ServSafe Manager Course Section 2

What is contamination?

The presence of harmful substances in food (biological, chemical, and physical)

What are the 4 types of pathogens that can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness?

Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites, and Fungi

What are the 6 big pathogens?

Shigella SPP, Salmonella Typhi, Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS), E. Coli, Hepatitis A, and NoroVirus

Why are the 6 Big Pathogens called the 6 big pathogens?

Because they are highly contagious and can cause severe illness

What are the common symptoms of foodborne illness?

Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever, Nausea, Abdominal Cramps, and Jaundice

What is onset time?

How quickly a person gets sick from a foodborne illness

Does bacteria grow well in food that is highly acidic?

No

What pH does bacteria grow best in?

4.5 to 7.5 range

What temperature range is the best for the growth of bacteria?

41 degrees to 135 degrees Fahrenheit

What is the temperature danger zone?

When food is sitting at a temperature from 41 degrees to 135 degrees, which is the best range for bacteria to grow

What is the most rapid temperature range for bacteria?

70 degrees to 125 degrees fahrenheit

Can time affect how much bacteria grows?

Yes. The more time bacteria spends in the temperature danger zone, the more opportunity it has to grow to unsafe levels

Does the amount of moisture available impact the growth of bacteria?

Yes, bacteria grows well in food with high levels of moisture

What are the 6 conditions that affect the growth of bacteria? (FAT TOM)

Food, acidity, temperature, time, oxygen, and moisture

How to control FAT TOM? (the conditions that affect the growth of bacteria)?

Control temperature by keeping TCS food out of the temperature danger zone, and control time by limiting the amount of time that food spends in the temperature danger zone

What are the 4 highly contagious bacteria?

Salmonella Typhi, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, Shigella SPP, E. Coli

Characteristics of Salmonella Typhi

only lives in humans, you get typhoid fever, the bacteria is carried in their bloodstream and intestinal track, and it can live in a persons feces for weeks even after symptoms have ended

Food linked to salmonella typhi

Ready to eat food and beverages

Prevention measures for salmonella typhi

Exclude food handlers who have been diagnosed from the operation, important to wash hands, and cook food correctly

Characteristics of nontyphoidal salmonella

Carried by farm animals naturally and the illness can live in a person’s feces for weeks even after symptoms have ended

Food linked to nontyphoidal salmonella

Poultry and eggs, meat, milk and dairy products, and produce

Prevention measures for nontyphoidal salmonella

cook poultry and eggs correctly, prevent cross-contamination between poultry and ready-to-eat food, and exclude foodhandlers who are diagnosed

Characteristics of Shigella SPP

found in the feces of people who have the illness, people get sick with this bacteria when they eat or drink contaminated food or water, flies can transfer the bacteria from feces to food, and bacteria can be found in a person’s feces for weeks after their symptoms have ended

Food linked to shigella SPP

food contaminated by hands (like a salad containing TCS food), and food that made contact with contaminated water (like produce)

Prevention measures for Shigella SPP

Exclude food handlers, wash hands, control flies both inside and outside of the operation

Characeristics of E. Coli

can be found in the intestines of cattle or in infected people, the bacteria can contaminate meat during slaughtering, and once a person eats this bacteria it produces toxins in the intestines

Food linked to E. Coli

raw or undercooked ground beef and contaminated produce

Prevention measures for E. Coli

Exclude food handlers diagnosed with it plus diarrhea, cook food to the required minimum internal temperature (especially ground beef), purchase produce from approved reputable suppliers, prevent cross-contamination between raw meat nad ready to eat food

which food is commonly linked with salmonella typhi?

ready to eat food

Which food is commonly linked with nontyphoidal salmonella?

poultry

which is an important way to prevent shigella SPP?

control flies in the operation

which is an important way to prevent E. Coli?

cook ground beef to the required minimum temperatures

What are viruses?

A pathogen that requires a living host to grow

Where do you look to find a virus?

humans and animals

How do people get viruses?

