• Contamination- the presence of harmful substances (biological, chemical or physical) in food
• Can be contaminated on purpose, but most cases are accidents.

• Animals used for food
• Air, contaminated water, and dirt
• People
– From person to person
– Through sneezing or vomiting onto food or food contact surface
– From touching dirty food-contact surfaces and equipment, and then touching food

• Microorganisms- small, living organisms that can be seen only through a microscope. Many are harmless, but some can cause illness.
• Harmful microorganisms=pathogens
• Some pathogens make you sick when you eat them, while others produce poisons—or toxins—that make you sick

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramps
• Jaundice- yellowing of the skin and eyes

• Not every person will have all of the symptoms listed.
• Nor are the symptoms of a foodborne illness limited to this list
• Onset times (how quickly symptoms appear in a person) depend on the type of foodborne illness. Range 30 min- 6 weeks
• Severity can vary from diarrhea to death

• Location
– Can be found almost anywhere
– Live in our bodies
– Some keep us healthy, while others cause illness

• Detection
– Can’t be seen
– Can’t be smelled
– Can’t be tasted

• Growth
– Grows rapidly if FAT TOM conditions are right (see image on page 2.3)

• F ood - Needs nutrients to grow; grows best in TCS
Foods
• A cidity - Grows best in little or no acid
• T emperature - Grows best in the temperature danger zone (41-135)
• T ime - Needs time in the temp. danger zone
• O xygen - some need oxygen, while others don’t
• M oisture - Grows best in food with high levels of moisture

• Prevention
– CONTROL TIME AND TEMPERATURE

• The FDA has identified 3 types of bacteria that are highly contagious and can cause severe illness.
• Food handlers diagnosed with illnesses from these bacteria can NEVER work in a food service operation while sick.

• Only lives in humans
• Eating only a small amount can make a person sick.
• Severity of symptoms depends on the health of a person
• Can live in a person’s feces for weeks after symptoms have ended

• Food linked with bacteria
– Ready-to-eat food
– beverages
• Prevention Measures
– Exclude food handlers who have been diagnosed
– Wash hands
– Cook food to minimum internal temperatures

• Found in the feces of humans with the illness
• Flies can transfer the bacteria from feces to food
• Eating only a small amount can make a person sick
• High levels of the bacteria are often in a person’s feces for weeks after symptoms have ended

• Food linked with bacteria
– Foods that is easily contaminated by hands
– Food that has made contact with contaminated water, such as produce
• Prevention Measures
– Exclude food handlers who have been diagnosed
– Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea
– Wash hands
– Control flies inside and outside of the operation

• Can be found in the intestines of cattle
• Also found in infected people
• Can contaminate meat during slaughtering
• Eating only a small amount can get you sick
• Once eaten, produces toxins in the intestines, which causes the illness.
• Bacteria often found in a person’s feces for weeks after symptoms have ended

• Food linked with bacteria
– Ground beef (raw and undercooked)
– Contaminated produce
• Prevention Measures
– Exclude food handlers who have been diagnosed
– Cook food to minimum internal temperatures
– Purchase produce from approved, reputable suppliers
– Prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food

• Location
– Carried by humans and animals
– Require a living host to grow
– While they do not grow in food, viruses can be transferred through food and remain infectious in food

• Sources
– You can get a virus from food, water or any contaminated surface
– Foodborne illnesses caused by viruses typically occur through fecal-oral routes

• Destruction
– Viruses are not destroyed by normal cooking temps
– Important to practice good personal hygiene when handling food and food-contact surfaces
– Quick removal of vomit is also important

• Mainly found in the feces of people infected with it
• Can contaminate water and many types of food
• The virus is often transferred to food when infected food handlers touch food or food equipment with fingers that have feces on them
• Cooking does not destroy

• Food Linked with the Virus
– Ready-to-eat food
– Shellfish form contaminated water
• Prevention Measures
– Exclude staff who have been diagnosed
– Exclude staff who have jaundice
– Wash hands
– Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food
– Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers

• Often transferred to food when infected food handlers touch food or equipment with fingers that have feces on them
• Eating only a small amount can make you sick
• People become contagious within a few hours after eating it
• The virus is often in a person’s feces for days after symptoms have ended.

