ServSafe Chapters 1 & 2 Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core definitions, major foodborne pathogens, and safety terms from Chapters 1 and 2.

Foodborne Illness

A disease transmitted to people through food.

Foodborne Illness Outbreak

An incident in which two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food, confirmed by a regulatory investigation or laboratory analysis.

Time-Temperature Abuse

The practice of allowing food to remain too long at unsafe temperatures that facilitate pathogen growth.

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 bacteria grow, with extreme rapid growth occurring between $70\,^\circ\text{F}$ and $125\,^\circ\text{F}$ ($21\,^\circ\text{C}$ to $52\,^\circ\text{C}$).

Cross-Contamination

The transfer of pathogens from one surface or food item to another.

TCS Food

Food requiring Time and Temperature Control for Safety to limit pathogen growth.

Ready-to-Eat Food

Food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking.

Person in Charge (PIC)

A certified food protection manager who must be present on-site during operating hours to demonstrate required food safety knowledge.

Active Managerial Control

A systematic manager responsibility to actively monitor and maintain food safety standards to prevent risk factors.

High-Risk Populations

Groups of people most vulnerable to foodborne illness, including preschool-age children, elderly people, and individuals with compromised immune systems.

Microorganism

A small, living organism that can only be seen with a microscope.

Pathogen

A harmful microorganism that causes sickness when ingested or produces toxins that lead to illness.

Toxin

A poison produced by microorganisms, plants, or animals that causes illness.

The Big Six Pathogens

The six highly infectious pathogens identified by the FDA: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp., Nontyphoidal Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus.

FAT TOM

An acronym representing the six conditions bacteria require to grow: Food, Acidity (pH $4.6$ to $7.5$), Temperature ($41\,^\circ\text{F}$–$135\,^\circ\text{F}$), Time, Oxygen, and Moisture.

Bacterial Growth Stages

The four sequential phases of bacterial population growth: Lag phase, Log phase, Stationary phase, and Death phase.

Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC)

A major foodborne bacterium linked to raw/undercooked ground beef and contaminated produce that causes Hemorrhagic colitis.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS)

Bacteria linked to poultry, eggs, dairy, and produce (such as tomatoes, peppers, and cantaloupes) that causes Salmonellosis.

Salmonella Typhi

Bacteria linked to ready-to-eat food and beverages that causes Typhoid Fever.

Shigella spp.

Bacteria linked to TCS-containing salads and water-contaminated produce, causing Shigellosis; commonly transferred by flies.

Hepatitis A

A virus transmitted via the fecal-oral route through ready-to-eat food or contaminated shellfish, causing jaundice, fever, and general weakness.

Norovirus

A highly contagious virus linked to ready-to-eat food and contaminated shellfish that causes acute Gastroenteritis.

Parasite

An organism requiring a living host to live and reproduce, commonly associated with seafood, wild game, and contaminated produce.

Anisakis simplex

A parasite found in raw or undercooked fish (such as herring, cod, halibut, mackerel, and Pacific salmon) that causes Anisakiasis.

Cryptosporidium parvum

A parasite transmitted via contaminated water and produce that causes Cryptosporidiosis, characterized by watery diarrhea and weight loss.

Giardia duodenalis

A parasite transmitted through incorrectly treated water and produce that causes Giardiasis.

Cyclospora cayetanensis

A parasite transmitted via incorrectly treated water and produce (berries, lettuce, basil) that causes Cyclosporiasis.

Mold

A type of fungus that grows in acidic foods with low water content and can produce dangerous toxins such as aflatoxins.

Yeast

A type of fungus that spoils acidic, low-moisture food, producing an alcoholic smell, pink/white discoloration, or bubbly texture.

Histamine

A biological toxin formed when scombroid fish (tuna, bonito, mackerel, mahimahi) undergo time-temperature abuse.

Ciguatoxin

A toxin accumulated in predatory reef fish (barracuda, grouper, jacks, snapper) that eat algae containing the poison.

Saxitoxin and Brevetoxin

Shellfish toxins accumulated when clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops filter toxic marine algae from water.

Domoic Acid

A shellfish toxin that causes Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, leading to confusion, memory loss, disorientation, and seizures.