Food Safety Review

Food Safety Basics

Introduction to Foodborne Illness

  • Food service managers have responsibilities to:
    • The operation
    • Staff
    • Guests
  • Maintaining food safety is crucial and cannot be overlooked.
  • The discussion will cover:
    • What foodborne illness is.
    • How it occurs.
    • Preventative measures.
  • Paying attention to detail is essential in preventing foodborne illnesses.

Consequences of Foodborne Illness: A Case Study

  • Scenario:
    • Dozens of people became sick at a small cafe after consuming baked potato salad.
    • Symptoms included nausea, vomiting, double vision, and difficulty in speaking and swallowing, appearing within two days of consumption.
  • Investigation:
    • Local authorities traced the outbreak to baked potatoes left out at room temperature in aluminum foil for almost 18 hours.
    • Bacteria thrived under these conditions.
  • Leaving food out can have massive consequences for staff and guests.

Understanding Foodborne Illness

  • Definition:
    • A foodborne illness is a disease transmitted to people through food.
    • Millions are affected annually.
  • Outbreak Confirmation:
    • Requires two or more people to have the same symptoms after eating the same food.
    • Investigation by state and local regulatory authorities.
    • Confirmation through laboratory analysis.
  • Restaurants are trying to reduce outbreaks and it has been working.

Challenges to Food Safety

  • Time Constraints:
    • Busy environments make it hard to dedicate time to food safety practices.
  • Language and Cultural Barriers:
    • Communication difficulties if staff speak different languages.
    • Varying cultural views on food safety.
  • Literacy and Education:
    • Varying levels of understanding among staff.
  • Pathogens:
    • Increasingly found on foods previously considered safe (e.g., E. Coli on salad greens).
  • Unapproved Suppliers:
    • Suppliers not following food safety practices can cause outbreaks.
  • High-Risk Customers:
    • The number of customers at high risk for foodborne illness is increasing (e.g., elderly population).
  • Staff Turnover:
    • Training new staff can take time from food safety training.

Costs of Foodborne Illness

  • Foodborne illnesses cost the U.S. billions of dollars annually.
  • One outbreak can cost an operation thousands of dollars and potentially lead to closure.
  • Operational Costs:
    • Loss of customers, sales, and reputation.
    • Negative media exposure.
    • Lawsuits, legal fees, and increased insurance premiums.
  • Impact on Staff:
    • Lower morale.
    • Absenteeism.
    • Retraining needs.
  • Human Costs:
    • Lost work.
    • Medical expenses.
    • Long-term disability.
    • Death.
  • Prevention is possible through common sense and attention to detail.

Causes and Prevention of Foodborne Illness

  • Unsafe food is typically due to contamination.
  • Contamination:
    • The presence of harmful substances in food.
    • Three categories: biological, chemical, and physical.

Biological Contaminants

  • Pathogens:
    • Greatest threat to food safety.
    • Include viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
    • Also include toxins from some plants, mushrooms, and seafood.

Chemical Contaminants

  • Food service chemicals (cleaners, sanitizers, polishes) used incorrectly can cause contamination.

Physical Contaminants

  • Include broken glass, metal shavings, staples, bandages, dirt, and bag dyes.
  • Naturally occurring objects like fish bones can also be a hazard.
  • Biological contamination is responsible for most foodborne illnesses.

Five Main Risks to Food Safety

  1. Purchasing food from unsafe sources.
  2. Failing to cook food correctly.
  3. Holding food at incorrect temperatures.
  4. Using contaminated equipment.
  5. Practicing poor personal hygiene.
  • Mistakes related to four main factors (excluding purchasing from unsafe sources):
    • Time-temperature control.
    • Cross-contamination.
    • Poor personal hygiene.
    • Poor cleaning and sanitizing.

Time-Temperature Abuse

  • Definition:
    • Food stays too long at temperatures that allow pathogen growth.
  • Occurs when food is:
    • Not held or stored at the correct temperature.
    • Not cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens.
    • Not cooled correctly.

Cross-Contamination

  • Definition:
    • Pathogens transfer from one surface or food to another.
  • Occurs when:
    • Contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooking.
    • Ready-to-eat food touches contaminated surfaces.
    • Contaminated food touches or drips onto cooked or ready-to-eat food.
    • A food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food.
    • Contaminated cleaning cloths touch food contact surfaces.

Poor Personal Hygiene

  • Can cause foodborne illness in many ways:
    • Touching or scratching a wound and then touching food.
    • Sneezing or coughing onto food.
    • Working while sick.
    • Failing to wash hands after using the restroom.

Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing

  • Pathogens can spread if equipment isn't correctly cleaned and sanitized between uses.
  • Occurs when:
    • Equipment and utensils aren't washed, rinsed, and sanitized between uses.
    • Food contact surfaces are only wiped down instead of being washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
    • Wiping cloths aren't stored in sanitizer solution between uses.
    • Sanitizing solutions aren't at the right strength.

TCS Food

  • TCS stands for Time and Temperature Control for Safety.
  • Pathogens grow well in these foods.
  • Examples:
    • Milk and dairy products.
    • Poultry.
    • Shell eggs (except those treated to eliminate nontypoidal salmonella).
    • Heat-treated plant-based foods (cooked rice, beans, and vegetables).
    • Meat and fish.
    • Baked potatoes.
    • Tofu and other soy protein, and synthetic ingredients like textured soy protein in meat alternatives.
    • Sliced melons, cut tomatoes, and cut leafy greens.
    • Sprouts and sprout seeds.
    • Untreated garlic and oil mixtures.

