ServSafe Notes

Cultural Menu Activity

  • Create a cultural menu for this week's activity.
  • Demonstrate menu planning using cultural competency and menu design strategies.

Introduction to Foodborne Illness

  • Discuss introductory information about foodborne illness.
  • Cover the most common ways food becomes unsafe.

Foodborne Illness and ServSafe

  • Consider personal experiences with foodborne illness, including what happened, where it occurred, and the consequences.
  • Beyond health impacts, foodborne illness results in:
    • Loss of customers/sales/reputation.
    • Negative media exposure.
    • Lawsuits and legal fees.
    • Increased insurance premiums.
    • Lower staff morale.
    • Staff retraining costs.

Impact of Foodborne Illness

  • Foodborne illness can be deadly.
  • CDC estimates:
    • 48 million people get sick each year.
    • 3,000 deaths annually.
  • Most susceptible populations:
    • Elderly.
    • Preschool-age children.
    • Pregnant women.
    • Immunocompromised individuals.

ServSafe Program

  • Provides food safety training, exams, and educational materials.
  • Certifies that foodservice employees understand how to serve safe food.
  • Frequently required by dietetic internships before program entry.

How Foodborne Illnesses Occur

  • Biological Contaminants:
    • Bacteria.
    • Viruses.
    • Parasites.
    • Fungi.
  • Chemical Contaminants:
    • Cleaners.
    • Sanitizers.
    • Polishes.
    • Deodorizers, first aid products, health and beauty products.
    • Equipment/dishes not rated for food use.
    • Pesticides.
  • Physical Contaminants:
    • Metal objects (staples, shavings from cans).
    • Bandages.
    • Glass.
    • Dirt.
    • Natural objects (e.g., fish bones, pits from cherries or olives).
    • Hair.

Major Risk Factors for Foodborne Illness

  • Purchasing from unsafe sources.
  • Improper cooking and reheating:
    • Not cooking to a high enough temperature to kill pathogens.
    • Not reheating to a high enough temperature.
  • Improper holding of food (wrong temperature).
  • Using contaminated equipment.
  • Practicing poor personal hygiene.

Main Causes of Illness

  1. Time/temperature abuse.
  2. Cross-contamination.
  3. Poor personal hygiene.

Susceptible Foods

  • Ready to Eat (RTE) foods.
  • Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods.

Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Foods & FAT TOM

  • Foods at most risk require Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS).
  • FAT TOM is an acronym representing the conditions that support the growth of microorganisms in food:
    • F - Food: Protein and/or carbohydrate.
    • A – Acidity: pH 4.6 to 7.5.
    • T – Time: Limit time in the temperature danger zone to less than 4 hours.
    • T – Temperature: Stay out of the temperature danger zone, which is 41−135°F41 -135 °F (5−57°C5 -57 °C).
    • O – Oxygen: Some microbes grow well with oxygen, others do not.
    • M – Moisture: High moisture content and water activity.

Manager's Tasks for Food Safety

  • Creating, following, monitoring, and instructing on corrective actions.
    • Laws and regulations.
    • Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and/or a HACCP plan.
    • Documenting and record keeping.
    • Following food code.
    • Completing regulatory inspections and audits.
    • Following up with any corrective measures.

Management Considerations

  • Consider the most challenging cause of foodborne illness to control as a manager.

Next Steps

  • Discuss microorganisms and contaminants that lead to foodborne illness.
  • Identify methods for control by type.