Course 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene Course 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene Personal Hygiene As a food handler, it is extremely important that you use good personal hygiene

Introduction to Food SafetyCourse 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene

A Training Series for Supermarket Deli, Bakery, and Cheese Department Associates

Course 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene

Introduction to Food Safety

A Training Series for Supermarket Deli,

Bakery, and Cheese Department Associates

PO Box 5528Madison, WI [email protected]

First Edition

© 2012, International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™

No part of this publication may be altered without the express written permission of the International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association. Contact [email protected] for permission.

The information presented in this book has been compiled from sources and documents believed to be reliable. However, the accuracy of the information is not guaranteed, nor is any responsibility assumed or implied by the International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association.

© 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™ i

About This Series

Food safety is the most important aspect of your job. If the food you sell isn’t safe to eat, it doesn’t matter how great it tastes, how appetizing it looks, or what a great value it is. Food safety is only as strong as the weakest link in your store. Do your part every day, every time, to ensure that your store’s food is safe. Th is series of courses will teach you why food safety is important and what you can do as an associate to keep food safe.

Th is series has three courses:

• Course 1: Personal Hygiene.

• Course 2: Department Cleanliness.

• Course 3: Proper Food Handling.

Course 1: Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is one of the most important tasks of a food handler. It pro-vides the foundation for providing safe food in your department. Even with the best food safety systems, personal hygiene is oft en the fi nal link between safe foods and the consumer. A simple personal hygiene mistake can easily result in a foodborne illness outbreak. In this course, you’ll learn:

• How to properly wash hands.

• When to wash hands.

• Proper uniforms.

• When to stay home from work when ill.


What You’ll Learn:What You’ll Learn:

• What is food safety?

• Why is food safety important?

• What is the role of personal hygiene?

• How to keep the department clean and sanitized.

• What pathogens aff ect food?

• How to control food pathogens.

ii © 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™


Course 2: Department Cleanliness

Department sanitation is another vital link in keeping food safe. Customers judge the quality of your department based, in part, on its appearance. Th e department needs to be properly cleaned and sanitized to keep food safe. In this course, you’ll learn:

• How to clean & sanitize work surfaces.

• About washing & sanitizing in a three-compartment sink.

• When to clean & sanitize.

Course 3: Proper Food Handling

Understanding potential pathogens and contaminants in food is the fi rst step in learning to control them and provide safe food. Viruses and bacteria are two of the leading food pathogens and the cause of many foodborne illnesses. Controlling the growth and spread of harmful pathogens is key to minimizing foodborne illness risks. Many of the foods in your department require time and temperature monitoring for safety. Monitoring food to minimize the growth of pathogens while receiving, storing, preparing, and handling it for customer sale is essential in providing safe food. In this course, you’ll learn:

• What are the major types of food pathogens and contaminants?

• What are Time and Temperature Controlled for Safety (TCS) foods?

• What conditions support pathogen growth?

• Time & Temperature Danger Zone.

• Proper food cooking, holding, and storage.

• First-In, First-Out (FIFO) stock rotation.

© 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™ iii

About Th is Series

Introduction to Food Safety includes the three courses, a Final Quiz, a Final Quiz Answer Key, and an Associate Tracking Tool. As you work through this series you’ll fi nd: Exercises, Answer Keys, Links to Job Guides at IDDBA’s Web site, and Links to IDDBA Casts at IDDBA’s Web Site.

Exercises

Links to FREE Job Guides at IDDBA’s Web site

Answer Keys

Links to FREE IDDBA Casts at IDDBA’s Web site

How to Get the Best Results

You can take the Introduction to Food Safety courses either as workbooks or as online courses. Th e most enriching experi-ence will be electronically because each course has live links and buttons to access audio training. Your supervisor has chosen the method of deployment to you. All courses should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes to complete. However, you or your supervisor can customize this based on your available training time, what works best for you, and the needs of your business.

IDDBA Job Guides for Department Associates

Use our free, downloadable IDDBA Job Guides as part of your training experience. Print them from www.iddba.org/jobguides.aspxand use them as helpful guides as you work. Food safety IDDBA Job Guides are available in English and Spanish.

Progress Report

Use this Progress Record to keep track of your course and your exam completion.

Course Name Completion Date Job Guides Used ✓ IDDBA Casts Used ✓

Personal Hygiene

Food Safety: Personal Hygiene

Food Safety: When to Wash Hands

Food Safety: How to Wash Hands

Department Cleanliness

Proper Food Handling

Food Safety: Listeria Basics What is Listeria?

