Food Safety Training Flashcards

Dangers of Foodborne Illness

• Foodborne illness defined: A disease transmitted to people through food.
• Outbreak: When two or more people experience the same illness after eating the same food.
• Potential impact: A single mistake can affect hundreds of people.

Costs of Foodborne Illness

• Widespread problem: Millions affected annually.
• Financial threat
  • Fines and legal damages: Can reach millions of dollars.
  • Potential outcomes: Temporary closure or permanent business failure.
• Specific costs:
  • Loss of customers and sales.
  • Damage to reputation.
  • Lawsuits and legal fees.
  • Increased insurance premiums.
  • Lowered employee morale and increased absenteeism.
  • Retraining costs.
  • Embarrassment.
• Severe consequences: Foodborne illness can be fatal.
• Importance: Good food safety practices are vital.

High-Risk Populations

• Infants and preschool-age children: Inadequate immune systems.
• Pregnant women: Fetus health at risk; compromised immune system.
• Elderly: Weakened immune systems.
• Individuals with compromised immune systems: Transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, or those on chemotherapy.
• TCS food: Contaminated, potentially hazardous food requiring time and temperature control for safety.

How Food Becomes Unsafe

• CDC identified factors:
  • Purchasing food from unsafe sources.
  • Holding food at improper temperatures.
  • Inadequate cooking.
  • Poor personal hygiene.
  • Using contaminated equipment.
• Primary issues:
  • Time-temperature abuse.
  • Cross-contamination.
  • Poor personal hygiene.
• Multiple factors: Often, foodborne illness involves more than one factor.

Time-Temperature Abuse

• Definition: Allowing food to remain too long at temperatures that support pathogen growth.
• Pathogens: Microorganisms that cause illness.
• Occurrences:
  • Food not held or stored at required temperatures.
  • Food not cooked or reheated to kill microorganisms.
  • Food not cooled properly.

Cross-Contamination

• Definition: Transfer of pathogens from one surface or food to another.
• Examples:
  • Adding contaminated ingredients to food that receives no further cooking.
  • Cooked or ready-to-eat food touching uncleansed and unsanitized food contact surfaces.
  • Contaminated food touching or dripping fluids onto cooked or ready-to-eat food.
  • Food handler touches contaminated food and then touches cooked or ready-to-eat food.
  • Using contaminated cleaning cloths on food contact surfaces without cleaning and sanitizing.

Poor Personal Hygiene

• Impact: Can contaminate food or food contact surfaces.
• Examples:
  • Improper hand washing after restroom use or whenever hands are contaminated.
  • Contaminated hands after coughing, sneezing, smoking, or handling raw food.
  • Touching or scratching sores, cuts, or boils and then touching food or food preparation surfaces.
  • Coming to work sick (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea).

Real-Life Example

• Scenario: Restaurant outbreak after lunch rush.
• Symptoms: Abdominal cramping, nausea, and vomiting; hospitalization required for some.
• Cause: Chicken salad contaminated with bacteria.
• Contributing factors:
  • Poor hand washing by kitchen staff.
  • Leaving chicken salad out on the prep table.
  • Using the same utensils for chicken salad and other foods.
• Consequences: Preventable illnesses, legal and financial repercussions, ruined reputation.

Prevention Measures

• Key strategies:
  • Controlling time and temperature.
  • Practicing good personal hygiene.
  • Preventing cross-contamination.
  • Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers.
• Implementation:
  • Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs).
  • Ensure understanding and enforcement of SOPs.

Conclusion

• Importance of adherence: Follow procedures at all times.
• No shortcuts: Food safety is critical and should not be compromised, regardless of how busy the operation gets.
• Risk: Not making time for food safety could risk everything.