Food Safety Hazards, Personal Hygiene, and Receiving

Vocabulary flashcards covering core food safety terms, physical and chemical hazards, allergens, personal hygiene rules, time-temperature monitoring, and receiving procedures.

Chemical Contaminants

Chemical substances such as cleaners, sanitizers, polishes, machine lubricants, pesticides, deodorizers, first-aid products, health and beauty products, or toxic metals (pewter, copper, zinc, painted pottery) that contaminate food.

Physical Contaminants

Foreign objects accidentally introduced into food, including metal shavings, wood, staples, bandages, jewelry, fingernails, hair, dirt, fruit pits, or fish bones.

Food Defense Program

A system designed to protect food from intentional tampering by addressing points in the operation where food is at risk.

Employees FIRST

An FDA tool used to raise employee awareness regarding food defense and protecting food supplies.

Food Allergen

A protein in a food or ingredient that can trigger an immune system response in sensitive individuals.

Allergic Reaction

A response occurring when the immune system mistakenly considers a food protein harmful and attacks it, leading to symptoms like nausea, wheezing or shortness of breath, and hives or itchy rashes.

The Big Nine Food Allergens

The major food allergens: milk, soy, eggs, wheat, fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod), crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, pecans), and sesame.

Cross-Contact

The transfer of an allergen from one food, surface, or utensil to another, even in a very small amount.

Cross-Contamination

The transfer of harmful biological contaminants or pathogens between foods, equipment, surfaces, or people.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Federal law giving employee protections such that staff members cannot be fired or transferred due to non-foodborne diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B/C, tuberculosis).

Proper Handwashing Procedure

A 5-step process: 1. Wet hands and arms, 2. Apply soap, 3. Scrub hands and arms vigorously for $10\,\text{to}\,15\,\text{seconds}$, 4. Rinse hands and arms thoroughly, 5. Dry hands and arms.

Flow of Food

The path food takes through an operation: Purchasing, Receiving, Storing, Preparing, Cooking, Holding/Serving, Cooling, Reheating, and Serving.

Time-Temperature Abuse

Allowing food to remain in the temperature range between $41^\circ\text{F}$ and $135^\circ\text{F}$ ($5^\circ\text{C}$ and $57^\circ\text{C}$), cooking food to the wrong internal temperature, or cooling/reheating food incorrectly.

Temperature Danger Zone

The temperature range from $41^\circ\text{F}$ to $135^\circ\text{F}$ ($5^\circ\text{C}$ to $57^\circ\text{C}$) where foodborne pathogens grow rapidly.

Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometer

A stem thermometer measuring temperatures from $0^\circ\text{F}$ to $220^\circ\text{F}$ ($-18^\circ\text{C}$ to $104^\circ\text{C}$) from tip to dimple, equipped with a calibration nut and easy-to-read markings.

Thermocouples and Thermistors

Digital thermometers that measure temperature through a metal probe and may come with various probe attachments for different uses.

Infrared Thermometers

Thermometers designed to measure the surface temperature of food and equipment without touching the surface, which cannot be used to check internal food temperature.

Maximum Registering Thermometer

A thermometer that indicates the highest temperature reached during its use.

Time-Temperature Indicator (TTI)

A device attached to food packaging that monitors both time and temperature to record if food has experienced time-temperature abuse.

Ice-Point Method

A thermometer calibration method using an ice-and-water mixture where the thermometer is adjusted until it reads $32^\circ\text{F}$ ($0^\circ\text{C}$).

Boiling-Point Method

A thermometer calibration method using boiling water to adjust thermometer accuracy.

Approved, Reputable Suppliers

Suppliers that have been inspected, can provide inspection reports, and meet all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Shellstock Identification Tags

Documentation attached to shellfish shipments indicating when and where they were harvested, which must be kept on file for $90\,\text{days}$ after the last shellfish is used.

FIFO (First In, First Out)

An inventory rotation method where older food items are used before newer ones to ensure stock is rotated properly.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points; a system for identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards.