Based on Florida Restaurant Association
SafeStaff
Food handler Certificate Program
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Over 5,000 deaths
76 million illnesses
325,000 hospitalizations
From food borne illness
each year!
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A foodborne illness is a disease that is caused by a
pathogen in food. This pathogen is transmitted to
people when the food is consumed.

Pathogen is an organism or substance that invades
the body and damages it’s cells.

Microorganisms, tiny forms of life that are so small
you cannot see, taste or smell them, cause most food
borne illness

Bacteria is the biggest threat to food safety followed
closely by parasites, fungi, and viruses.
The following is a list of those foods that allow microorganisms to grow easily
making the foods potentially hazardous.
*Milk and milk products
*Sliced melons
*Garlic and oil mixtures
*Beef, pork and lamb
*Poultry
*Shellfish and crustacean
*Fish
*sprouts and raw seeds
*baked or boiled potatoes
*shell eggs
*tofu
*soy-protein products
*cooked rice
*cooked beans or other heat treated plant
foods
Improper
Cleaning and
Sanitizing
TimeTemperature
Abuse
4
Factors
of Food
Safety
Cross
Contamination
Poor Personal
Hygiene
Time-Temperature Abuse
When food is allowed to remain in the DANGER ZONE it is considered to have been
time-temperature abused. The Danger Zone for foods is between 41˚ F and 140˚F.
Foods cannot remain at these temperatures for more than 4 hours.
There are special thermometers that you can use to help you check your refrigerator
and freezer temperatures. The refrigerator temperature should stay between
32˚ F and 40˚ F and your freezer is at 0 degrees F.
Cook meats, fish, poultry and eggs thoroughly. Cooking kills harmful bacteria.
When serving hot foods should be kept at or above 140 ˚F so that it does not enter
the danger zone.
Time-Temperature Abuse
Danger zone – 41 to 140 degrees F.
4 hours is the MAXIMUM amount of
time food should be in the “Danger
Zone”
Refrigerator temperature – 32 to 40
degrees F. Freezer temperature – 0
degrees F.
Serve hot foods at or above 140
Improper Cleaning and Sanitizing
A dirty, damp kitchen is a breeding ground for bacteria .
Insects, mice, and rats are also drawn when crumbs, garbage
and food spills are left in the kitchen.
To keep bacteria and pests under control:
 Wash work surfaces with soap and water and rinse
well before using.
 Wipe up spills as soon as they happen.
 Each time you taste food use a clean spoon.
 Wash dishtowels and sponges often.
Improper Cleaning and Sanitizing
Wash work surfaces with soap and
water and rinse well before using.
Wipe up spills as soon as they
happen.
Each time you taste food use a clean
spoon
Wash dishtowels and sponges often
Cross Contamination
Cross contamination- when
microorganisms are transferred from
one food, or surface, to another.
To prevent cross contamination you
can hand wash your equipment,
properly clean and sanitize, and
properly store raw food.
Cross Contamination
Hand wash your equipment
Properly clean and sanitize
Properly store raw food.
Definition: The transferring of bacteria from
person or object to another.
Lather Up
 Always wash hands, cutting boards,
dishes, and utensils with hot, soapy
water after they come in contact with
raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Safely Separate
 Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood
from other foods in your grocery
shopping cart and in your refrigerator.
Seal It
 To prevent juices from raw meat, poultry,
or seafood from dripping onto other
foods in the refrigerator, place these raw
foods in sealed containers or plastic
bags.
Marinating Mandate
 Sauce that is used to marinate raw meat,
poultry, or seafood should not be used
on cooked foods, unless it is boiled
before applying.
Take Two
If possible, use one cutting board for
fresh produce and use a separate one for
raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Clean Your Plate
Never place cooked food back on the
same plate or cutting board that
previously held raw food.
http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/f00separ.html
Poor Personal Hygiene
Proper hygiene starts at home when
you get ready for work each day!
