BASIC FOOD SAFETY  Shipping

SAFETY TOOLS OF AND EQUIPMENT  Preparing

CROSS-CONTAMINATION
The safety of tools and equipment is not only the concern of the
management, but of the workers who use the equipment as well. - the transfer of harmful organisms from one surface to
another — is often the cause.
Proper maintenance and safety of tools and equipment are - This is especially troublesome for raw, ready-to-eat foods,
important for the following reasons: such as salads or other produce.

 Good quality of service RISK FACTOR

 Sanitation
 Fire prevention Whether you become ill after eating contaminated food
 Safety depends on the organism, the amount of exposure, your age and
 Less cost of production your health.

Safety measures in the use of tools and equipment: HIGH-RISK GROUPS include:

- Store knives, choppers and cutting blades in designated - Older adults. As you get older, your immune system may
places. Label them. not respond as quickly and as effectively to infectious
- Repair broken tools and equipment immediately. organisms as when you were younger.
- Check wiring of electrical equipment regularly - Pregnant women. During pregnancy, changes in
- Report kitchen equipment that are not functioning. metabolism and circulation may increase the risk of food
- Handle fragile tools or those tools made of glass with poisoning. Your reaction may be more severe during
care. Those with breaks should be discarded pregnancy. Rarely, your baby may get sick, too.
- Store tools and equipment in a clean dry place. Do not - Infants and young children. Their immune systems
keep them when wet. haven't fully developed.
- People with chronic disease. Having a chronic condition
FOOD POISONING — such as diabetes, liver disease or AIDS – or receiving
chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer reduces
- Also called foodborne illness. your immune response.
- Illness caused by eating contaminated food.
COMPLICATIONS
COMMON CAUSES OF FOOD POISONING
Some types of food poisoning have potentially serious complications
- Infectious organisms including bacteria, viruses and for certain people. These include:
parasites or their toxins.
- Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food o LISTERIA INFECTION
at any point of processing or production. Contamination - Complications of a listeria food poisoning may
can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or be most severe for an unborn baby.
cooked. - Early in pregnancy, a listeria infection may lead
to miscarriage.
FOOD POISONING SYMPTOMS - Later in pregnancy, a listeria infection may lead
to stillbirth, premature birth or a potentially fatal
- It can start within hours of eating contaminated food. Most infection in the baby after birth — even if the
often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without mother was only mildly ill.
treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital. - Infants who survive a listeria infection may
- It can start within hours of eating contaminated food. Most experience long-term neurological damage and
often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without delayed development
treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital.
- Nausea o ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI).
- Vomiting - Certain E. coli strains can cause a serious
- Watery or bloody diarrhea »Abdominal pain and cramps complication called HEMOLYTIC UREMIC
- Fever SYNDROME.
- This syndrome damages the lining of the tiny
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
blood vessels in the kidneys, sometimes
If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek leading to kidney failure.
medical attention. - Older adults, children younger than 5 and
people with weakened immune systems have a
- Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids higher risk of developing this complication. If
down you're in one of these risk categories, see your
- Bloody vomit or stools doctor at the first sign of profuse or bloody
- Diarrhea for more than three days diarrhea.
- Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping
- An oral temperature higher than 100.4 F (38 C)
- Signs or symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry
mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, C L E A N
or lightheadedness
TO PREVENT FOOD POISONING AT HOME
- Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle
weakness and tingling in the arms – wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces often.
CAUSES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION Wash your hands well with warm, soapy water before and
after handling or preparing food. Use hot, soapy water to
- Contamination of food can happen at any point of
wash utensils, cutting boards and other surfaces you use.
production:
 Growing
 Harvesting
 Processing HOW DO YOU PREVENT FOOD POISONING?
 Storing
Wash your hands often, especially during these key times when - At home, place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in
germs can spread: containers or sealed, leakproof plastic bags. Freeze them
if you’re not planning to use them within a few days.
- In the fridge, keep eggs in their original carton and store
them in the main compartment—not in the door.
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- After handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices,
or uncooked eggs
- Before eating C O O K
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature is high
used the toilet enough to kill germs that can make you sick:
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
- After touching garbage
- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
- Use a food thermometer to be sure your food is safe.
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
When you think your food is done, place the food
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing –After
thermometer in the thickest part of the food, making sure
handling pet food or pet treats.
not to touch bone, fat, or gristle.
Wash surfaces and utensils after each use:
Cook foods to a safe temperature.
- Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops
- The best way to tell if foods are cooked to a safe
with hot, soapy water, especially after they’ve held raw
temperature is to use a food thermometer. You can kill
meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
harmful organisms in most foods by cooking them to the
- Wash dish cloths often in the hot cycle of your washing
right temperature.
machine.
Keep food hot (140˚F or above) after cooking:
Wash fruits and vegetables, but not meat, poultry, or eggs:
- If you’re not serving food right after cooking, keep it out of
- Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water without
the temperature danger zone (between 40°F - 140°F)
soap, bleach, or commercial produce washes.
where germs grow rapidly by using a heat source like a
- Rinse fruits and vegetables before peeling, removing skin,
chafing dish, warming tray, or slow cooker.
or cutting away any damaged or bruised areas.
- Scrub firm produce like melons or cucumbers with a clean
produce brush.
- Dry produce with a paper towel or clean cloth towel. C H I L L
- Don’t wash meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood to avoid
spreading harmful germs around your kitchen. Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours:
- Produce labeled as “pre-washed” does not need to be
washed again. - Bacteria that cause food poisoning multiply quickest
between 40°F and 140°F.
- Your refrigerator should be set to 40°F or below and your
freezer to 0°F or below. Use an appliance thermometer to
S E P A R A T E be sure.
- Never leave perishable foods out of refrigeration for more
Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods. than 2 hours. If the food is exposed to temperatures above
90°F (like a hot car or summer picnic), refrigerate it within
- When shopping, preparing food or storing food, keep raw
1 hour.
meat, poultry, fish and shellfish away from other foods.
- Leftovers should be placed in shallow containers and
This prevents cross-contamination.
refrigerated promptly to allow quick cooling.
Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, - Never thaw or marinate foods on the counter. The
poultry, seafood, and eggs: safest way to thaw or marinate meat, poultry, and seafood
is in the refrigerator.
- Use one cutting board for fresh produce or other foods - Freezing does not destroy harmful germs, but it does keep
that won’t be cooked before they’re eaten. food safe until you can cook it.
- Use separate plates and utensils for cooked and raw - Know when to throw out food by checking our Storage
foods. Times chart. Be sure you throw food out before harmful
- Use hot, soapy water to thoroughly wash plates, utensils, bacteria grow.
and cutting boards that touched raw meat, poultry,
seafood, eggs, or flour Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly

Keep certain types of food separate: - within two hours of purchasing or preparing them. If the
room temperature is above 90 F (32.2 C), refrigerate
- Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other perishable foods within one hour.
foods and place packages of raw meat, poultry, and
seafood in plastic bags if available. When you check out, Defrost food safely
place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in separate bags
- Don't thaw food at room temperature. The safest way to
from other foods.
thaw food is to defrost it in the refrigerator. If you
- At home, place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in
microwave frozen food using the "defrost" or "50% power"
containers or sealed, leakproof plastic bags. Freeze them
setting, be sure to cook it immediately.
if you’re not planning to use them within a few days.
- In the fridge, keep eggs in their original carton and store Throw it out when in doubt.
them in the main compartment—not in the door.
- Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other - If you aren't sure if a food has been prepared, served or
foods and place packages of raw meat, poultry, and stored safely, discard it. Food left at room temperature too
seafood in plastic bags if available. When you check out, long may contain bacteria or toxins that can't be destroyed
place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in separate bags by cooking. Don't taste food that you're unsure about —
from other foods. just throw it out. Even if it looks and smells fine, it may not
be safe to eat.
Food poisoning is especially serious and potentially life-threatening - Approved chemical sanitizers are:
for young children, pregnant women and their fetuses, older adults, o chlorine
and people with weakened immune systems. These individuals o iodine, and
should take extra precautions by avoiding the following foods: o quaternary ammonium

WHAT TO AVOID? PROPER STORAGE OF KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

