BASIC FOOD SAFETY

CECILIA B. NUER
Nurse II
Introduction to Food Safety

Element 1
 Food Safety
 is a freedom of food from
anything that might cause food
poisoning or harm to people.
 is a scientific discipline
describing handling, preparation &
storage of food in ways that
prevent food borne illness.
 Quality, Diet and nutrition &
Food Safety concepts:
• Quality – Taste, smell, looks & quality
control of food
• Diet & nutrition – the nutritional values of
food, calories, and balanced diet.
• Food Safety – what we eat (regardless
what it is) is not going to cause us food
poisoning or harm.
Food borne Illness
A general term used to describe any
disease or illness caused by eating
contaminated food or drink. It is
traditionally referred to as “food
poisoning”.
 The importance of Food Safety
Ethically – Food Safety protects human lives,
prevents death, sickness, pain and suffering.
Legally – Food Safety is a legal requirement.
Business owners who are convicted for food
poisoning cases may face imprisonment, shut
down their business, or pay fines.
Financially/ Economically – Food
Safety has a financial and economical importance
because food has to be thrown away.
 Clean: Wash your hands and
surfaces often.
• Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in
many places and spread around your kitchen.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap
and warm or cold water before, during, and after
preparing food and before eating.
• Always wash hands after handling uncooked meat,
chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs.
• Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and
countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing
each food item.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running
water
 Separate: Don’t cross-
contaminate.
Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can sprea
d germs
 to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them
separate.
• When grocery shopping, keep raw meat, poultry,
seafood, and their juices away from other foods.
• Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and
eggs separate from all other foods in the
refrigerator. Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in
sealed containers or packages so the juices don’t
leak onto other foods.
• Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry,
and seafood and a separate cutting board or plate
for produce, bread, and other foods that won’t be
cooked.
 Cook at the right
temperature
• Food is safely cooked when the internal
temperature gets high enough to kill germs
that can make you sick. The only way to tell if
food is safely cooked is to use a food
thermometer. You can’t tell if food is safely
cooked by checking its color and texture
(except for seafood).
• Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are
cooked to a safe internal temperature. Learn
how to place the thermometer correctly in
different food to get an accurate reading.
 Chill. Refrigerate properly
• Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in
the “Danger Zone”
• Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or know when to 
throw food out before it spoils. If your refrigerator doesn’t have
a built-in thermometer, keep an appliance thermometer inside
it to check the temperature.
• Package warm or hot food into several clean, shallow
containers and then refrigerate. It is okay to put small portions
of hot food in the refrigerator since they will chill faster.
• Refrigerate perishable food (meat, seafood, dairy, cut fruit,
some vegetables, and cooked leftovers) within 2 hours.
• Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in
the microwave. Never thaw food on the counter because
bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach
room temperature.
 RESPONSIBILITY OF Food Handler
• Keeping yourself and your workplace clean
• Protecting food from anything that could
lead to illness or harm
• Staying alert to food safety hazards –
possibility of harm
• Working with care
 Following good
personal
hygiene habits,
such as
washing your
hands before
handling food.
 Following the
rules for food
safety in your
workplace
 Workers and Contamination
• Workers can introduce bacteria, viruses, and
parasites into food and beverages.
• Workers contaminate food by:
 Working while sick
 Touching pimples or sores
 Touching hair
 Not wearing a band-aid and single-use gloves over
sores and wounds
 Not washing hands properly
 Basics of Handwashing
1. Accessible handwashing
sink
2. Hand soap -- liquid,
powder, or bar and does not
have to be antibacterial
3. Way to dry hands --
disposable towels,
continuous towel system, or
a hand dryer
4. Instant hand antiseptic --
not required
 Always wash hands:
• After using the bathroom
• After coughing, sneezing,
smoking, eating, or
drinking
• After bussing a table
• Before putting on gloves
• After handling animals
• When switching
between raw and
ready-to-eat food
• After handling garbage
or trash
• After handling dirty
equipment or utensils
• During food
preparation.
 Instant Hand Antiseptics
• Only hand antiseptics
approved by the FDA
can be used.
• Workers must wash
their hands before the
antiseptic is applied.
• Hand antiseptics
cannot replace
handwashing.
 Fingernails

• Fingernails (real or artificial) and nail polish can

be physical hazards.
• Keep nails trimmed and filed.
• Workers cannot wear fingernail polish or
artificial fingernails unless they wear single-use
gloves.
 Cover cuts, wounds, and sores

• Can be a source of
bacteria.
• Restrict workers from
preparing food if a sore
contains pus or is infected.
• Cover affected area with a
bandage, a finger cot, or a
single-use glove.
 Single-use Gloves
• Use non-latex gloves
because latex gloves
might cause allergic
reactions in some workers.
• Change gloves:
when they tear
before beginning a new task
every four hours when doing
the same task and
after handling raw meat, fish,
or poultry
 Worker Clothing
• Clothing can be a source of contamination so all
food workers must wear:
a clean hat or hair restraint
clean clothing
• While preparing food, workers cannot wear
jewelry on their hands and forearms.
This includes medical information jewelry on arms and
hands.
The only exception is a plain wedding band.
 Bare-hand Contact
• No bare-hand contact of
ready-to-eat food.
• Ready-to-eat food (RTE)
includes:
Cooked food
Raw fruits and vegetables
Baked goods
Dried sausages
Canned food
Snack foods
Beverages
 Excluding or Restricting Workers

