fundamentals of

fundamentals of

Safe food handling begins at production and continues through the preparation process. Food-borne illness,

commonly known as food poisoning, is caused by eating food that is contaminated by bacteria or other harmful substances. To prevent food-borne illness, all staff members should know

and understand food safety principals.

Manage receiving and storage

Maintain good personal hygiene

Prepare food correctly

Check temperatures when cooking,

serving, and holding

Follow HACCP Principles

Restrain hair by wearing a clean hat or a hair

restraint

Wear clean and appropriate clothing

Remove all jewelry

Maintain good health Report any wounds, illnesses, or health issues

Bathe reguarly and maintain personal

cleanliness

Avoid unsanitary habits, like...

• Scratching your scalp• Running your fingers through your hair• Wiping or touching your nose• Rubbing your ear• Touching a pimple or infected wound• Wearing a dirty uniform• Coughing or sneezing into your hand• Spitting

Keep fingernails short and

clean

Do NOT wear nail

polish

Do NOT wear fake

nailsYou are coveredin bacteria. Everyone has bacteria. It can be found on your hair, skin, mouth, nose, and throat — even when you are healthy! The most important tool we have to prevent foodborne illness, therefore, is personal hygiene.

Dry hands and

arms.Use a single-use paper

towel or hand dryer. Consider using a paper

towel to turn off the faucet and open the

restroom door.

5Rinse hands

and arms.Use warm,

running water.

4

Scrub hands

and arms.Scrub them for 10

to 15 seconds. Clean under fingernails

and between fingers.

3

Wet hands

and arms.Use running water as hot as you can

comfortably stand.

1

Food handlers must wash hands after:

• Using the restroom• Handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood —

wash before and after• Touching your hair, face, or body• Sneezing, coughing, or using a tissue• Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum,

chewing tobacco• Handling chemicals that might

affect food safety• Taking out the garbage• Clearing tables or busing dirty dishes• Touching clothing or aprons• Handling money• Leaving and returning to the kitchen or

prep area• Handling service animals or aquatic animals• Touching anything else that may

contaminate hands

Apply soap.

Apply enoughto build up a good lather.

2

Handwashingsteps:

Wash and dry hands

before putting gloves on

Choose the correct glove

size

Hold gloves by

the edge when putting them

on

Once gloves are on, check for rips and

tears

Do NOT blow into gloves

Do NOT roll gloves up to make them easier to put

on

Gloves must NEVER

be used in place of

handwashing

NEVER wash and reuse

gloves

The DOs and DON'Ts of

wearing gloves.

Eggs• Handle pooled eggs with special care• Consider using pasteurized egg products• Promptly clean and sanitize all equipment and utensils

Produce• Do not expose to raw meat and poultry• Wash thoroughly under running water• When soaking, do not mix with other items

Meat, Fish, Poultry• Use clean and sanitized work areas and equipment• Wash hands properly• Remove from refrigerator only as much as you can

prepare at one time• Return raw prepared meat to refridgerator, or

cook it immediately

Ice• Ice must be made from drinking water• Ice used to chill should not be used as an ingredient• Use a clean, sanitized container and ice scoop

Preparing

ProperWays toThaw:

Refridgerate at 40°F or lower

Place under running water that is 70°F or

lower

Microwave if the food will be cooked

immediately

Handle food carefully.Food becomes hazardous by contamination. Contamination occurs when harmful substances, like chemicals, get in the food. Contamination also occurs when microorganisms, like bacteria, grow in food.

Temperature Danger Zone41° – 135°FMicroorganisms are more likely to grow when the temperature of potentially hazardous foods is in the danger zone.

Prevent cross-contamination.While prepping and cooking, be aware of when food comes into contact with another food. When this happens, harmful microorganisms from one food can contaminate the other food.

Food-to-Food Contamination Example: Thawing meat drips onto fresh produce

Equipment-to-Food ContaminationExample: You cut fresh produce on a cutting board that was just used to cut raw meat

For this reason, food must be handled very carefully when it is thawed, cooled, cooked, and reheated.

the right way to use a

Fill a large container with crushed iceand water.

Put the thermometer stem or probe into the water.

Adjust the thermometer soit reads 32°F.

Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the thickest part.

Take another reading in a different spot.

Wait for the thermometer

reading to steady before recording the

temperature.

Make sure thermometers are accurate to

+/- 2°F

Calibrating

Measuring

Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-

dry thermometers before and after

using them.

1 2 3

1 2

Measures temperature through a metal probe — comes with

interchangeable probes, including:

Immersion ProbeSurface Probe

Penetration ProbeAir Probe

Measures temperature through the metal stem

Measures the surface

temperature of food and

equipment. To use, hold as close to the food, food package,

or equipment as possible

Attached to packages by the

supplier

Monitors both time and temperature.

A color change appears on the device

when time-temperature

abuse has occured

Thermocouple Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometer

Infrared (Laser) Thermometer

Time-Temperature Indicator

Cooling

You have a limited amount of time to cool food safely.If food has not been cooked for immediate service, it should be cooled to 41°F in under 6 hours to eliminate the possibility of bacteria growth.

