Food Safety

Lesson 1: “Pathways to Kitchen Safety”

• Kitchen hazards caused by taking short cuts that leads to accidental injuries 

How many kitchen accidents are there?

• There are 7 types of kitchen accidents 

1. Cuts 

2. Burns and fires 

3. Falls 

4. Electrical issues 

5. Chemical poisoning 

6. Choking 

7. Other safety issues 

CUTS: 

Prevention 

• Sharp knives

• Wash separately 

• Cut away from self 

• Don’t point knife at others 

• Don’t out finger near blades 

• Knives face away from edge of counter when not in use 

• Dispose of glass with broom or wet towel 

• Store properly 

• use a claw grip 

First aid

1. Cover wound 

2. Apply pressure until bleeding stops 

3. Wash with soap 

4. Apply antiseptic and sterile bandage 

5. Severe cuts require; 

   1. Pressure

   2. Seek medical attention at doctor or hospital 

BURNS AND FIRES: 

Prevention 

• Use oven mitts and potholders for hot pans and utensils 

• Open lids away from you 

  • Steam not in your face 

• Avoid grease on ranges and drip pans

• Do NOT put out grease fires with water 

  • Use baking soda or a fire extinguisher 

• Put out small non-grease fires with water

• Keep towels away from heat source 

• Pot handles not extend out from edge of range 

First aid 

• Stop, drop, roll if clothing catches fire 

• Place burns under cold running water 

  • Do NOT apply ointment 

• Do not break blisters 

FALLS

Prevention 

• Use stool or ladder to reach high objects 

• Secure loose rugs 

• Wipe up spills immediately 

• Spray pans over sink instead of floor 

  • Prevent slick floors 

First aid

• Do not move person who feel 

• Make person comfortable and call for help 

ELECTRICAL ISSUES 

Prevention 

• Do not work with water and electrical appliances at same time 

• Unplug appliance by plug not cord 

• Replace frayed cords 

• Do not use damaged appliances 

• Do not overload outlets 

First aid

• Do not touch person experiences an electrical shock 

• Remove source of shock with nonconductive material 

  • Ex. Wood or plastic 

  • Ex. NOT metal

CHEMICAL POISONING

Prevention 

• Keep hazard products and medicine away from children 

• Keep chemicals in original container 

• Keep chemical away from food 

First aid 

• Call poison control center 

• Keep source to provide info of chemical to center/ medical care provided

CHOKING

Prevention 

• Chew food thoroughly 

• Do not give children small round piece of food 

  • Ex. cut up hotdogs or carrots 

• Avoid talking or laughing when there is food in mouth 

First aid 

• Heimlich maneuver is not most effective

• Use back blows (strike upper back, airway parallel to floor, with palm of hand)

  • Keep person coughing → so they get air

  • Receive consent to help 

• THEN, use abdominal thrust to save victim 

  • Arm around stomach - just above navel 

  • Thrust until person stop choking 

    • Can injure person - see doctor asap

OTHER SAFETY ISSUES

Prevention 

• Avoid jewelry 

• Hair restrained 

• Avoid loose clothing 

• Wear closed toed shoes 

First aid

• If jewellery is caught on small appliance remove jewellery to prevent cut 

• Attempt to release hair if caught in appliance 

• Hair caught on fire should be smothered with cloth 

• Know where “emergency stop” button is in classroom

ALTERNATE FIRST AID 

Bandages → clean cloth, fabric, t-shirt, towel 

Gauze → wound dressing, paper towels, cloth pads 

Disinfectant → hydrogen peroxide, water, rubbing alcohol 

Lesson 2: “Food safety: cross contamination”

CROSS CONTAMINATION 

Cross contamination = when harmful bacteria from person, object or food transfers to another object, person or food 

• 4 ways of transfer 

  • Person to person 

  • Person to food 

  • One food to another food 

  • Equipment to food 

4 keys to food safety 

1. Clean → food, surfaces, tools, person 

2. Separate → food harbouring pathogens / cause cross contamination ex. Meats away from produce 

3. Cook → safe to eat ex. All pathogens such as salmonella in chicken die 

4. Chill → keep food at right temperature to increase shelf life and prevent mould, and pathogens forming on food 

Bacteria

= microbes/ small organisms - important for environment 

Pathogens = harmful bacteria

• 5 conditions for pathogens to survive + multiply into foodborne illnesses 

1. Warmth 

2. Moisture 

3. Protein source 

4. Ph level 

5. Oxygen and time 

• Foods most likely to contain bacteria 

1. Raw means 

2. Dairy products 

3. Seafood 

4. Pulty

5. Ground meats 

6. Improper canned food or processed foods 

UNSAFE BEHAVIOURS/ SITUATIONS IN KITCHEN 

2 cases: 

1. Maple Leaf Food - product recalls as food unsafe for consumption 

   1. Poor separation and cleanliness  

2. CNE cronut burger

   1. Maple bacon jam, and unhygienic preparation and storage of food   

3. Washing chicken

   1. Discovered by USDA funded grant examining food safety risks 

   2. Spreads bacteria around kitchen (sink, counters) + not kill or reduce bacteria 

   3. Only cooking kills pathogens 

Foodborne illness = food poisoning = caused by bacteria 

• Mild to serious symptoms 

• Most at risk include; 

  • Infants/ young children 

  • Senior citizens 

  • Weak immune systems 

Aerosolization = spread of bacteria through air   

• Ex. washing chicken under sink - water breaks sprays small particles/ pathogens into air 

Hand washing

1. Wet hand 

2. Liquid soap 

3. Lather + scrub for 20 seconds 

   1. *Do NOT forget between fingers, under nails, top of hand

4. Rinse - 10 sec 

5. Dry hand 

6. Turn off tap 

THE DANGER ZONE

= certain temperature range that bacteria is most likely to grow and survive on food 

• 4°C to 60°C 

• 40°F to 140°F

• Fridge slows down

  • Temperature between 0°C and 4°C

• Freezer stops bacteria growth until food is thawed 

  • Kept at 18°C

• Should thaw food in fridge, microwave, or cold water - NOT on counter 

  • New pathogen growth spread on surfaces 

Lesson 3: “Safe at home”

SPONGES AND DISH CLOTHS

Sources of bacteria 

• Coliform bacteria = bacteria indicates presence of fecal matter 

• Sponges 

  • Contain food residue → provide nutrients to bacteria, microorganisms 

• Moist conditions and nukes and crannies 

  • Ideal conditions for bacteria 

Safety precautions 

• Have a DRY kitchen

• Microwave sponges - 1 minute 

• Put clothes in dishwasher daily or replace daily 

COUNTERS

Source of bacteria 

• Hands 

• Wiping counter with dirty sponge or dishcloth 

• Curing raw meat 

Safety precaution 

• Use soap and water to remove dirt and grease 

• Use bleach solution as disinfectant 

SINKS

Source of bacteria 

• Listeria and Salmonella 

  • Especially found in sink drain 

  • Caused by washing meat and poultry in sink 

Safety precaution 

• Sanitize with bleach 

CUTTING BOARDS

Source of bacteria 

• Food residue in gashes and cuts  

Safety precaution 

• Sanitize with soap and water 

• Put in dishwasher 

• Can microwave small wood boards 

  • Careful of overheating*

REFRIGERATOR 

Source of bacteria 

• In danger zone can find; 

  • Yersinia enterocolitica → found in raw / uncooked pork

  • Listeria monocytogenes → found in cold cuts, hot dogs, and soft cheeses)