From food, water, or any contaminated surface

What is the typical occurrence of foodborne illnesses from viruses?

Fecal-oral routes (not washing your hands after using the bathroom)

Do viruses get destroyed by normal cooking temperatures?

No, which is why it’s important to practice good personal hygiene

How is norovirus spread?

Airborne vomit particles

How do you prevent the spread of norovirus?

Quickly removing and cleaning up vomit

what must be done for a foodhandler diagnosed with hepatitis A?

keep them out of the operation completely

Hepatitis A characteristics

Found in the poop of people infected but can also chill in contaminated water, and the victim gets JAUNDICE

Prevention measures for Hep A

keep them out of the operations and handwash thoroughly

Can you kill hep A with heat or fire?

no

Hep A’s favorite food

ready to eat food and shellfish from contaminated waters

norovirus characteristics

spreads on ready to eat foods, lives on feces, can come from shellfish from contaminated waters, the symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea

Prevention measure for norovirus

keep foodhandlers out of the operation, handwashing, getting shellfsih from approved suppliers, not touching ready to eat food with unwashed hands

Characteristics of parasites

needs a living host, it lives inside of other things, associated with seafood and wild game, and can be found on food processed with contaminated waters

Prevention of parasites

purchase from approved suppliers, cook food to the required minimum internal temperatures, use correctly frozen fish

Fungi characterstics

comes from yeasts, molds, and mushrooms

prevention of fungi

throw out all moldy food, pay attention to mushrooms, purchase all mushrooms from approved and reputable suppliers

What is histamine?

A toxin that is produced by pathogens in certain fish that’s been time-temperature abused

Prevention of histamine

purchase plants, mushrooms, and seafood from approved reputable suppliers and control time and temperature for raw fish

What is food defense?

When food is INTENTIONALLY contaminated or tampered with

Who are the types of people who could intentionally contaminate or tamper with food?

disgruntled current or former staff, competitors, terrorists or activists, and vendors

What is the FDA tool called: Employees First?

A prevention measure that helps employees become aware of food defense

What does FIRST stand for?

Follow, Inspect, Recognize, Secure, and Tell

What is Follow in the Employees First guide?

Reminding employees to follow the company’s food defense plan and proceduresW

What is Inspect in the Employees First guide?

Look at their work area nad surrounding areas

What is Recognize in Employees First?

Evaluate anything out of the ordinary

What is Secure in the Employees First Guide?

Protect all ingredients, supplies, and finished products

What is Tell in the Employees First guide

Communicate to management if you notice anything suspicious

Responding to a foodborne illness outbreak. A customer complains about a foodborne illness. Whats your first action?

Ask the person for more information

What is a food allergen?

A protein in a food or ingredient

What causes an allergic reaction?

When enough of an allergen is eaten

What is anaphylaxis?

A severe allergic reaction that can lead to death

What are BIG 9 common food allergens?

Milk, eggs, soybeans, fish, treenuts, peanuts, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and sesame

Preventing allergic reactions

Major allergens must be clearly identified on food, inform guests about allergens on the menu, listen to guests, communicate specific food allergen requests to kitchen staff, avoid cross-contact in workstation, clean and sanitize properly

How does most contamination of food happen?

When food handlers handle it incorrectly

What food is most commonly linked to Shiga toxin-producing E.Coli?

Raw ground beef

A food handler uses the restroom. He washes his hands and puts on gloves before chopping lettuce. How is he preventing a foodborne illness from viruses?

By practicing good personal hygiene

Which conditions for bacterial growth will an operation most likely be able to control?

Time and temperature

A bottle of sanitizer is stored on a shelf above a prep table. To prevent chemical contamination, what should be done differently?

Store the sanitizer away from the prep area

The purpose of the FDA’s Employee First initiative is to inform employees of the risk of?

Intentional Contamination

Cooking acidic food in a copper pot can cause which type of contamination?

Chemical

What should food handlers do to prevent food allergens from being transferred to food?

Use cleaned and sanitized utensils