Food Safety: Digital Thermometer Calibration Preventing Listeria Growth in the Deli

Food Safety: Analog Thermometer Calibration How Food Processors Prevent Listeria

Food Safety: Proper Cooking, Holding, & Reheating

Food Safety: Proper Chilling & Holding

Food Safety: Receiving

Food Safety: FIFO Product Rotation

Food Safety: Hot TCS Food Rotation

Food Safety: Cold TCS Food Rotation

Food Safety: Slicing Deli Meat Storage

Food Safety: Bakery Storage Guidelines

Food Safety: FAT TOM

Final Quiz

PDF

iv © 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™


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© 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™ 1.5

What is Food Safety?

Food safety is about keeping foods safe by minimizing risk. As a supermarket deli, bakery, or cheese department employee, you will be working with many foods that need to be handled properly. Improperly handled food can lead to a foodborne illness, which is a disease transmitted to people through food.

Th ere are many challenges to keeping food safe in your store:

• Pressures to work more quickly and effi ciently.

• Minimizing waste, usually referred to as shrink.

• Training time that keeps associates off the sales fl oor can be expensive.

• Staff turnover makes training and keeping food safety practices consistent challenging.

Work with your manager to ensure that food safety practices and training are a priority in your department. Working too fast, taking short cuts, or expecting untrained staff to handle food properly can result in serious food safety issues in your department.

Why is it Important?

Th e Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 48 million people contract a food-borne illness each year in the United States. Th ese illnesses result in 128,000 hospitaliza-tions and 3,000 deaths. www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html.


What You’ll Learn:What You’ll Learn:

• What is Food Safety?

• Why is it Important?

• Proper handwashing.

• When to wash hands.

• When to stay home from work when ill.

1.6 © 2012 International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™


At-Risk Customers

Safe food is important for all of your customers. Customers expect your store and your department to provide safe food every time they shop.

Almost every supermarket serves some high-risk customers. Customers at higher risk for foodborne illnesses include:

• Th e elderly.

• Infants and young children.

• Pregnant mothers.

• People with food allergies.

• Customers with certain medical conditions.

Th e fact is, your department likely serves customers from all of these groups. What’s more, the food you sell goes well beyond the customer who purchases it in the store. It may be shared with someone from a susceptible population at home.

A foodborne illness outbreak can be very costly to your store and can lead to:

• Loss of sales.

• Damaged reputation.

• Lower staff morale.

• Increased costs from lawsuits/insurance.

Who is Responsible?

• You — to follow safe food handling practices every time.

• Your Store — to provide the support and infrastructure to keep food safe.

• Your Suppliers — to deliver safe products to your store.

• Your Customers — to continue to follow safe food handling at home.

Photo by Ernst Vikne

Photo by Taki Lau

Photo by Michael Kordahi



Personal Hygiene

As a food handler, it is extremely important that you use good personal hygiene practices. Customers value cleanli-ness in the stores they shop. Your appearance contributes to making a good impression.

You are near food and food handling equipment whenever you are in your department. Th ere are many ways people can contaminate food; keeping yourself clean is an important step in reducing foodborne illness.

Hand Washing

Sink Set-up — ensure that hand washing stations in the department are fully functional and properly stocked. A proper hand washing setup includes:

• Hot running water.

• Soap.

• Disposable paper towels or air dryers.

• Trash can.

• Handwashing signage as required.

Customer Perception

The cleanliness of your department affects customer perceptions. In fact, 96% of deli consumers and 95% of bakery consumers relate that department cleanliness is an important factor in deciding where they shop. Similarly, 96% of deli consumers and 95% of bakery consumers report that employees’ handling of food in a sanitary manner is an important factor in where they choose to shop.

So keep in mind that your department’s appearance and cleanliness, and your handling of food are important to both food safety and to sales. Clean departments with sound food safety practices attract customers.

Take a look around your department and think of how customers view it. Make sure your department and food safety practices are sending the right message about your store.

Data from IDDBA research, Consumers in the Deli and

Consumers in the Bakery.



Technique — to properly wash hands:

• Wet hands, use water as hot as you can tolerate.

• Vigorously wash hands and exposed portions of arms with soap and water for 10-15 seconds. Pay particular attention to the area around and under your fi ngernails. (Use a fi ngernail brush if necessary).

• Rinse your hands with running water

• Dry with a disposable towel or air dryer. If the faucet is not foot or elec-tronically activated, use the paper towel to turn off the water. Also use the paper towel to open the restroom door. Dispose of the towel in the trash container.

