Chapter 3

Food Contamination by Food Handlers

Includes poor personal hygiene, touching ready-to-eat foods with bare hands, working while ill, improper handwashing, coughing or sneezing near food.

Proper Handwashing Steps

Wet hands with warm water, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, dry with a clean paper towel or air dryer.

Handwashing Location

At designated handwashing sinks only, not in food preparation sinks or dishwashing sinks.

Handwashing Timing

Before starting work, after using the restroom, after touching raw meat, after touching your face or hair, after taking out trash, after cleaning, and any time hands may become contaminated.

Corrective Action

Steps taken to identify and correct a food safety problem to prevent its recurrence.

Hand Antiseptic

A substance used to reduce microorganisms on hands, but not a substitute for proper handwashing.

Covering a Cut on Hand

Clean and bandage the cut, then wear a single-use glove over the bandage.

Covering a Cut on Arm

Clean and cover with a waterproof bandage.

Fingernail Policy

Keep nails trimmed, filed, and clean. No artificial nails or nail polish unless wearing intact gloves.

Gloves Purpose and Types

Gloves create a barrier between hands and food. Types include single-use, heavy-duty, cut-resistant, and thermal gloves.

Bare Hand Contact Policy

Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food is generally prohibited. Use utensils, deli paper, or gloves instead.

Pathogens on Clothes

Clothes can harbor pathogens. Wear clean uniforms or clothing daily.

Smoking, Eating, Drinking Policy

Only in designated break areas away from food preparation and storage areas.

Jewelry Policy

No jewelry except for a plain wedding band. Medical alert bracelets are allowed.

Illness Reporting

Notify your manager immediately if you have symptoms of foodborne illness or have been diagnosed with a foodborne illness.

Excluding vs

Excluding prevents a food handler from entering the establishment (e.g., having norovirus), while restricting limits a food handler's activities to prevent food contamination (e.g., having a sore throat with fever but working in a non-food handling capacity).