FN572 (Revised) Food Safety Basics A Reference Guide for Foodservice Operators Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D. Food and Nutrition Specialist January 2017 ore and more people are eating away Mfrom home each year, some due to convenience or recreation and others due to necessity. Whether dining in a fast food restaurant, a school foodservice, a hospital cafeteria, or a fine dining restaurant, people expect safe food and a clean environment. Providing safe food requires careful attention by both management and employees. The High Price of Foodborne Illness Since foodservice operations Foodborne illness costs lives Serving safe food has numer- and money. Millions of people ous benefits. By preventing are characterized by high become sick each year and foodborne illness outbreaks, turnover rates, employee thousands die after eating con- establishments can avoid legal taminated or mishandled foods. fees, medical claims, wasted training often poses a Children, the elderly and people food, bad publicity and possibly, with weakened immune systems closure of the establishment. challenge to managers. are especially vulnerable to An outbreak occurs when two foodborne illness. or more cases of a similar illness The objectives of this manual New estimates for the cost of are caused by eating a common foodborne illness were released food. According to the Centers are to 1) review basic aspects in 2010 and 2012. Scharff (2010; for Disease Control and Preven- 2012) estimated the cost of tion (2011), these are the annual of food sanitation throughout foodborne illness in the U.S. to statistics related to foodborne be $152 billion and $77.7 billion, illness in the U.S.: a foodservice operation and respectively. Scharff included • 48 million gastrointestinal 2) provide reference materials 30 identifiable pathogens plus illnesses foodborne illnesses for which no • 128,000 hospitalizations pathogen source can be identi- on food storage and other • 3,000 deaths fied in his estimate, while Hoff- aspects of food safety. mann et al. (2012) estimated that Some people are more at illness from 14 major pathogens risk of becoming ill from unsafe that account for more than 95 food. These populations include percent of the illnesses, hospi- young children, elderly, people talizations and deaths in the U.S. with compromised immune sys- cost $14.1 billion. tems and pregnant women. 2 What Makes Food Unsafe? Hazards can be introduced into foodservice operations in numerous ways: by employees, food, equipment, cleaning supplies and customers. The hazards may be biological (including bacteria and other microorganisms), chemical (including cleaning agents) or physical (including glass chips and metal shavings). Microbiological hazards (bacteria in particular) are considered the greatest risk to the food industry. Bacteria usually require Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen and Moisture in order to grow. Controlling any or all of these factors can help prevent bacterial growth. Remember “FAT- TOM” and how it relates to food safety. Temperature and time are the two most controllable factors for preventing foodborne illness. The temperature range between 41 F and 135 F is considered the “danger zone” because these temperatures are very conducive to bacterial growth. Within this range, bacteria grow most rapidly from 60 F to 120 F. When the conditions are right, bacteria double in number every 10 to 30 minutes. For instance, in three hours one bacterium can grow into thousands of bacteria. Cooking food to safe temperature and cooling food quickly, therefore, are critical steps in the prevention of foodborne illness. Weighing the Risks Certain foods and foodservice Researchers have identified 5. Improper hot holding procedures are more hazardous common threads between out- temperatures. than others. High protein foods breaks of foodborne illnesses. 6. Adding raw, contaminated such as meats and milk-based Outbreaks usually involve one or ingredients to food that products and foods that require more of these factors. receives no further cooking. a lot of handling during prepara- 1. Improper cooling of 7. Foods from unsafe sources. tion require special attention by foods — the leading cause of 8. Cross contamination of foodservice operations. Roast foodborne illness outbreaks. cooked food by raw food, beef, turkey, ham and Chinese 2. Advance preparation of food improperly cleaned and foods, for instance, have been (with a 12-hour or more sanitized equipment, or linked with more outbreaks of lapse before service). employees who mishandle foodborne illnesses than pizza, 3. Infected employees who food. barbecued meat or egg salad, yet practice poor personal all of these foods are considered 9. Improper use of leftovers. hygiene. potentially hazardous. Other 10. Failure to heat or cook food foods such as garlic in oil, rice, 4. Failure to reheat cooked thoroughly. melon and sprouts also have foods to temperatures that Source: CDC. been linked with outbreaks of kill bacteria. foodborne illness. 