Food Safety Review

Providing Safe Food

  • Objectives:
    • Recognize the importance of food safety.
    • Understand how food becomes unsafe.
    • Identify TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) foods.
    • Recognize the risk factors for foodborne illness.
    • Understand important prevention measures for keeping food safe.

Challenges to Food Safety

  • Foodborne illness: A disease transmitted to people through food.

  • Outbreak criteria:

    • Two or more people exhibit the same symptoms after consuming the same food.
    • An investigation is conducted by regulatory authorities.
    • The outbreak is confirmed by laboratory analysis.

  • Challenges include:

    • Time and money constraints.
    • Language and cultural differences.
    • Literacy and education levels.
    • Presence of pathogens.
    • Use of unapproved suppliers.
    • Number of high-risk customers.
    • High staff turnover rates.

Costs of Foodborne Illness

  • Financial and reputational impacts:
    • Loss of customers and sales.
    • Damage to reputation.
    • Negative media exposure.
    • Lowered staff morale.
    • Lawsuits and legal fees.
    • Staff absenteeism.
    • Increased insurance premiums.
    • Need for staff retraining.

How Foodborne Illnesses Occur

  • Unsafe food results from contamination:
    • Biological: Bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi.
    • Chemical: Cleaners, sanitizers, polishes.
    • Physical: Metal shavings, glass, dirt, natural objects (e.g., fish bones).

Risk Factors for Foodborne Illness

  • Five risk factors include:

    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.

  • Types of abuse include:

    • Time-temperature abuse: When food stays too long at temperatures conducive to pathogen growth.
    • Cross-contamination: Pathogens transfer from one surface or food to another.
    • Poor personal hygiene by food handlers.
    • Poor cleaning and sanitizing practices.

High-Risk Foods for Safety

  • TCS Foods: Foods that require time and temperature control to prevent foodborne illness.
  • Ready-to-eat foods include:
    • Cooked foods.
    • Washed fruits and vegetables.
    • Deli meats and bakery items.
    • Sugar, spices, and seasonings.

Populations at Higher Risk

  • Groups that are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses:
    • Elderly individuals.
    • Preschool-age children.
    • Individuals with compromised immune systems.

Keeping Food Safe

  • Prevention measures:

    • Control time and temperature.
    • Prevent cross-contamination.
    • Practice good personal hygiene.
    • Purchase from approved, reputable suppliers.
    • Clean and sanitize regularly.

  • Training and Monitoring:

    • Train staff on food safety procedures including initial and ongoing training.
    • Document all training activities and monitor compliance.

Government Agencies in Food Safety

  • Key organizations include:
    • Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    • U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).
    • State and local regulatory authorities.

Preventing Contamination

  • Contamination sources:

    • Animals used for food.
    • Air, contaminated water, and dirt.
    • People (either deliberately or accidentally).

  • Biological contamination includes:

    • Microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites).
    • Common symptoms of foodborne illness include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, nausea, and abdominal cramps.

Bacteria and Growth Conditions

  • Conditions for bacterial growth (FAT TOM):

    • F: Food.
    • A: Acidity (best growth in low-acid foods).
    • T: Temperature (growth between 41°F and 135°F, known as the danger zone).
    • T: Time (longer time in the danger zone increases growth risk).
    • O: Oxygen (some bacteria need oxygen; others don’t).
    • M: Moisture (bacteria thrive in moist environments).

  • Control measures:

    • Keep TCS food out of the temperature danger zone.
    • Limit the time TCS food is in the danger zone.

Major Bacteria Linked with Foodborne Illness

  • Examples of dangerous bacteria:
    • Salmonella Typhi: Exists in the intestines of humans; linked with eggs, poultry.
    • Shigella spp.: Linked with contaminated water, salads, and food handled by ill workers.
    • Enterohemorrhagic E. coli: Linked with undercooked beef, raw produce.

Viruses and Foodborne Illness

  • Characteristics:

    • Carried by humans and animals; require a living host to grow and do not grow in food.
    • Should be destroyed with good hygiene practices.

  • Examples include:

    • Hepatitis A: Linked with ready-to-eat foods, shellfish from contaminated water.
    • Norovirus: Frequently causes outbreaks; often related to contaminated water.

Allergens and Prevention

  • Common food allergens include:
    • Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts.
  • Prevent allergic reactions through:
    • Identifying ingredients.
    • Preventing cross-contact.
    • Educating kitchen staff about allergies.