If you cool the food from 135° to 70° in less than 2 hours, use the remaining time of 4 hours to cool it to 41° or lower.

135°

70°

2 hours

70°

4 hours41°Best options for

cooling food:• Place food in an ice-water bath• Stir food with an ice paddle• Place food in a blast chiller

or tumble chiller• Use ice or cold water as

an ingredient

Before cooling food, reduce it's size.

Cooking

165° 165° 155°

155° 155° 155°

145° 145° 145°

145° 135° 135°

Poultrywhole or ground

chicken, turkey, or duck

Stuffingmade with fish, meat, or poultry

Ground Meatbeef, pork, lamb, and other meat

Injected Meatincluding brined ham and

flavor-injected roasts

Ground Seafoodincluding chopped or minced seafood

Ratitesincluding ostrich

and emu

Seafoodincluding fish, shellfish,

and crustaceans

Steaks/Chopsof pork, beef,

veal, and lamb

Roasts

Fruits & Vegetables

Shell Eggsthat will be served

immediately

Grains & Legumesincluding rice,

pasta, beans, etc.

Minimalinternalcooking temperature (°F)

* Temperatures must be maintained for at least 15 seconds, excluding roasts, which must be maintained for 4 minutes.

Hot food must be held at

135°F or higher.

Once removed from temperature control, hot food can be held up to

4 hoursbefore it must be served or discarded.

Once removed from temperature control, cold food can be held up to

6 hoursbefore it must be served or discarded.

Holding

Cold food must be held at 41°F or lower. Cold food

must never exceed 70°F

Prevent contamination when serving and holding food.Once the back of house staff has taken all precautions to keep food from becoming contaminated, it’s important for the front of house staff to do the same. For the front of house staff, this means monitoring food temperature and preventing cross-contamination.

Cross-contamination occurs when microbes and dirt from people, raw meat, and raw fruits and vegetables transfer to ready-to-eat foods on utensils and equipment.

If food remains in the

temperature danger zone for 4 hours or longer, foodborne

microorganisms can grow to levels high

enough to make someone ill.

Carry plates of food from the bottom,

without touching the top of the plate

Pick up silverware by

the stem

Do not pick up silverware by the part

you eat with

Scoop ice using a clean, designated

ice scoop

Do not scoop ice using a

drinking cup

Do not wrap your fingers around the plate, touching the area meant for food

Serving

CORRECT INCORRECT

Food safety is everyone's responsibility.Most foodborne illnesses are caused by bacteria spread by the people who handle food. Anyone can contaminate food with a harmful microorganism and not even know it!

Use clean and sanitized

utensils.

• Use separate utensils for each food

• Clean and sanitize utensils after each task

• Use serving utensils with long handles

• Store serving utensils properly

vs.

Transport clean glasses using a clean

dishwashing rack

Do not transport

clean glasses by stacking

and carrying as many as

possible

Hey, there's a delivery!When you receive food, it’s important to Inspect the delivery carefully and sample product temperatures. Check that all food packages are intact, make sure produce is fresh, and refridgerate products as soon as possible.

Cold TCS Food • 41°F or lower, unless specified

Hot TCS Food • 135°F or higher

Frozen Food • Frozen solid

Live Shellfish • Air temperature of 45°F• Internal temperature of 50°F or less• Once received, cool it to an internal temperature

of 41°F or lower in 4 hours

Shucked Shellfish • 45°F or lower• Must be cooled to an internal temperature of

41°F or lower in 4 hours

Milk • 45°F or lower• Must be cooled to an internal temperature of

41°F or lower in 4 hours

Shell Eggs • Air temperature of 45°F or lower

Be sure to keep packages of raw meat and poultry separate.

Sample product temperatures when they arrive.

Meat, Poultry, Fish:Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the thickest part of the food (usually the center).

Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) food and bulk food:Insert the thermometer stem or probe between two packages. Be careful not to puncture the packaging.

Other Packaged Food:Open the package and insert the thermometer stem or probe into the food. Fully immerse the sensing area in the item.

Receiving

E

Continue monitoring the temperature of stored food.Once the food arrives and you ensure it is in a safe temperature zone, it is your job to keep it in that safe zone. Refridgerate foods as soon as possible, and make sure your cooler’s thermometers are working properly.

Storing

Mark the date of ready-to-eat food.Ready-to-eat food can be stored for only 7 days if it is held at 41°F or lower. This count begins on the day that the food was prepared or a commercial container was opened.

Storage units should have at least one air temperature measuing device. It must be accurate to +/- 3°F. Place the device in the warmest part of refridgerated units, and in the coldest part of hot holding units.

135°F or higher

41°F or lower

10/7potato salad

Store food in designated storage areas.Food should be stored in a clean, dry location away from dust and other contaminants. Never store food in locker rooms, restrooms, garbage rooms, mechanical rooms, under leaking water lines, or under stairwells.