Hand Antiseptics

Hand antiseptics are gels or liquids designed to decrease the number of pathogens on the skin. They may be used after proper handwashing but should NEVER be used in place of proper hand washing. Hand antiseptics must comply with FDA requirements and if you use them, wait for the antiseptic to dry before handing food.



When to Wash Hands

Always wash your hands at the beginning of your shift . In addition, wash your hands aft er any activity that may contaminate them such as:

• Aft er using the restroom

• Aft er breaks(Photo by Steve Ryan)

• Aft er taking out the trash (be sure to change your apron aft er handling trash)

• Aft er handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood

• Aft er handling chemicals

• When switching between food preparation tasks

• Aft er touching your hair, face, or body

• Aft er touching dirty aprons or clothing

• Before putting on new gloves

• Aft er eating, drinking, chewing gum or tobacco

• Aft er smoking • Aft er handling money

Food Safety:

When to Wash Hands

IDDBA.ORG/JOBGUIDES.ASPX

PDF



Glove Use

Single-use gloves can also help keep food safe by minimizing contact between food and bare hands. Remember, gloves are only as safe as you keep them. Change gloves following the same activities that require hand washing.

• Wash hands before putting gloves on

• Handle gloves by the cuff when taking them from the box and putting them on.

• Change them as soon as they become torn or soiled.

• Change them at least every 4 hours.

Gloves

Some regulatory agencies allow false nails and/or nail polish as long as single-use gloves are used.

If you have a cut or wound on your hand, it must be properly bandaged and covered with a single-use glove or finger cot.



Personal Cleanliness

General Cleanliness/Appearance

Your appearance helps customers form their initial impressions of the depart-ment. Be sure your uniform and apron are clean. Ask your manager about your store’s procedures for getting a clean apron during your shift .

Hair Restraints

Wear a clean hat or other hair restraint. If you have facial hair, wear a beard restraint too.

Jewelry

Remove all jewelry from the hands and arms. You may wear a plain wedding band. Your store may also prohibit wearing other jewelry such as earrings or necklaces.

Food Safety:

Personal Hygiene

IDDBA.ORG/JOBGUIDES.ASPX

PDF



Hands/Nails

In addition to clean hands, your nails should be clean and trimmed as well. No nail polish or artifi cial nails should be worn.

Aprons/Uniforms

Make sure that your apron and uniform are clean and that you understand where to get a clean apron during your shift . Always remove and properly store your apron when you leave the department for a break, when you go to the restroom, or when you handle garbage.



When to Stay Home from Work When Ill

When to stay home is another important consideration. Be sure to understand your store’s policy. You should stay home if:

• You have been diagnosed with a foodborne illness.

• You have been vomiting.

• You have had diarrhea.

• You are jaundiced.

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Review of Course 1

1. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over __________ people contract a foodborne illness in the United States each year.

2. Number the handwashing steps in the proper order:

Dry hands with disposable towel ______

Wet hands with warm water ______

Rinse hands ______

Vigorously wash hands and exposed portions of arms for 10-15 seconds ______

3. Which of the following situations require that you wash hands?

❑ After using the restroom

❑ Before putting on new gloves

❑ After handling chemicals

❑ After taking out the trash

❑ All of the above



4. How often do you need to change your gloves?a. Every 4 hoursb. At the end of your shiftc. Never as long as they are intactd. Every 15 minutes

5. Which type of jewelry is generally acceptable to wear during your shift?a. Solid gold earringsb. Waterproof watchc. Simple wedding bandd. Chain necklace

6. When do you need to stay home from work for food safety considerations?a. If you have a headacheb. If you are tiredc. If you have a sore backd. If you have been vomiting

Answer Key

page 1.16



Review of Course 1

Answer Key

1. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 48 million people contract a foodborne illness in the United States each year.

2. Number the handwashing steps in the proper order:

Dry hands with disposable towel 4

Wet hands with warm water 1

Rinse hands 3

Vigorously wash hands and exposed portions of arms for 10-15 seconds 2

3. Which of the following situations require that you wash hands?All of the above

4. How often do you need to change your gloves?a. Every 4 hours

5. Which type of jewelry is generally acceptable to wear during your shift?c. Simple wedding band

6. When do you need to stay home from work for food safety considerations?d. If you have been vomiting

Documents

Course 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene Course 1: Introduction and Personal Hygiene Personal Hygiene As a food handler, it is extremely important that you use good personal hygiene