Safety precaution 

• Set below danger zone - 4°C

• Use thermometer to double check internal temperature 

• Do not store ready to eat food in fridge for more than 4 days 

  • Ex. hotdogs, luncheon meats - risk listeria 

  • Preferably only 2-3 days 

• Clean up spills and leaks to avoid growth 

FREEZERS

Safety precaution 

• Keep temperatures at -18°C

MICROWAVE OVENS

Source of bacteria 

• Cooks uneven - cold spots develop/ maintain survival of harmful bacteria

Safety precaution 

• Soups → heat in intervals, stirring in between intervals 

• Solid foods → let stand so heat transfers throughout foods 

• Use microwave safe containers 

  • Ex. pyrex or corning ware glass 

  • Avoid frozen containers, yogurt cups, margarine tubs, styrofoam, metal, anything labelled one-time use, decorative plates or mugs (metal in paint)

LEFTOVER RULES 

• 2,2,4

  • Max time. between cooking and refrigerating is 2 hours

  • Max. depth when storing food is 2 inches

    • Allows to cool down properly 

  • Max. time to have leftovers is 4 days

    • Must reheat to 74°C and liquids to rolling boil 

    • Dispose of what is unfinished 

GENERAL FOOD SAFETY

• Do NOT guess if food is safe by smelling or eyeballing 

  • Can only detect food spoilage not existence of pathogens 

• Avoid moldy food as conditions are also ideal for harmful bacteria growth 

• Some moldy food safe to consume are denser foods 

  • Can trim off mold → ex. Hard cheese, firm fruits, bell peppers, carrots, 

• Follow food recalls → warn of potential health risks 

• In power outages avoid opening and closing refrigerator and freezer 

  • Food in fridge can last max. 4 hours 

    • Discard perishables after 4 hours; milk, meat, leftovers, delifood 

  • Freezer can last max. 1 day if ½ full or 2 days if full 

    • Temperature MUST remain below 4°C

• Prevent cross contamination by separating bacteria harbouring foods 

  • Raw meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, away from produce 

  • Utensils and cutting boards separate for handling different foods 

  • Preparing vegetables before meats 

• 5 second rule is FALSE

  • Transfer on immediate contact - does not wait 

WASHING

• Wash hands for a minute. 15 seconds 

  • Sing happy birthday 

• Do not neglect under fingernails 

  • Use nail brush 

• Do NOT use antibacterial soap 

  • Contain triclosan - not effective as claimed 

  • Can remove bad and good bacteria on hands 

    • Contribute to antibiotic resistance 

  • Can impact regulation of hormones 

Lesson 4: “CBC Marketplace Video: Restaurant Violations”

FACTS 

• 25% of restaurant inspections have at least one major violation 

• 60% of employees (in all industries) come to work sick 

  • More + worse implication in food industry

RESTAURANT VIOLATION 

Least 

• Starbuck 

  • 11 violation in 100 inspections 

• KFC 

  • 13 violations in 100 inspections 

Most 

• Family dine in restaurants 

• Moxies 

  • 49 violations in 100 inspections 

• The Second Cup 

  • 40 violations in 100 inspections

• The Keg and Boston Pizza 

  • 36 violations in 100 inspections 

• Mcdonalds 

  • 33 violations in 100 

• Wendy’s 

  • 30 violations in 100 inspections

SYSTEMS 

Toronto Dine Safe

• 13 year running 

• Grading system shares how good/ food safe restaurants is

PRECAUTIONS 

• Examine CBC restaurant inspections list 

• Look at Health Canada inspections of restaurants

• Check washroom cleanliness 

  • Ex. if only cold water, people not likely to adequate wash hands 

• Speak to manager if something wrong 

• Call local public health 

• Be mindful and cautious of cleanliness and food safety at restaurants

Lesson 5: “Introduction to Foodborne Illness”

FOOD BORNE ILLNESS 

=  disease carried or transmitted through contaminated food 

• Outbreak = 2 or more cases of same illness 

• Caused by certain microorganisms 

  • Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites 

CONTAMINATION 

3 types of contamination 

1. Chemical contamination 

= cleaning products, insecticides, pesticides, + other chemicals get into prepared food

Prevention 

• Store chemicals away from food 

• Use safely 

• Do NOT store in food containers 

• Label chemicals properly 

2. Physical contamination 

= foreign objects in food 

• Ex. 