• Food linked with the Virus
– Ready-to-eat food
– Shellfish from contaminated water
• Prevention Measures
– Exclude staff who have been diagnosed
– Exclude staff with diarrhea and vomiting from the operation
– Wash hands
– Avoid bare-hand contact with ready to eat food
– Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers

• Location
– Require a host to live and reproduce
• Sources
– Commonly associated
• Seafood
• Wild game
• Food processed with contaminated water, such as produce

• Prevention
– Most important way to prevent a foodborne illness by a parasite is to purchase food from approved, reputable suppliers.
– Cooking food to required minimum internal temperatures is also important.
– Make sure that fish that will be served raw or undercooked has been correctly frozen by the manufacturer

• Fungi includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms
• Some molds and mushrooms produce toxins that cause foodborne illness
• Throw out all moldy food, unless the mold is a natural part of the food
• Because mushrooms are difficult to recognize, you must purchase all mushrooms from approved, reputable suppliers.

• Origin
– Natural part of some fish
– Histamine is made by pathogens on some fish (tuna, bonita, mackerel and mahimahi) when it is time-temperature abused
– Some fish become contaminated when they eat smaller fish with a toxin; one example is ciguatera toxin (typically found in large predator fish such as barracuda)
– Shellfish (like oysters) can be contaminated when they eat marine algae that have a toxin

• Symptoms
– Many type of illnesses occur from eating seafood toxins, and each of those toxins have their own set of symptoms
– People will experience an illness within minutes of eating the toxin
– Examples of symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, tingling in the extremities, reversal of hot and cold sensation, flushing of the face, difficulty breathing, burning in the mouth, heart palpitations, and hives

• Prevention
– Toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing
– Purchase plants mushrooms, and seafood from approved, reputable suppliers
– Control time and temperature when handling raw fish

• Sources
– Cleaners
– Sanitizers
– Polishes
– Machine lubricants
– Pesticides
– Deodorizers
– First aid products
– Health and beauty products

• Sources
– Toxic metals
• Pewter (mix of tin and copper or lead)
• Copper
• Zinc
• Some types of painted pottery
• NOT FOOD GRADE!!!!

• Symptoms
– Vary depending on the chemical consumed
– Most illnesses occur within minutes
– Vomiting and diarrhea are typical
– Call poison control of chemical contamination is suspected

• Prevention
– Purchase chemicals from approved, reputable suppliers
– Store chemicals away from prep areas, food storage areas and service areas
– Use chemical for their intended use and follow the manufacturer’s directions
– Only handle food with equipment and utensils approved for foodservice use

• Prevention
– Keep Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) current and make sure they are accessible to staff at all times
– Follow the manufacturer’s directions and local regulatory requirements when throwing out chemicals

• Sources
– Metal shavings from cans
– Wood
– Fingernails
– Staples
– Bandages
– Glass
– Jewelry
– Dirt
– Naturally occurring objects such as fruit pits and bones

• Symptoms
– Mild to fatal injuries possible
– Could include:
• Dental damage
• Cuts
• Choking
• Bleeding
• pain

• Prevention
– Purchase food from approved reputable suppliers
– Closely inspect food received
– Take steps to make sure no physical contaminants can get into food
– Make sure food handlers practice good personal hygiene

• Who?
– Terrorists or activists
– Disgruntled current of former staff
– Vendors
– Competitors

• How?
– Biological, chemical and physical contaminants
– Radioactive materials
– Attacks might occur anywhere in the food supply chain
– Usually focused on a specific food item, process or business

• The FDA created a tool that can be used to develop a food defense program against deliberate contamination of food

• Make sure that products you receive are from safe sources.
– Supervise product deliveries
– Use approved suppliers who practice food defense
– Request that delivery vehicles are locked or sealed

• Monitor the security of products in the facility.
– Limit access to prep and storage areas. Locking storage areas is one way to do this.
– Create a system for handling damaged products.
– Store chemicals in a secure location.
– Train staff to spot food defense threats.