Ready-to-Eat Food

  • Requires careful handling to prevent contamination.
  • Definition:
    • Food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking.
  • Examples:
    • Bakery items.
    • Cooked food.
    • Plant foods cooked for hot holding.
    • Deli meat.
    • Washed fruits and vegetables (whole and cut).
    • Sugar, spices, and seasonings.

High-Risk Populations

  • Certain groups are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses:
    • Infants and preschool-aged children.
    • Elderly people.
    • People with compromised immune systems (cancer patients, those on chemotherapy, people with HIV/AIDS, transplant recipients, people taking certain medications).

Keeping Food Safe

  • Focus on:
    • Controlling time and temperature.
    • Preventing cross-contamination.
    • Ensuring good personal hygiene.
    • Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers.
    • Cleaning and sanitizing.
  • Establish standard operating procedures and train staff accordingly.

Training and Certification

  • The FDA Food Code requires the person in charge (manager) to be a certified food protection manager and be on-site during operating hours (unless the regulatory authority determines the operation poses a minimal risk).
  • Certification must be from an agency approved by a conference for food protection.
  • Completing the ServSafe Manager course and passing the certification exam meets this requirement.
  • Certification reduces the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks, improves the control of risk factors like poor personal hygiene.

Staff Training

  • Training should occur upon hiring and be ongoing.
  • All staff need general food safety knowledge, while some require job-specific training.
  • Document completed training and monitor staff to ensure they follow procedures.
  • Take corrective action immediately when employees perform tasks incorrectly and retrain them.

Government Agencies Involved in Food Safety

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  • State and local regulators.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  • U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).

The FDA Food Code

  • The FDA inspects all food except meat, poultry, and eggs.
  • Regulates food transported across state lines.
  • The FDA Food Code provides recommendations for food safety regulations.
  • Created for city, county, state, and tribal agencies regulating food service (restaurants, retail food stores, schools, daycare centers, hospitals, nursing homes).
  • States are not required to adopt the FDA Food Code.
  • FDA provides technical support and training.

Other Agencies

  • USDA:
    • Inspects meat, poultry, and eggs.
    • Regulates food crossing state boundaries.
  • CDC & PHS:
    • Conduct research into the causes of foodborne illness outbreaks and assist in investigations.
  • State and local regulatory authorities:
    • Write or adopt codes regulating retail food service operations.
    • Inspect operations and enforce regulations.
    • Investigate complaints and illnesses.
    • Issue licenses and permits.
    • Approve construction and review HACCP plans.

Review Questions Summary

  • A foodborne illness outbreak is confirmed when:
    • Two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food, an investigation is conducted, and the outbreak is confirmed through laboratory analysis.
  • A piece of glass in a beverage is a physical hazard, like metal staples and bones.
  • Chicken wings left out for seven hours are time-temperature abused.
  • Preschool-aged children are at high risk because of underdeveloped immune systems.
  • Staff must be trained in food safety upon hiring and regularly thereafter.
  • The FDA issues the FDA Food Code.

Contamination Overview

  • Managers must understand and avoid pathogens and contaminants to ensure food safety.

Contamination Case Study

  • 16 guests and 3 staff at a catering hall got sick with Shigella SPP after a National Guard reunion.
  • Symptoms included stomach cramps, fever, and diarrhea within three days.
  • The outbreak was likely caused by the catering hall's lead cook, who was sick, and failed to wash his hands.
  • The catering hall changed procedures regarding staff illnesses and started an aggressive handwashing training program.
  • One of the most important jobs for food service managers is to prevent any type of contamination of food.

Understanding Contamination

  • Contamination:
    • The presence of harmful substances in food.
    • Can be biological, chemical and physical.
  • Most contaminants cause foodborne illness, while some cause physical injury.
  • Sources of contaminants include air, dirt, contaminated water, and animals used for food.
  • Physical hazards can occur naturally, such as bones in fillets or fruit pits.
  • Most contamination is accidental due to improper food handling.
    • Contamination can be spread through the fecal-oral route if food handlers don't wash hands after using the restroom.

How Contamination Spreads

  • Contamination can be passed from person to person.
  • Food handlers can pass on contaminants when they're in contact with someone who's sick.
  • A person touches dirty food contact surfaces and then touches food.
  • Someone sneezes or vomits on food or food contact surfaces.
  • Letting ready-to-eat food touch a food contact surface that's been in contact with raw meat, seafood, or poultry.
  • Storing food incorrectly or cleaning produce incorrectly.
  • Failing to spot signs of a pest infestation can lead to contamination because pests are a major source of disease.

Biological Contamination

  • Microorganisms are small living organisms that can be seen only through a microscope.
  • Pathogens are microorganisms that cause illness.
  • Some pathogens make you sick when you eat them, and some of them produce a toxin or poison in the food, and eating that toxin can make you sick.
  • There are four types of pathogens that can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
  • Fungi includes things like molds and yeast.

The Big Six Pathogens

  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that there are more than 40 different kinds of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds that can occur in food and cause a food borne illness.
  • The FDA has singled out six of these called the big six because they're highly contagious and can cause severe illness.
  • The big six include:
    • Shigella SPP.
    • Salmonella typhi.
    • Non typhoidal Salmonella or NTS.
    • Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli which is also called STEC or more commonly E coli.
    • Hepatitis A.
    • Norovirus.