  • Glass

  • Hair 

  • Earrings 

  • Nail polish + false nails 

  • Band aids 

  • Staples from boxes 

  • Bread tags 

  • Metal shavings from opening cans 

Preventions 

• Don’t wear dangling jewelry 

• Open boxes and cartons carefully 

• Wear gloves with bandaids 

• Tie back hair 

• Open cans carefully 

• Clean counters before you chop and prepare foods 

3. Biological contamination 

= food contains microorganisms 

• Microorganisms = living cells exist everywhere in environment (not visible)

  • Ex. 

    • Bacteria

    • Viruses

    • Parasites 

    • Yeast

    • Mold 

  • Can be found on people, animals, insects, equipment, work spaces, utensil, and in air 

  • Some microorganisms are not harmful → ex. Cheese, yogurt 

• Especially dangerous as; 

  • Tasteless, odourless, invisible 

Encounters 

• Ingesting live pathogenic bacteria → grows in human body and makes ill 

  • Ex. 

    • Salmonella → in chicken, raw eggs, raw milk, bean sprouts, melon 

    • E. Coli → animal intestines/ ground meat, untreated water, raw veggies + fruit, unpasteurized milk, apple juice

    • Trichinosis → parasitic worms in uncooked pork 

• Ingesting toxins or poison formed by bacteria in food 

  • Ex. 

    • Staph / staphylococcus → in nose, throat, skin, pimples, feces 

    • Listeria → in soil, vegetation, animal feed, human/ animal feces

    • Botulism → in canned, jarred low acidity foods, honey  

Preventions 

• Destroy pathogens by cooking food well 

  • Use thermometer 

• Cook eggs well 

• Keep pets away from food 

• Avoid cross contamination

• Wash hand often and well 

• Keep foods out of danger zone 

• Do NOT use foods in bulging cans, cracked jars or with loose lids 

• Refrigerate canned and bottled items after opening 

BACTERIA

• Not all are bad 

• 99% harmless 

FATTOM 

= conditions needed for bacteria to survive and grow 

F → food = best in poultry and seafood as require proteins and nutrients 

A → acidity = low or neutral pH levels 

T → time = 2 hours or more 

T → temperature = warmer than 4°C + cooler than 60°C

O → oxygen = most require (exception: botulism) 

M → moisture = require moisture to survive 

KEY BACTERIA

1. Botulism 

= Food intoxication aka food poisoning, pathogenic bacteria 

• Found in low acidity, anaerobic environments 

  • Ex. canned corn, papers, green beans, soups, beets, asparagus, mushrooms, ripe olives, spinach, tuna, chicken, chicken liver, liver pates, luncheon meats, ham, sausage, stuffed eggplant, lobster, smoked + salted fish 

• Anaerobic bacteria 

  • Does not require oxygens 

2. Staphylococcus

=  Example of pathogenic bacteria

• Found in nose, throat, skin, pimples, feces 

3. E. Coli

= Example of pathogenic bacteria 

• Found in animal intestines (ground meat), untreated water, raw veggies and fruit, unpasteurized milk, apple juice

4. Listeria

= causes disease known as Listeriosis, pathogenic bacteria

• Mimics flu 

  • Blood poisoning, pregnancy compilation, meningitis (stiff neck, severe headaches, fever)

• Found in raw meat, raw seafood, raw milk, soft cheeses

5. Salmonella 

= pathogenic bacteria 

• Found in meat (chicken), raw eggs, raw milk, bean sprouts, melon 

  • Raw or uncooked eggs 

  • Shrimp, frog legs, yeast, coconut, pasta, chocolate 

• Nausea, fever, chills, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache

• Can be fatal

FOOD HYGIENE 

5 principles of food hygiene 

(according to WHO = World Health Organization)

1. Prevent contaminating food with pathogens from people, pets or pests 

2. Separate raw and cooked foods 

   1. Prevent contaminating cooked food 

3. Cook for appropriate duration and at correct temperature to kill pathogens 

4. Store at appropriate temperature

5. Use safe water and raw materials 

   1. Ex. lumber, cotton, air, seawater

Lesson 6 (8): “Knife Safety + Knife Safety Quiz”

SAFE PRACTICES 

Safety Tips

• Use appropriate knife for food 

• Avoid dangerous uses 

  • Ex. opening can or bottle 

• Use a sharp knife 

Sharpening 

• 45 degree angle to honing stick 

  • For straightening edge 

• 20 degrees to whetstone 

  • Sharpening knife 

Carrying 

• Hold handle, point towards ground, sharp edge facing behind you, at your side 

• Don’t catch falling knife, move away as drops 

• Lay knife on work surface when passing to someone, handle towards other person

Cleaning 

• Wash, sanitize, and dry before putting away → prevent rust 

• Wash knives separately from other dishes 

• Dry knives from dull size 

Storing 

• Use a knife block 

• Use blocks designed for kitchen drawers 

• Magnetic strip 

• Use knife sleeve → protect blade and hands 

Cutting board 

• Clean wooden, bamboo or plastic board 

• Avoid ceramic or marble surfaces → dull knives 

• Stabilize board with damp towel under → prevent slipping 

• Use separate boards for different foods 

  • Min 2 

1. Raw meats, poultry, fish 

2. Breads, vegetables, fruits, etc 

• Sanitize meat board with bleach solution 

  •  1 tablespoon chlorine bleach: 1 gallon water 

• Replaced board with grooves → area for bacteria growth 

3 ESSENTIAL KITCHEN KNIVES

1. Chef’s knife 

2. Paring knife 

3. Serrated bread knife 

Chef knife 

• Largest knife 

  • 8-10” long 

• With full tang is most stable and promote long wear 

• Use for anything that requires cutting board 

  • Chopping

  • Mincing

  • Slicing 

  • Dicing 

  • Ex. 

    • Herbs

    • Slicing watermelon 

    • Cutting fruits and veggies 

Pairing Knife

• Small blade 

  • 2 ½ - 4” long 

• Use for; 

  • Peeling fruits and veg 

  • Creating garnishes 

• Sharp blade to pare fruit and vegetables 

Serrated bread knife 

• Sharp 

• 7” long, ideally 9” long 

• Longer blade = cleaner slice 

• Serrated = saw tooth pattern in blade 

Others 

• Utility → larger paring knife for small to medium size food

  • Straight edge or serrated blade 

  • Ex. 

    • Tomato 

    • Apple 

•   Boning knife → thin angled blade for removing bones 

  • Remove from meat, fish, poultry 

• Slicing knife → different types all with long blade for slicing large foods 

  • Ex. 

    • Meat 

    • Poultry 

KNIFE USAGE

Claw 

• Grip prevent cutting fingers 

• Use dominant hand to rock knife a

• Non dominant hand guide with claw grip 

Cutting 

• Cut slow 

• Cut away from self 

• Dry hands 

• No distractions 

• Create flat surface on food to prevent slipping that continue cutting as necessary

• Use CHOO CHOO motion 

  • Rock knife back and forth 

• Tap chop 

  • Straight up and down, slices thin or thick

• Cross chop 

  • Point of knife stays on board 

  • Middle of blade goes straight down with sideways motion 

EFFECTIVELY CUT PEPPERS AND ONIONS

• Use chef knife for peppers 

ARTICLE NOTES

Lesson 7 (9): “Popular Cooking Methods and the Right Tool for the Job”

TOOLS

COOKING METHODS