•Showering or bathing daily
•Trimming and cleaning your fingernails. Don’t wear
nail polish or false nails
•Leaving jewelry, including watches, at home
•Wearing clean clothes and a hair restraint
•If at anytime you are ill (sore throat, fever, diarrhea,
vomiting,) contact your supervisor immediately
Preventing Poor Personal Hygiene
Shower or bathing daily, trim and clean
fingernails
Do not wear jewelry, watches, nail polish
or false nails
Wear clean clothes and a hair restraint
If you are ill (sore throat, fever, diarrhea,
vomiting,) contact your supervisor
immediately
PHF: Support rapid growth of microorganisms
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Every 20 minutes bacteria double
Foods have naturally occurring bacteria living on
them that are there to break down the food.
There are a list of characteristics of PHF’s that you
can remember by the acronym FAT TOM
F: Food
 Animal origin foods that are
raw or heat treated
 Plant origin foods that are
heat treated
A: Acidity
 4.6-7.5 ideal for bacteria
growth
 High acidity neutralizes the
bacteria
 Acid will eat the protein
T: Temperature
 40˚F or colder
 140˚F or hotter
T: Time
 Food can be in the danger
zone for a maximum of 4
hours before becoming
hazardous
O: Oxygen
 Allows bacteria to grow
 Wrap food products tightly to
eliminate exposure to oxygen
M: Moisture
 Bacteria need moisture to
grow
WASH YOUR HANDS:
after you use the restroom
after you use chemicals
before and after you handle raw food
after you take out the garbage or trash
after you touch your hair, face or body
after you clear tables or bus dirty dishes
after you sneeze, cough, or use a handkerchief or tissue
after you touch your clothes or apron
after you smoke, eat, drink or chew gum
after you touch anything that may contaminate your hands
WASH YOUR HANDS!
One of the easiest ways to combat food borne illness is to wash your
hands frequently.
Your hands become contaminated when you touch
your face, your hair, every time you cough, sneeze or
use the bathroom. When you touch raw meat or
unwashed fruits, bacteria transfers to your hands.
To control the spread of bacteria learn proper hand
washing techniques.
Steps for Proper Hand washing
1. Wet your hands with running water as hot as you can comfortably stand.
2. Apply soap
3. Vigorously scrub hands and lower arms for at least 20 seconds. Clean under your
fingernails and between fingers.
4. Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water.
5. Dry your hands and arms with a single-use paper towel.
NOTE: Industry standards state “Only wash your hands in a designated hand washing sink.
Never wash your hands at a pot-and-pan sink or a food-prep sink.”
* Cover cuts or sores with a clean bandage. If the cut is on your hand then wear gloves.
NOTE: Industry standards dictate that gloves should be used instead of bare-hand
contact with ready to eat food. Always wash your hands before putting on gloves and
when you need a fresh pair. Gloves should be changed when they become dirty or torn,
after handling raw meat and before handling cooked or ready to eat food.
PREPARING
C
O
O
K
I
N
G
AND
SERVING
There are 4 acceptable ways to thaw food.
1. Thaw food in the refrigerator at 40˚F or lower.
2.Thaw food by submerging it under running
drinkable water that is 70˚F or lower.
3. Thaw food in the microwave only if the food is
thin and will be cooked immediately.
4.Thaw food as part of the cooking process.
Poultry should cook to 165˚F
Pork and Beef cook to 145˚F
Cook Fish to 145˚ F
Cook ground meats to 155˚F
Serving food improperly can contaminate it and make people
sick. There is a right way to carry utensils and serve food.
When filling a glass with ice use tongs
Carry utensils by the handles, not the eating surface
Handle plates from the bottom
Carry cups by the handles
There is a big difference between
cleaning and sanitizing.
Cleaning removes food and other
debris from the surface whether it
is a counter or a plate.
Sanitizing reduces the number of
micro-organisms on that surface. It
takes care of what you can’t see.
