Keeping Food Safe
Chapter 2
What is a Foodborne Illness?
Foodborne illnesses are caused by agents that enter the body
through the ingestion of food.
Two or more people get the same illness after eating the same
food
No long-term health threat to average person
Reaction may occur in a few hours or up to several days after
exposure
Symptoms
Abdominal cramps, headache, vomiting, diarrhea (may be
bloody), fever, death
High Risk Populations Affected
Those that have a higher risk of getting a foodborne
illness:
Immune system is the body’s defense system
against foodborne illnesses
Elderly people
Infants and pre-school aged children
Pregnant women
People with cancer or on chemotherapy
People with HIV/AIDS
Transplant recipients
What is the Cost of Foodborne Illness?
Loss of customers and sales
Negative media exposure
Lawsuits and legal fees
Increase insurance premiums
Loss of reputation
Lowered employee moral
Employee absenteeism
Staff retraining
What is the Impact of Foodborne Illness?
In the US annually:
76 million cases of foodborne diseases
325,000 hospitalization
5,000 deaths
[fast fact]
The US Department of Agriculture Economic Research
Services developed a calculator to determine actual cost
of a foodborne illness
www.ers/usda.gov/Data/FoodbornIllness/
Forms of Contaminaton
Types of Hazards
Biological
Chemical
Physical
Contamination
Harmful things are present in food making it unsafe to eat
Poor personal hygiene transfers pathogens from body to food
Time-temperature abuse
Cross-contamination
Poor cleaning and sanitizing of work stations
Purchasing from unapproved suppliers
Biological Contamination
Pathogens are microorganisms that humans carry and transfer to food
Viruses
Bacteria
Parasites
Fungi
Biological toxins in food can occur naturally in certain plants or animals
Seafood
Mushrooms
Cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted
Fungi can change the appearance, taste, or smell but may not cause illness
Pathogens need six conditions to grow
FAT-TOM
Food
Acidity
Pathogens grow best in
food that contains little OR
no acid
Temperature
Time
Temperature danger zone
41°F – 135 °F
The longer food is in the
temperature danger zone,
the more time pathogens
have to grow
Oxygen
Some need oxygen to
grow. Others grow when
oxygen isn’t there.
Moisture
Food most likely to become TCS abused
TCS- time control for safety
Milk and dairy
Meat
Beef, pork, lamb
Eggs
Poultry
Fish
Shellfish and Crustaceans
Baked potatoes
Heat-treated plant food
Cooked rice, beans
Tofu or soy protein
Sprouts and sprout seeds
Sliced melons and tomatoes
Untreated garlic and oil
mixtures
Viruses
Do not reproduce in foods, but can be transmitted from
people to food items then grow within the intestinal
tract
Contaminate food and water
Usually contaminate food through improper personal
hygiene
To prevent viruses
Stay home if you are sick
Wash your hands at the right times, the right way
Avoid using bare hands to handle ready-to-eat food
Bacteria
Can multiply rapidly in favorable conditions
Can cause illness by producing toxins in food
May be carried by a variety of means:
Food
Water
Soil
Humans
Insects
Some can survive freezing
Preventing bacteria- follow FAT-TOM rules
Other contaminates
Parasites
Need a host to survive
Fungi
Grow naturally in many
animals
Cows
Chickens
Pigs
Fish
Can also grow on a plant
Molds
Spoil food and can cause
illness
Grows well in food with
naturally high acidic levels
Yeasts
Spoil food quickly
Signs of spoilage
Smell
Taste of alcohol
Pink discoloration
Slime or bubbles
Chemical Contamination
Hazards that are dangerous to foods
Cleaning supplies
Pesticides
Toxic Metals
Lead
Copper
Zinc
Preventing contamination
Store chemicals away from food, utensils, and
equipment used for food
Physical Contamination
When objects get into food
Metal shavings from cans
Glass from broken light bulbs
Fingernails, hair, bandages
Jewelry
Fruit pits
Prevention Inspect food closely, practice good hygiene, and
follow preparation procedures
Food Defense
System against people purposely contaminating
food
Competitors
Vendors
Former employees
Terrorists
To prevent tampering
Limit access to operation’s food storage and prep
areas
Uniforms and nametags help identify employees
and vendors
Security badges for those in restricted areas
Having all staff report suspicious activity
Food Allergens
Major food allergens
Milk and dairy
Eggs and egg products
Fish
Shellfish
Soy and soy products
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Preventing an allergic reaction
Tell the customer how each dish is made
Tell the customer about any “secret” ingredients that may contain
allergens
Suggest alternative menu items that don’t have the food allergen
Avoid cross-contact
Hand-washing
Hand-washing and the Risk of Cross-Contamination
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Cross contamination can happen at any point in the
flow of food
Separate equipment
Clean and sanitize
Prep food at different times
Buy prepared food
Time Temperature Issues
Food is being temperature abused whenever it is
handled in the following ways
Cooked to the wrong internal temperature
Held at the wrong temperature
Cooled or reheated incorrectly
The Flow of Food
Purchasing
Receiving
Storing
Preparation
Cooking
Holding
Cooling
Reheating
Serving
Purchasing and Receiving
Purchasing
Reputable, approved
supplier
Inspected by appropriate
agencies
Meets all local, state, and
federal laws
Good use of food safety
practices
Receiving
Have enough trained staff to
receive food
Carefully and immediately
inspect and put away the
order
Follow temperature,
packing, and product
quality on if to accept or
reject orders
Storing Food
Food Should be Stored in the Following Order
Ready-to-eat
Seafood
Whole cuts of beef and pork
Ground meats and ground fish
Whole and ground poultry
FIFO – First in, first out
Preparing Foods
General Rules
Keep all equipment clean and sanitized
Remove only as much food as you can prep in a short
amount of time
Return prepped food to storage as quickly as possible
Thawing
Refrigeration
Running water – 70 degrees or lower
Microwave
Cooking
Cooling, Holding and Reheating
Cooling
Cooling
Reheating
Holding
Holding
Ice Water Bath
Ice Paddle
Blast chiller
Cool from 135-41 or
lower within 6 hours
1. 135-70 within 2
hours
2. Cool to 41 over
next 4 hours.
** Pathogens grow faster
between 125 and 70F
Hot foods hot
135 or higher
Cold foods cold
41 or lower
Check
temperatures every
4 hours
Reheating Foods
Food for Holding
Food must
reach an
internal temp
of 165 within 2
hours
Serving
Handle ready-to-eat foods with tongs, deli sheets, or gloves
Use separate utensils for each food item
Store serving utensils in food with handle extended above the
rim of the container-OR- place on a clean and sanitized
surface
Off-Site Food Service
Pack in insulated containers
Check internal temperatures
Use food-grade containers that wont
mix, leak, or spill
Clean inside of delivery vehicles
Thermometers
Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometers
Thermocouples and Thermistors
0-220°F
Hot and Cold foods
Insert into the thickest part of the food
Probe and screen
Can be inserted into food and liquids
Surface probes can check the temperature of flat cooking
equipment
Air probes can check the temperature of coolers and ovens
Infrared Thermometers
Checks food and surface temperatures
Clean and Sanitary Kitchen
Clean and sanitize sinks and work surfaces
Scrape and presoak items, then sort
First sink – wash in clean, hot detergent solution
Second sink – rinse in clear, hot water
Third sink – sanitize items using a chemical
sanitizing solution or hot water for 30 seconds
Air dry
HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
The Seven Principles
Conduct a Hazard Analysis
Identify menu items that contain potentially
hazardous food
Recognize the flow of this food through your
operation
Identify possible hazards
Determine Critical Control Points
Points in the flow where possible hazards can be
prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels
There may be more than one CCP for each menu item
HACCP
Establish Critical Limits
Cook food to appropriate internal Temperature
Hold cooked food at or above 135
Hold cold food at or below 41
Reheat foods to 165 for 15 seconds
Establish monitoring procedures
Determine the best ways to monitor CCPs
Identify who will monitor CCPs and how often
Identify corrective actions
Steps to be taken when a critical limit is not met
Continue cooking food
Throw out
HACCP
Verify that the system works
Review records and logs
Determine if hazards are effectively prevented,
reduced, or eliminated
Establish procedures for record keeping and
documentation
Build a source of information about daily operations
and trends
Can be used to identify problem areas
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
Governs rules and regulations that are enforced to
ensure that all employees in an establishment are
working in a place that emphasizes safety.