3 Food Safety Guidelines throughout a Foodservice Operation Purchasing Safe food begins with safe that show signs of being • Check packages to make sure raw materials. Food should be thawed and refrozen. they are dry and the seals are obtained from approved sources: • Reject canned goods that intact. • Meats should be inspected are dented, bulging or rusty. • Refrigerate potentially hazard- by the USDA or other agency Never taste the food in a ous foods immediately. with animal health jurisdic- damaged can. tion. The parts or packaging should carry a federal or state inspection stamp. • Eggs should have a USDA grade; frozen and dried eggs should be pasteurized. Storage Foods should be protected • Shellfish should be purchased Refrigerator Storage from time and temperature from suppliers that appear on • Maintain refrigerators at abuse by purchasing according public health service 41 F or lower. Place ther- to the storage space available. Food and Drug Administra- mometers in the warmest and Keep food in rooms designated tion lists of Certified Shellfish coldest areas of refrigerators; for storage -- not in restrooms or Shippers or on lists of state- measure and record air tem- hallways. Do not store frozen, approved sources. The control perature regularly. refrigerated or dry food directly tags must be available if live • Do not store raw uncooked on the floor or under overhead shellfish are used. meats above prepared foods. pipes. Place food on shelves or on mobile equipment at least six inches off the floor. Space foods Receiving so air can freely flow around Dry Storage All foods should be in excel- them. • Keep canned and dry lent condition when they arrive. Monitor expiration dates and goods dry. The quality and temperature of rotate stock. Use the “FIFO” • Label and date all dry goods. foods should be closely moni- principle – first in, first out. • Measure and record tored at delivery. Delivery times temperature regularly. should be planned for slow • Keep all goods in clean wrap- periods whenever possible to al- Freezer Storage pers and containers. In most low for inspection. Storage areas cases, wrap products in should be cleared prior to the • Maintain freezers at 0 F or lower. Monitor and record moisture proof and air-tight receiving shipments, so food can materials. be immediately stored, and the temperatures regularly. • Do not store foods taken from storage areas should be clean • Defrost units regularly. During their original containers in and well-lit to discourage pests. defrosting, store frozen foods galvanized (zinc-coated) Sanitary carts and dollies should in another freezer. containers such as garbage be readily available to store • Do not refreeze thawed foods cans. In addition, food should foods immediately. unless they have been thor- not be stored in enamelware, oughly cooked. • Check frozen foods for signs which may chip. Tomatoes, of thawing and refreezing, fruit punches or sauerkraut such as blood on meat boxes, should not be stored in metal fluid leakage, frozen liquids at containers (unless made of the bottom of the food carton stainless steel), due to po- or large ice crystals in or on tential leaching out of metals the product. Refuse shipments and other potential toxicants. Foods may be stored in food-grade plastic or glass containers. 4 Safe Food Production and Service Cooking After monitoring receiving and storage for safety, it is essential • Cook foods to safe time- to avoid cross-contamination and temperature/time abuse during temperature exposures. Use preparation, cooking, serving and cooling. Calibrated thermometers a clean sanitized thermometer should be used to monitor temperatures. The following guidelines to measure the temperature illustrate safe food handling at each stage. by placing the thermometer in the thickest part of the food. Preparation In sauces and stews, insert • Wash hands before beginning sink or in a ware-washing the thermometer at least two a task and after every sink that has been properly inches into the food. interruption that could cleaned and sanitized. • Calibrate thermometers regu- contaminate hands. The Use a brush as necessary. larly by inserting into a mixture handwashing sink -- not the Detergents are not suggested of ice and water and prep sink -- should be used. because they may leave adjusting the reading to 32 F/ • Avoid cross-contamination. residues. 0 C. Thermometers that have Cross contamination occurs • Disassemble, clean and sani- been dropped or exposed when harmful bacteria are tize meat slicers (and other to extremes in temperature transferred from one food equipment) on a timely basis. should be calibrated. to another by means of a • Wash, rinse and sanitize can Cook foods to the following nonfood surface, such as openers. Wash and rinse tops minimum internal temperatures utensils, equipment or human of cans before opening. for safety: hands. Cross contamination • Prepare batches of food Stuffed meat and pasta, can also occur food to no further in advance than microwave-cooked foods* food, such as when thawing necessary. 165 F for 15 seconds meat drips on ready-to-eat *Microwave-cooked foods should be stirred and rotated during cooking.