Causes of Foodborne Illness: 3.2 Personal Hygiene and Food Safety

Flashcards covering personal hygiene standards, handwashing procedures, glove use, work attire, and illness protocols for foodhandlers from Chapter 3.

What personal behaviors performed by foodhandlers can contaminate food?

Scratching the scalp, running fingers through hair, touching the nose, rubbing an ear, touching a pimple or sore, wearing a dirty uniform, coughing or sneezing into the hand, and spitting.

What six core practices characterize a safe foodhandler?

Practicing hand hygiene, keeping self clean, avoiding unsanitary habits at work, staying healthy, wearing clean and appropriate clothing, and reporting illness.

What does maintaining personal cleanliness require of foodhandlers before coming to work?

Bathing or showering before work and keeping hair clean, because oily, dirty hair can harbor pathogens.

Under what five circumstances can foodhandlers contaminate food?

When they are diagnosed with a foodborne illness, show symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, have infected lesions, are exposed to an ill person, or touch anything that may contaminate their hands.

What are the hand maintenance rules regarding fingernails for foodhandlers?

Keep fingernails short and clean; do not wear false nails or nail polish (unless allowed by specific jurisdictions where single-use gloves are worn).

Why are false nails and nail polish prohibited in food preparation?

False and acrylic nails are difficult to keep clean, while nail polish can disguise dirt underneath nails and may flake off into food.

What protective item is shown on the injured finger, and how must hand wounds be managed?

A finger cot (or waterproof cover); hand cuts and sores must be covered with clean, dry bandages and covered with a waterproof glove or finger cot to protect the bandage and prevent it from falling into food.

What are the fundamental rules regarding glove use in food service?

Gloves must never replace handwashing, are for single-use only, should be formulated specifically for food contact, must fit properly, and must never be washed or reused.

How should a foodhandler remove gloves properly without contaminating their hands?

Grasp the gloves at the cuff and peel them off inside out over the fingers, without making contact with the palm and fingers.

When are foodhandlers required to change their gloves?

When they become soiled or torn, before beginning a different task, at least every $4$ hours during continual use, and after handling raw meat before handling cooked or ready-to-eat food.

What is the most common route of contamination leading to foodborne illness?

The fecal-oral route (stool to mouth), which occurs when hands become contaminated after using the restroom and transfer bacteria or viruses via food or utensils.

What location and equipment specifications are required for a proper handwashing station?

A designated sink in the food prep area or within $200\text{ feet}$ in a public restroom; hot and cold running water with hot water at a minimum temperature of $110^\circ\text{F}$; liquid soap (preferred); a trash receptacle; and disposable paper towels or an air dryer.

Which two types of sinks are explicitly not authorized for handwashing?

Pot/pan sinks and janitor’s sinks.

What are the six steps of the proper handwashing procedure?

1. Wet hands with hot running water; 2. Apply soap; 3. Rub hands together for at least $20\text{ seconds}$; 4. Clean under fingernails and between fingers; 5. Rinse hands thoroughly under running water; 6. Dry hands.

According to Food Code Section 2-301.1, how long must food service employees apply vigorous friction when washing hands?

For at least $10$ to $15\text{ seconds}$ on lathered fingers, fingertips, areas between fingers, hands, and arms.

Name at least seven activities after which foodhandlers must wash their hands.

Using the restroom, handling raw foods, touching hair or body, coughing/sneezing/using a handkerchief, smoking/eating/drinking/chewing gum or tobacco, using chemicals, handling garbage, busing dirty dishes, or touching aprons and clothing.

What uniform and jewelry violations are shown on these hands, and what jewelry must foodhandlers remove?

The foodhandler is wearing rings, a watch, and nail polish; foodhandlers must remove rings, bracelets (including medical IDs), watches, earrings, necklaces, and facial jewelry because they harbor microorganisms and create safety hazards.

What are the work attire requirements for foodhandlers regarding hair, clothing, footwear, and aprons?

Wear a clean hat or hair restraint (and beard restraint if applicable), wear clean clothing daily, wear clean closed-toe shoes, and remove aprons when leaving food-preparation areas.

What symptoms require a foodhandler to be excluded from working with or around food?

Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, and jaundice.

What five biological hazards are highlighted as dangers in and around foodhandlers?

Staphylococci, Shigella, Clostridium Perfringens, Salmonella, and Hepatitis A.

Where are foodhandlers allowed to eat, drink, or use tobacco, and what exception exists for drinking in prep areas?

Only in designated areas where food and equipment cannot be contaminated; workers may drink in food prep areas only from a closed beverage container with a protected drinking mechanism (such as a sports bottle) handled to prevent contamination.

What working restriction applies to foodhandlers with persistent sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose with discharges?

They may not work with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, or unwrapped single-service and single-use articles.

Identify at least six unsafe foodhandling practices taking place in this kitchen scene.

A foodhandler smoking; a worker wearing jewelry and unrestrained hair; a worker wearing nail polish/false nails; a man scratching a bandaged wound; a man sneezing over food prep surfaces; a man eating in the prep area; a worker drinking from an open can; a worker wiping gloved hands on an apron; moving from raw meat to another task without glove changes/handwashing; and working while sick.