A

C

D

B

Follow the rule ofFIFO: First In, First Out

Store fooditems in thistop-to-bottom order:A. Ready-to-eat foodB. SeafoodC. Whole cuts of beef

and porkD. Ground meat and

ground fishE. Whole and ground

poultry

Potato salad prepared and stored on October 1 would have a discard date of October 7 on the label.

Some operations write the date the food was prepared on the label; other write the use-by date.

E

Surfaces can be sanitized using heat or

chemicals.

Sanitizers should be mixed

with water to the correct

concentration

Not enough sanitizer may

make the solution weak and useless

Too much santizer may

make the solution too

strong, unsafe, and corrode

metal

Check concentration with a test kit. Make

sure it is designed for the sanitizer used, and

check often.

The sanitizer must make contact with the object for a specific

amount of time. Minimum times differ

for each sanitizer.

Heat

The water must be at least 171°F

Immerse the item for 30 seconds

Chemicals

Chlorine, Iodine, or Quats

Soak in a sanitizing solution or rinse,

swab, or spray with a sanitizing solution

How to sanitize food-contact surfaces:Scrape or remove food bits from the surface

Wash the surface

Rinse the surface

Sanitize the surface

Allow the surface to air-dry

* Change the santizing solution when it’s dirty or when the concentration is too low.

Unplug the equipment

Scrape any food off the equipment surfaces and then wash, rinse, and sanitize the equipment surfaces, making sure the sanitizer comes in contact with each surface. Allow all surfaces to air-dry.

Put the unit back together

How to sanitize stationary equipment:

1

2

3

4

5

1

3

4

Take the removable parts off the equipment and wash, rinse, and sanitize them by hand or in the dishwasher, if allowed

2

Scrape, rinse, or soak items before washing

Use the correct dish racks, and never overload them

Clean and sanitize each sink and drain board

WashFill the first

sink with detergent and water that’s at

least 110°F

RinseFill the

second sink with clean

water

SanitizeFill the third

sink with water and sanitizer to the correct concentration

Air dry items on a clean, sanitized

surface Use a clock with a second hand to know how long items have been in the sanitizer

Sink 1 Sink 2 Sink 3

machine dishwashing>

manual dishwashing>

Check the machine's water temperature and

water pressure, and clean the machine often

Check dish detergent and sanitizer before

washing dishes

Clean and sanitize drawers and shelves

before items are stored

Store glasses and cups upside down on a clean

and sanitized shelf or rack

Cover the food-contact surfaces of stationary

equipment until ready for use

Storing Clean and Sanitized Items

Employee drink cups are

commonly NOT stored correctly.

Cups must have a lid

Employee drink cups

are commonly NOT stored correctly.

Cups should all be stored in the

same place in a back storage

area Store flatware

and utensils with handles up

Clean and sanitize trays and carts used to carry clean tableware and utensils

Store clean equipment at least

6 inches off the floor

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.HACCP is an approach to food safety that is systematic and preventive. It helps to find, correct, and prevent hazards throughout the food production process. There are 7 HACCP principles.

1 Conduct a hazard analysisAt this stage, a plan is laid out to identify all possible food safety hazards that could cause a product to be unsafe for consumption. Hazards include biological, chemical, and physical contaminants.

Determine critical control points (CCPS)These are the points in the production process where an action can be taken to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

Establish critical limitsYou must establish critical maximum or minimum limits for each critical control point. A critical limit is the limit at which a hazard is acceptable without compromising food safety.

Example: While conducting your hazard analysis, you identify the “survival of pathogens in cooked chicken” as a hazard. This potential hazard would be the result

of inadequate cooking time or temperature.

In our example, the critical control point is during cooking. This is the point in the production

process when an action can be taken to prevent the survival of pathogens in the chicekn.

2

Our critical limits for cooking should include a specific minimal

cook time and an internal temperature of 165° for the chicken.

3

Verify that thesystem worksVerification means applyingmethods, procedures, tests,sampling, and other evaluations to determine whether a control measure at a critical control point is operating as intended. Here is where you determine if your plan prevents, reduces, or eliminates the identified hazards.

Establish procedures for record keeping and documentationKeep records for monitoring activities, corrective actions, validating equipment, and working with suppliers (invoices, specifications, etc).

Establish monitoring proceduresDetermine the best way to check your critical limits, and make sure they are consistently met. Determine who will monitor them and how often.

4To verify that we have successfully eliminated

pathogens in our chicken, we will take the internal temperature of the chicken. The temperature must

meet the critical limit we established.

We will monitor our critical limits by timing how long the chicken cooks and by taking the internal temperature of

the chicken with a thermometer.

The employee responsible for cooking the chicken will complete a cooking log sheet. This sheet

includes the date, the start and finish time, the temperature, and the employee’s signature. If the required internal temperature has not been reached,

our corrective action will require that the chicken be cooked more. If the cooking temperature cannot be reached, another

corrective action will call for chicken to be thrown out.

5 Identify corrective actionsIdentify steps that must be taken when a critical limit is not met. These steps are meant to bring the production process back on track if monitoring indicates that deviation from critical limits has occurred.

7

6