Everything in our kitchen must be cleaned; but ANY surface
that comes in contact with food must be cleaned and
sanitized. These surfaces must be washed, rinsed and
sanitized:

each time you use them
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when you begin working with another type of food
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when you’re interrupted during a task
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as often as possible, but at LEAST every 4 hours if you
are using something constantly
1. Rinse, scrape or soak all items
2. Wash items in the first sink with hot water and
detergent. Replace water when the suds are
gone or the water is dirty
3. Rinse items in the second sink. Replace the water
when it becomes cloudy or dirty
4. Immerse items the third sink. Check the time
and temperature requirements for the sanitizer
you are using and use a test kit to check
concentration.
5. Air dry all items.
E-Coli
Salmonellosis
Botulism
(Salmonella)
E-COLI
•Raw or undercooked ground beef
•Imported cheeses made from unpasteurized milk
•Unpasteurized milk, apple cider, apple juice
•Contaminated water
Prevention:
•Thoroughly cook ground beef to 155˚F.
•Avoid cross-contamination particularly between raw ground beef and other foods
•Practice good personal hygiene
SALMONELLA
(Salmonellosis)
•Poultry
•Fish and shrimp
•Meat
•Shell eggs
Prevention:
•Avoid cross-contamination between raw meat and eggs and cooked food.
•Refrigerate food
•Cook poultry to 165 degrees F for 15 seconds.
Botulism
•Under-processed foods
•Temperature-abused stored foods
•Improperly heat-treated low-acid
canned foods
Prevention:
•Do not use home-canned products in your establishment
•Use careful time-temperature control for foods
HEPATITIS A
•Water and Ice
•Shellfish
•Salads
•Cold cuts and sandwiches
•Fruits and fruit juices
Prevention:
•Practice proper personal hygiene
•Obtain shellfish from approved sources
•Prevent cross contamination from hands
NORWALK VIRUS
•Leafy greens
•Shellfish
•Fruits
•Vegetables
Prevention:
•Practice proper personal hygiene
•Don’t prepare food when sick
•Obtain shellfish from approved sources
•Prevent cross contamination from hands
Shigella
•Fruits
•Vegetables
•Water
Prevention:
•Practice proper personal hygiene
•Boil water when traveling
•Wash fruit/vegetables thoroughly
•Prevent cross contamination from hands
Illness
E-Coli
Foods Involved
Prevention
Cause
Raw or undercooked ground beef,
Imported cheeses made from
unpasteurized milk, Unpasteurized
milk, apple cider, apple juice,
Contaminated water
Thoroughly cook ground beef to 155˚F.
Avoid cross-contamination between raw
ground beef and other foods.
Practice good personal hygiene
Bacteria
Salmonella
Poultry, fish, shrimp, meat, shell
eggs
Avoid cross-contamination between raw
meat and eggs and cooked food,
Refrigerate foods,
Cook poultry to 165 degrees F for 15
seconds.
Bacteria
Botulism
Under processed foods, temperature
abused foods, improperly heat
treated low acid canned foods
Do not use home canned foods in
restaurant environment, Use careful timetemp. controls for foods
Bacteria
Hepatitis A
Water, ice, shellfish, salads, cold
cuts, fruits and fruit juices
Proper hygiene, get shellfish from
approved source, prevent cross
contamination
Virus
ILLNESS
FOODS
INVOLVED
PREVENTION
CAUSE
Norovirus
(Norwalk Virus)
Leafy greens, fresh
fruits, shellfish,
vegetables
Don’t prepare food when
sick. Wash hands carefully
and frequently with soap and
water. Wash fruits,
vegetables, and cook
shellfish thoroughly. Clean
and disinfect all areas in
contact with food.
Virus
Shigellosis
(Shigella)
Vegetables, water
Frequent hand washing;
especially after using the
restroom. Wash vegetables.
Boil water if it is
contaminated.
Bacteria