- Raw or rare meat and poultry Proper storage and handling of cleaned and sanitized
- Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, including oysters, equipment and utensils are very important to prevent
clams, mussels and scallops recontamination prior to use.
- Raw or undercooked eggs or foods that may contain them,
such as cookie dough and homemade ice cream Cleaned and sanitized equipment and utensils must be:
- Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa, bean, clover and radish o Stored in clean storage areas, and
sprouts o Handled properly to minimize contamination of food
- Unpasteurized juices and ciders contact surface.
- Unpasteurized milk and milk products
- Soft cheeses and unpasteurized cheese FOOD SAFETY
- Refrigerated pates and meat spreads
- Uncooked hot dogs, luncheon meats and deli meats - Never taste food that might be spoiled.
- Wipe or wash lids, caps, and the outside of bottles and
jars before putting them back in the refrigerator.
- Use separate cutting boards – one for meats, chicken, and
CLEANING
fish and the other for everything else – to avoid possible
- It is done with a cleaning agent that removes food, soil, or cross-contamination.
other substances. - Wash fruits and vegetables in cold water before you peel
- The right cleaning agent must be selected because not all or chop them.
cleaning agents can be used on food-contact surfaces - Keep raw meats, chicken and seafood in separate grocery
bags away from other groceries.
FUNDAMENTAL CLEANING PROCEDURES

o SCRAPE AND PRE-RINSE KITCHEN SAFETY

- soiled equipment surfaces are scraped and (BURNING/FIRE PREVENTION)
rinsed with warm water to remove loose food
soils. - Use dry potholders when handling hot items.
o CLEANING CYCLE - Turn handles of pans so they don’t stick out over the edge
- the removal of residual food soils from of the range or over other burners.
equipment surfaces is based on the - Always lift the lids of saucepans away from you so the
manipulation of the four basic cleaning factors steam will not burn you.
and the method of cleaning. Typically, alkaline - Do not reach across hot burners or lit gas burners.
chemical solutions are used for the cleaning - When you have finished cooking, make sure all oven and
cycle. range buttons or dials are turned off.
o RINSE
- rinse all the surfaces with cold to hot water, AVOIDING FALLS
depending on the temperature of the cleaning
cycle, to thoroughly remove all remaining - Wipe up spills immediately.
chemical solution and food soil residues. - Use a sturdy step stool or ladder to reach high places.
o ACID RINSE - Be sure all floor mats and rugs have non-skid backs.
- a mild acid rinse of the equipment neutralizes any
alkaline residues left and removes any mineral PREVENTING CUTS
soil present.
o SANITIZE - Always pick up a knife by its handle.
- all equipment surfaces are rinsed or flooded with - Always slice, chop, cut or dice foods on a cutting board.
a sanitizing agent. Both time and chemical - Never put your fingers near the moving parts of an electric
concentration are critical for optimum results. mixer, food processor, or blender.
- Be careful when you discard broken glass. Do not pick up
pieces with your bare hands. Sweep the larger pieces into
a dustpan. Use a wet paper towel to pick up smaller
SANITIZING pieces.

– It is done using heat, radiation, or chemicals. CHEMICAL PREVENTIONS

– Heat and chemicals are commonly used as a method for
sanitizing in a restaurant than radiation. - Read the labels. Chemical labels provide proper handling
– The item to be sanitized must first be washed properly and mixing instructions.
before it can be properly sanitized. - Label cleaning bottles.
– Some chemical sanitizers, such as chlorine and iodine, - Store liquid chemicals on lower shelves to avoid the risk of
react with food and soil and so will be less effective on spills.
surface that has not been properly cleaned.
AVOIDING ALLERGIES

METHODS OF SANITIZING - Only use utensils, cutting boards and pans that have been
thoroughly washed with soap and water.
1. THERMAL SANITIZING. - Consider using separate utensils and dishes for making
- It involves the use of hot water or steam. There and serving safe foods.
are three methods of using heat to sanitize - Wash your hands with soap and water before touching
surfaces- steam, hot water and hot air. Hot water anything else if you have handled a food allergen.
is the most common method used in restaurants. - Scrub down counters and tables with soap and water after
2. CHEMICALS. making meals.
Food Safety Basics

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are

essential in preventing foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or
taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food
preparation, follow the four guidelines to keep food safe:
- Clean—Wash hands and surfaces often.
- Separate—Don't cross-contaminate.
- Cook—Cook to proper temperatures, checking with a food
thermometer.
- Chill—Refrigerate promptly.