ServSafe Manager Course Section 1

What is a foodborne illness?

A disease transmitted to people through food

Approximately how many people get sick from unsafe food each year?

Millions

What are the conditions for a foodborne illness outbreak?

Two or more people need to have the same symptoms after eating the same food, and then an investigation occurs and the results must be confirmed by a lab analysis

What are the challenges to food safety?

Time, language and culture, literacy and education, pathogens, unapproved suppliers, high-risk customers, and turnover

Why is time a challenge to food safety?

The pressure to work fast makes it difficult to follow proper procedures

Why is language and culture a challenge to food safety?

Staff could speak a different language, and culture differences could influence how food handlers view food safety

Why is literacy and education a challenge to food safety?

A wide range of education levels could make it difficult when teaching food safety

Why are pathogens a challenge to food safety?

It spreads and shows up more on food that used to be considered safe (like E. coli on salad)

Why are unapproved suppliers a challenge to food safety?

Operations could be receiving food from suppliers that aren’t practicing food safety and could cause outbreaks because of them

Why are high-risk customers a challenge to food safety?

Elderly population gets sick much more easily

Why is turnover a challenge to food safety?

Having to train new staff may not leave a lot of time for proper food safety training

What are the costs of foodborne illnesses?

Operations may have to spend thousands on lawsuits, fixing reputation, etc. Also victims may have to deal with lost work, medical costs, long-term disability, and even death

What usually makes food unsafe?

Contamination

What is contamination?

The presence of harmful substances in food

What are the 3 categories of contaminants?

Biological, chemical, and Physical

What are biological contaminants?

Things like pathogens, so viruses, and bacteria - pathogens are the greatest threat to food safety

What is the main contaminant that foodborne illnesses are caused by?

Biological contamination

What are chemical contaminants?

Cleaners, sanitizers, and polishes that aren’t used correctly or safely

What are physical contaminants?

Things like broken glass in drinks, metal shavings, and naturally occurring objects like fish bones and fillets in food

What are the 5 main RISKS to food safety? (not challenges)

Purchasing food from unsafe sources, failing to cook food properly, holding food at incorrect temperatures, using contaminated equipment, and practicing poor personal hygiene

What are the 4 factors to the risks to food safety?

Time-temperature abuse, Cross-contamination, Poor personal hygiene, and poor cleaning and sanitizing

What is time-temperature abuse?

When food sits too long at temperatures that are good for the growth of pathogens and bacteria

What are the ways that time-temperature abuse occurs?

When food isn’t held or stored at the correct temperature, when food isn’t cooked or reheated properly, or when food is not cooled correctly

What is cross-contamination?

When pathogens are transferred from one surface of food to another

What are the ways that cross-contamination occur?

When contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooking, when ready-to-eat food touches surfaces that are dirty, etc.

What is poor personal hygiene?

Failing to stay clean (wash hands, coughing or sneezing on food, working while sick)

What is poor cleaning and sanitizing?

When equipment isn’t properly cleaned in between uses

What are the two types of foods that are most likely to become unsafe?

TCS and Ready-to-eat

What is TCS food?

Time and Temperature control for safety Foods

What are the types of TCS foods?

milk and dairy products, raw meat, eggs, cooked vegetables, baked potatoes, sliced fruit and vegetables, sprouts, and untreated garlic and oil mixtures

What is ready-to-eat food?

Food that’s ready to be eaten without any further preparation, washing, or cooking

What are some types of ready-to-eat food?

bakery items, cooked food, plant foods cooked for hot holding, deli meat, washed fruit and vegetables, sugar, spices, and seasonings

What are the main populations that are high-risk for foodborne illness?

the elderly, pre-school age children, and immunocompromised people (people with cancer, HIV or AIDS, people taking certain medication)

What are the 5 ways to keep guests safe?

Control time and temperature, prevent cross-contamination, practice good personal hygiene, purchase from approved suppliers, and clean and sanitize

To keep food safe, what are the qualifications that the person in charge must display?

Be a certified food protection manager and be onsite during operating hours

What are the situations in which the person in charge does NOT have to be on site?

If the operation poses minimal risk and the regulatory authority states that it is

What are the things that you have to do when training staff in food safety?

Identify training needs based on the roles and responsibilities in the operaiton, develop the curriculum, implement the training, assess employee knowledge, provide initial and ongoing trianing, retrain food safety regularly, document training, monitor employees, and take corrective action when needed

What are the government agencies responsible for preventing foodborne illness?

the FDA, local and state regulators, centers for disease control and prevention, and US public health service

What is the FDA food code

A science-based code that provides recommendations for food safety regulations that the FDA creates because they inspect and regulate food

What agency is responsible for inspecting meat, poultry, and eggs?

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Which agency conducts research into the causes of foodborne-illness outbreaks?

Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC)

Which group writes or adopts codes that regulate retail and foodservice operations?

State and local regulatory authorities

What are inspections?

A measures of whether an operation is meeting minimum food safety standards

To be an outbreak, foodborne illness must be confirmed by laboratory analysis after:

two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food

A piece of glass found in a beverage is an example of what type of hazard?

Physical

A pan of chicken wings left out on a prep table for seven hours is which type of hazard

Cross-contamination

If a manager notices an employee performing a task incorrectly after food safety training has taken place, what must the manager do?

Take corrective action and retrain the employee

Which organization issues the food code

U.S. FDA (food and drug administration)