• Know who is in your facility.
– Limit access to prep and storage areas
– Identify all visitors, and verify credentials
– Conduct background checks on staff

• Keep information related to food defense accessible
– Receiving logs
– Office files and documents
– Staff files
– Random food defense self inspections

• Identify what you will do and who you will contact if there is suspicious activity or a threat at your operation.
– Hold any product you suspect to be contaminated
– Contact your regulatory authority immediately
– Maintain an emergency contact list

• Gather information
– Ask the person reporting the foodborne illness for their contact information, what food they ate and their symptoms
• Notify authorities
– Contact the local regulatory authority if you suspect an outbreak

• Segregate the product
– Set the suspected product if any remains and label with “Do not use” and “Do not discard”
• Document information
– Log information about the suspected product including product description, production date, lot number, sell by date and pack size

• Identify staff
– Maintain a list of food handlers scheduled at the time of the suspected contamination. Employer needs to immediately interview that list of staff of current health status
• Cooperate with authorities
– Cooperate with the investigation by the regulatory authority
• Review procedures
– Review food handling procedures to identify if standards are not being met or procedures are not working

• Food allergen- a protein in a food or ingredient that some people are sensitive to
• These proteins are naturally occurring
• When enough of an allergen is eaten, an allergic reaction can occur

• Depending on the person, an allergic reaction can happen just after the food is eaten or several hours later.
– Nausea
– Wheezing or shortness of breath
– Hives or itchy rashes
– Swelling of various parts of the body, including the face, eyes, hands or feet
– Vomiting and/or diarrhea
– Abdominal pain

• Initially symptoms may be mild, but they can become serious quickly.
• In severe cases, anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction that can lead to death—may result.
• If someone is having an allergic reaction, call 9-1-1

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Wheat
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts

• Describe dishes
• Identify ingredients
• Suggest items
• Deliver food- hand deliver food to guests with food allergens, separate from other food

• Staff must make sure that allergens are not transferred from food containing an allergen to the food served to the customer (called cross contact)
Ways it can happen:
– Cooking different types of food in the same fryer oil
– Putting food on surfaces that have touches allergens

• Wash, rinse and sanitize cookware, utensils and equipment after handling a food allergen
• Wash your hands and change gloves before prepping food
• Use separate fryers and cooking oils when frying food for customers with food allergies
• Prep food for customers with food allergies in a separate area from other food
• Label food packaged on site for retail sale. Name all major allergens on the label and follow any additional labeling requirements.

• Tea
• Cod
• Wheat flour
• Melons •
•
•
• Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Pecan pie
Citrus fruit
•
•
• Peanut butter • Green
Crab legs peppers
Potatoes
• Squash and eggplant
• Soybeans
• Rice and rice products
• Omelet
• Vanilla ice cream

• What are the most common symptoms of a foodborne illness?
A. Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and dizziness
B. Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and headache
C. Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and jaundice
D. Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and tiredness

•
A. Control time and temperature
B. Prevent cross-contamination
C. Practice good personal hygiene
D. Practice good cleaning sanitizing

•
A. Potato salad
B. Thick stews
C. Dairy products
D. Raw ground beef

•
A. Control time and temperature
B. Prevent cross contamination
C. Practice good personal hygiene
D. Practice good cleaning sanitizing

• A guest called a restaurant and told the manager about getting sick after eating there.
The guest complained of vomiting and diarrhea a few hours after eating the raw oysters. What pathogen probably caused the illness?
A. Norovirus
B. Shigella
C. Salmonella Typhi
D. Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxinproducing E-coli

• A food handler stores a sanitizer spray bottle on the shelf above the prep table that had just been sanitized. Throughout the day, the food handler used the sanitizer on the prep table, storing it in the same spot. What should the food handler have done differently?
A. Stored the sanitizer bottle away from the prep area
B. Stored the sanitizer bottle on the floor between uses
C. Stored the sanitizer bottle on the prep table between uses
D. Stored the sanitizer bottle with food supplies below the prep table

• To prevent the deliberate contamination of food, a manager should know who is in the facility, monitor the security of products, keep information related to food security on file, and know
A. When to register with the EPA
B. How to fill out an incident report
C. Where to find MSDS in the operation
D. Who to contact about suspicious activity

A. Clean and sanitize utensils after use
B. Buy from approved, reputable suppliers
C. Store cold food at 41F or lower
D. Label chemical containers correctly