Potentially Hazardous Food

Breakout Session

1. Introduction
In this toolbox talk you (a supervisor or manager of food
and beverage operations) will discuss the purpose, policies
and procedures associated with potentially hazardous food
with your team in your specific workplace.
To facilitate this toolbox talk, the supervisor should show
examples of potentially hazardous food taken from the
galley or focus on a recent example of bad practice –
without assigning blame.
Engage in a two-way discussion with your team using key
points, selected questions and answers on this sheet to
emphasize the fact that it is everyone’s responsibility to
identify PHF and minimise associated risk.
2. Key points
Low risk foods include products with a low water content
such as dried herbs and many processed foods, such as
canned goods. Ready-to-eat raw foods such as fruit and
vegetables are considered low risk, but only when whole.
They should be washed thoroughly to reduce the risk of
harmful pathogens being consumed. High-risk foods are
commonly involved in food-borne outbreaks. They are
usually:
 high in protein.
 high water activity.
 ready-to-eat foods that require careful time and
temperature control.
Raw foods are a major source of pathogens. They have to
be adequately processed or prepared in order to minimize
health risks.

Best practices
Potentially Hazardous Food
 Ensure all the PHF items are labelled and
Means any perishable food that could support the fast
consumed with seven days of preparation or
growth of microorganisms. These foods require strict time
and temperature control to avoid causing foodborne opening (or as per manufacturer's
illnesses. recommendation stated on packaging, but no
There are three main hazards: longer than seven days).
 Minimize the amount of time food remains in the
 Biological hazards that cause harm and make us
Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ) during
sick are called pathogens. They do not change the
preparation.
appearance, taste or smell of food, so there is no
 Take out small batches of food at a time to work
way to tell that affected food is unsafe. There are
on.
four types of pathogens - bacteria, viruses,
 Do not take food out of temperature control until
parasites, and fungi. Bacteria are of the most
you are ready to use it.
concern to us.
 Do not store/keep food at room temperature.
 Chemical hazards include detergent, sanitizers,
 Follow the Time Control Plan (TCP) and ensure food
pesticides and polishes.
is not placed out for use for longer than 4 hours.
 Physical hazards include packaging, hair plasters,
 Never replace food back under temperature
and glass from chipped bottles, broken glasses or
control - discard it.
light bulbs.
 Maintain good personal hygiene, change your
There are six things that affect the growth of bacteria, they gloves and wash your hands frequently.
can be remembered with the acronym FAT TOM

 Food.
 Acidity.
 Temperature.
 Time.
 Oxygen.
 Moisture.

Of these, time and temperature are the easiest to control

 Potentially Hazardous Food
Breakout Session

 Wash and sanitize food contact surfaces, utensils

 Dried Herbs
and equipment.
 Canned Goods
 Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat and high-risk  Uncooked Pasta
foods.
 Store ready-to-eat foods above raw fish, meats and
poultry.
 Remember to cover food when it is stored or
transported.

3. Test your team’s knowledge

High Risk
Select questions from the list below for discussion with your
team with an emphasis on the issues you have recently
 Cooked Meat
observed in your workplace.
 Eggs
1. What is the potential impact of poor storage and  Cheese
handling of PHF?  Fish
 Shellfish
A: It can lead to serious and potentially fatal foodborne
 Vegetarian Meat Substitute Products
illnesses in passengers and crew.
 Dairy Products
2. Why should you separate raw foods from ready to eat  Soy Milk
and high-risk foods?  Cut tomatoes, leafy greens or melons

A: to prevent cross contamination.

8. Who is responsible for safe handling and storage of
3. What could happen if you stored raw meat, fish and PHF?
poultry above ready to eat food?
A: Every crew member involved in food preparation is
A: contaminants could drip from the raw food above responsible.
onto the food below.
9. If you see an instance of non-compliance with
4. What is the potential danger caused by keeping food at procedures what should you do?
room temperatures?
A: Report it to your supervisor immediately.
A: Bacteria are more likely to multiply at these
10. If you feel that something is unsafe, but you are not
temperatures.
sure, what should you do?
5. What is the acronym FAT TOM? What does it stand for?
A: Report it to your supervisor immediately.
A: The six things that affect the growth of bacteria:
food, acidity, temperature, time, oxygen, moisture.

6. Which two factors in FAT TOM are the easiest to

control?

A: Time and temperature.

7. I am going to read a list of foods – decide if they are low

or high risk (pick these at random to test the group)

Low Risk

 Most Uncut Fruit

 Most Uncut Vegetables