An Introduction to Food Safety

Transcription

1 An Introduction to Food Safety

2 Foodborne illness Defined as a disease or illness transmitted to people by food When 2 or more people become sick with the same illness after eating the same food, it is called a foodborne illness outbreak.

3 Foodborne illness While the foodservice industry does well to provide safe food to its customers, foodborne illness happens. Foodborne illness costs the US billions of dollars each year; according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA) just one outbreak may cost an individual restaurant thousands of dollars.

4 Cost of Foodborne Illness Foodborne illness can come at a huge cost to a restaurant including: Losing customers and sales Negative news coverage Lawsuits and associated legal fees Increased insurance cost Loss of good reputation Lowered employee morale Staff retraining Employee absenteeism

5 The Human Cost According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are approximately 76 million cases of foodborne illness each year. Of the 76 million cases, more than 300,000 will need to be hospitalized and 5,000 of these individuals will die. Thankfully with proper training and adherence, you can do your part to prevent foodborne illness.

6 High-Risk Populations Some people are at a higher risk for contracting a foodborne illness. These groups are considered highrisk. High-risk groups have weakened immune systems, therefore operations that serve these individuals must follow special rules. Because you never know to whom you may be serving food, safety is of utmost importance!

7 High-Risk Population High-risk populations include: Elderly Infants and pre-school children People with cancer, receiving chemotherapy, those with HIV/AIDS, transplant recipients, or other general immune deficiency Even if a high-risk individual survives the illness, the effect can be lasting.

8 Forms of contamination In order to protect food, you must be aware of what might make food unsafe. These are referred to as hazards. Food becomes contaminated when these hazardous materials are present in food. Food can become unsafe in a variety of ways.

9 HOW FOOD BECOMES UNSAFE Poor personal hygiene transfers pathogens from your body to food. Time-temperature abuse allows foods to stay at temperatures that allow pathogens to grow. Cross-contamination transfers pathogens from one surface/food to another. NOTE: pathogens are microorganisms that cause illness think germs.

10 Biological Contamination Pathogens are the biggest threat to food safety. There are 4 types of pathogens that can contaminate food. They include: Viruses Bacteria Parasites Fungi very bad party food

11 HOW FOOD BECOMES UNSAFE Poor cleaning and sanitizing can allow contaminated surfaces to have contact with food. Purchasing from unapproved suppliers can allow unsafe foods into the operation.

12 Biological Contamination While they often cannot be seen, viruses, present in food, can cause illness. Some fungi though, like mold, can change the appearance of food but may not cause illness. There are many ways to fight contamination!

13 The Top 4 Foodborne Illnesses Salmonella Name of a group of bacteria. Most common cause of food poisoning in USA, lasting 4-7 days. Most people heal without treatment. More serious for older adults, infants and persons with chronic diseases. Destroyed by cooking and pasteurization. Sources: Contaminated eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, contaminated raw fruits and vegetables (alfalfa sprouts, melons), spices and nuts (Mainly associated with raw poultry and eggs, destroyed by cooking or pasteurization.) Symptoms: Diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting

14 The Top 4 Foodborne Illnesses E. Coli Name of a type of bacteria that lives in people s and animals intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless but some types cause illness. Sources: Contaminated food, especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, soft cheeses made from raw milk and raw fruits and vegetables (such as sprouts) Contaminated water (drinking untreated water or swimming in contaminated water) (Mainly associated with raw or undercooked ground beef.) Symptoms: Severe diarrhea that is often bloody, severe abdominal pain, and vomiting. Usually, little or no fever is present

15 The Top 4 Foodborne Illnesses Listeria Unlike many other germs since it can grow even in a cold refrigerator. Killed by cooking and pasteurization. Sources: Ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs Refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads Unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products Soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk, such as queso fresco, Feta, Brie, Camembert Refrigerated smoked seafood Raw sprouts (Mainly associated with hotdogs, deli meat and, Symptoms: Fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, vomiting, sometimes preceded by diarrhea

16 Top 4 Foodborne Illnesses Botulism Foodborne botulism comes from eating foods contaminated with the toxin. Sources: Improperly canned foods, home-canned or fermented fish, herb-infused oils, foil-wrapped baked potatoes, cheese sauce, bottled garlic, foods held warm for an extended time. (Mainly associated with the darkest of places, dented/punctured cans and foil-wrapped baked potatoes kept warm for a long period of time.) Symptoms: Double/blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness

17 FAT TOM Pathogens need special conditions to grow. These conditions can be made easy to remember by using the acronym FAT TOM. Food-handlers can keep food safe by controlling FAT TOM conditions which include: FOOD -- TIME ACIDITY -- OXYGEN TEMPERATURE -- MOISTURE

18 FAT FOOD: Pathogens need an energy source; food provides this. ACIDITY: Pathogens grow best in food that has little or no acid. Acid levels between are most ideal for pathogen growth. TEMPERATURE: Temperatures between 41*F and 135*F allow pathogens to grow at rapid rates. This temperature range is referred to as the temperature danger zone (TDZ).

19 TOM Time: Pathogens need time to grow. When food is in the TDZ, pathogens grow rapidly. It takes about 4 hours for pathogen growth to reach levels that can make someone sick. Oxygen: Some pathogens need oxygen to grow. Other can grow without it. Moisture: Pathogens need moisture in food to grow. Therefore, foods like tomatoes and melons easily support pathogen growth.

20 TCS FOODS Some foods are more vulnerable to pathogen growth than others. These foods require greater control of time and temperature when handling and are referred to as TCS or Time-Temperature for Safety foods.

21 TCS FOODS Foods most likely to become unsafe or TCS foods include: Milk and dairy products Meat: beef, pork, lamb Eggs Poultry Fish Shellfish

22 TCS FOODS Other TCS foods include: Baked potatoes Cooked rice, beans, vegetables Tofu and soy products Sprouts and seeds Sliced melons and cut tomatoes Untreated garlic and oil mixtures

23 CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION Restaurants use lots of chemicals to keep things clean. Unfortunately these cleaners, sanitizers, polishes, and machine lubricants can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness. For this reason, it is important that chemicals are stored separately from food and that you follow manufacturers guidelines for use at all times.

24 Physical Contamination When objects get into food it is called physical contamination. These objects may naturally occur (like fish bones) or be introduced by an accident. Examples: Metal shavings from cans Glass from broken light bulbs Fingernails, hair and bandages Jewelry Fruit pits Thankfully, most physical contamination is preventable by close inspection of foods.

25 Keep It SAFE! As you can see, there are many potential hazards to food safety. As a food-handler, your responsibility is to be aware of these hazards and to follow proper protocol to avoid them. The cost of serving/eating unsafe food is too great to risk. Anytime you have a question or are unsure of the safety of something you are preparing or serving, ask your instructor immediately.