ServSafe: Food Handler Guide

Foodborne illness

A disease that is transmitted to people through food

Three types of hazards that make food unsafe

Biological, chemical, and physical

Biological hazards

Pathogens like bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi

Chemical hazards

Chemicals that can contaminate food like cleaners, sanitizers, polishes

Physical hazards (natural)

Physical hazard that can happen naturally are bones in fillets, and fruit pits

Physical hazards (objects)

Physical hazard that happens when objects fall into food like metal shavings, staples, dirt, class, jewelry, bandages

What are four practices that can make food unsafe?

Poor personal hygiene, Cross-Contamination, Time-Temperature Abuse, Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing

Poor personal hygiene

Transferring pathogens from your body to food

What is the number one cause of foodborne illness outbreaks at restaurant and foodservice operations?

Poor personal hygiene

Cross-contamination

Transferring pathogens from one surface or food to another

Time-temperature abuse

Letting food stay too long at temperatures that are good for pathogen growth

Poor cleaning and sanitizing

Transferring pathogens from incorrectly cleaned surfaces to food

Leaving raw chicken breasts on a prep table to thaw

A) Time-temperature abuse

B) Poor personal hygiene

C) Cross-contamination

D) Poor cleaning and sanitizing

A

Sneezing on a salad

A) Time-temperature abuse

B) Poor personal hygiene

C) Cross-contamination

D) Poor cleaning and sanitizing

B

Using the same cutting board to cut up a raw chicken and then using it to slice tomatoes

A) Time-temperature abuse

B) Poor personal hygiene

C) Cross-contamination

D) Poor cleaning and sanitizing

C

Scraping off baked-on food from an otherwise clean plate

A) Time-temperature abuse

B) Poor personal hygiene

C) Cross-contamination

D) Poor cleaning and sanitizing

D

Step 1) How to wash your hands

Wet hands and arms: Use running water as hot as you can comfortably stand

Step 2) How to wash your hands

Apply soap: Apply enough to build up a good lather

Step 3) How to wash your hands

Scrubs hands and arms vigorously: Scrub them for 10-15 seconds. Clean under fingernails and between fingers

Step 4) How to wash your hands

Rinse hands and arms thoroughly: Use running warm water

Step 5) How to wash your hands

Dry hands and arms: Use a single-use paper towel or hand dryer, Do NOT use your apron or any part of your uniform

T or F: Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open restroom door

True

Y or N: Should you use a hand antiseptic instead of washing your hands?

No

Y or N: Should you use an antiseptic after washing your hands?

Yes

T or F: You do NOT need to wait for the antiseptic to dry before touching food or equipment and before putting on gloves

False, wait to dry

T or F: A stocked sink should have: Hot and cold running water, Soap, Single-use paper towels or hand dryer, Garbage container

True

Pick each situation where you must wash your hands:

A) After handling raw chicken

B) Before putting on gloves at the start of a new task

C) Before taking a break

D) After taking out garbagethe

A, B, D

What should a stocked handwashing station have?

A) Hand lotion

B) Soap

C) Garbage container

D) Sponge

E) Single-use paper towels or a hand dryer

F) Hot and cold running water

B, C, E, F

Ryan washed his hands before preparing salads. What errors did Ryan make?

A) He applied hand sanitizer before washing his hands

B) He wet his hands using very hot water

C) He applied enough soap to develop a good lather

D) He scrubbed his hands for five seconds

E) He rinsed his hands under running warm water

F) He dried his hands with his clean apron

G) He turned off the tap with a paper towel

H) He opened the door with his wet hands

A, D, F, H