene
Not holding hot or cold enough
Not cooking food enough

What is contamination?
anything that can get onto food and make it unsafe
GERMS like E. coli,
Salmonella,
Campylobacter,
Shigella, Clostridium,
Staph germs,
Norwalk virus,
Hepatitis

For safe food, we need more than clean.
We need sanitary work surfaces.
SANITARY means safe from harmful levels of germs.

When germs transfer from one surface to another, that ’ s called
CROSS CONTAMINATION
Germs pass from hands or gloves to food.
Germs also pass from knives, cutting boards, countertops, equipment, and utensils.
Germs pass from one food to another.

CROSS CONTAMINATION is dangerous because:
•You can ’ t see the germs.
•They cause illness.

What can you do?
After you clean, always sanitize to wipe out germs you can ’ t see.

When you store food:
•Separate raw animal foods (meat, poultry, and fish) from produce and ready-to-eat foods.
•Keep foods covered and labeled.
•Keep storage areas and refrigerators clean and sanitary.
Did you know?
Raw meat can drip germs onto foods below it.

When you prepare food:
•Always start with clean, sanitized work surfaces and equipment.
•Start with freshly washed hands and fresh gloves.
•Clean and sanitize all equipment and work surfaces between recipes.
Did you know?
Germs stay on equipment and pass to the next food.

When you prepare food:
•Be aware that germs spread when you handle ingredients and mix foods.
•Sanitize to wipe out germs you can ’ t see.
Did you know?
When you crack an ordinary raw egg, Salmonella can spread 16 ” across the counter. It can live for
24 hours.

When you prepare food:
•Pay special attention to knives, cutting boards, bowls, utensils, and sinks where you wash produce.
Did you know?
If you chop meat on a cutting board, it leaves germs that contaminate the next food you chop.

Did you know this?
- Charles Gerba, PhD, University of Arizona

When you are cooking or serving food:
•Use separate utensils for raw or cooked foods, like hamburgers on a grill, or fried chicken.
•Change gloves when you switch from raw to cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
•Sanitize dining tables between seatings.
Did you know?
Using the same tongs for raw and cooked chicken can transfer germs. That makes the cooked chicken unsafe.

When you are transporting food:
•Make sure equipment is clean and sanitized
•Keep food covered
•Keep it in sight

When you are monitoring buffets or self-service:
•Use separate utensils for each food
•Label foods so customers don ’ t tastetest
•Remove soiled dishes
•Watch the activity
•Sanitize dining tables between seatings.
Did you know?
Buffets have been linked to several foodborne illness outbreaks.

What would you do to make sure there ’ s no cross contamination on this sandwich?
 __________________________
 __________________________
 __________________________
 __________________________
 __________________________

Key Points
Germs we can ’ t see travel from:
•One food to another
•Equipment or work surfaces to other foods
•Our hands or gloves to foods
They can make our customers (and us) sick.

Our answer:
•Store food carefully
•Clean and sanitize
•Wash hands
•Change gloves
•Pay attention to food safety procedures
Did you know?
Guarding against cross contamination is a great way to show love to the people you serve.

© 2012-2014 National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc. v3659
SafeEggs.com/foodservice