• Excluding
A sick food service worker is not allowed in the
establishment except for those areas open to the general
public.
• Restricting
The activities of the worker are limited so there is no risk
of transmitting a disease through food.
The worker should not handle exposed food, clean
equipment, utensils, linens; and unwrapped single-service
or single-use articles.
 When to Exclude a Worker
• Workers serving the general population
 Have one or more of the following symptoms:
vomiting,
diarrhea, or
Jaundice
 Has been diagnosed with Salmonella Typhi, Shigella,
Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, Hepatitis A virus, or
Norovirus.
• Workers serving highly susceptible populations
 Have a sore throat with fever
 When to Restrict a Worker
• Workers serving the general population who
have a sore throat with fever can be
restricted.
• A restricted food worker can handle packaged
food, wrapped single-service or single-use
articles, or soiled food equipment or utensils.
 Other Policies
• During food preparation or
serving, never:
smoke
chew gum
eat food

• Workers can drink from a

covered container with a
straw.
 Animals
• Live animals cannot be on
the premises except for:
 Edible/decorative fish in an
aquarium
Shellfish or crustacea on ice
under refrigeration or in display
tanks
 Patrol dogs or sentry dogs
 Service animals
Live fish bait
 The Kitchen
• The kitchen should be well designed, with adequate lighting and
ventilation
• Ensure that plentiful of supply of hot water and cleaning materials
are available
• All work surfaces and equipment should be regularly washed and
disinfected
• Kitchen cloths are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, they should
be changed daily and disinfected often. Use separate cloths for
kitchen and bathroom
• Keep kitchen bin covered. Empty daily and disinfect once a week
• Disinfect sink and draining board regularly
• Sweep kitchen floor daily and wash and disinfect regularly
 Food Storage
• It is essential to store food properly to ensure
that it remains in prime condition for as long as
possible
• Proper Storage:
• It Protect food from flies and dusts
• It prolong its shelf life
• It makes finding the food easier in the kitchen
• It ensures that the kitchen is clean and
organized
 Guidelines for Storage
• Store foods correctly according to their type:
• Non-perishables: dry, bottled, tinned foods- Store
in a cupboard on their own or airtight containers
• Semi- perishable: bread, cakes, fresh fruits and
vegetables- Store in bread bin, fruit and veggies in
a rack. Some semi perishable like salad vegetable
are stored in refrigerator
• Perishables: eggs, milk, cream, fresh meat, ready
to cook meals,
• store at 4 degrees centigrade. It has the shortest
shelf life and must be used within 3-4 days
 Guidelines for Storage
Refrigerate or freeze perishables right
away. Foods that require refrigeration should be put
in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home.
Stick to the "two-hour rule" for leaving items
needing refrigeration out at room temperature.
Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or
produce or other foods that require refrigeration to
sit at room temperature for more than two hours—
one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F. This
also applies to items such as leftovers, "doggie
bags," and take-out foods. Also, when putting food
away, don't crowd the refrigerator or freezer so
tightly that air can't circulate.
 Guidelines for Storage
Keep your appliances at the proper
temperatures. 
Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below
40° F (4° C). The freezer temperature should be 0°
F (-18° C).
Check temperatures periodically. Appliance
thermometers are the best way of knowing these
temperatures and are generally inexpensive.
 Guidelines for Storage
Check storage directions on labels. Many
items other than meats, vegetables, and
dairy products need to be kept cold. If you've
neglected to properly refrigerate something,
it's usually best to throw it out.
Use ready-to-eat foods as soon as
possible. Refrigerated ready-to-eat foods
such as luncheon meats should be used as
soon as possible. The longer they're stored in
the refrigerator, the more chance Listeria, a
bacterium that causes foodborne illness, can
grow, especially if the refrigerator
temperature is above 40° F (4° C).
 Guidelines for Storage
Be alert for spoiled food. Anything that looks or
smells suspicious should be thrown out. Mold is a sign
of spoilage. It can grow even under refrigeration. Mold
is not a major health threat, but it can make food
unappetizing. The safest practice is to discard food
that is moldy.
Be aware that food can make you very sick even
when it doesn't look, smell, or taste spoiled. That's
because foodborne illnesses are caused by pathogenic
bacteria, which are different from the spoilage
bacteria that make foods "go bad." Many pathogenic
organisms are present in raw or undercooked meat,
poultry, seafood, milk, and eggs; unclean water; and on
fruits and vegetables. Keeping these foods properly
chilled will slow the growth of bacteria.
 Guidelines for Storage
Note the “best before” and “used by” dates on
perishables
Use the FIFO method or first in, first out.
 Store foods away from cleaning agent
Keep cupboards and containers clean to
prevent contaminations of bacteria
Once packages are open, store dry foods like
rice and pasta in airtight containers to prevent
them from becoming stale or infested by insects
Never refreeze thawed frozen foods
 Packaging Materials
Many disposable and reusable materials are
available for storing foods
Disposable packaging such as greaseproof paper
and cling film should only be used once as they
cannot be cleaned thoroughly after use
Plastic, china glass and tin containers may be
reusable, some have sealable lids to prevent food
drying out
Element 2
 Hazards
Anything with potential to cause
harm

Food Hazards
Anything in the food that
could harm consumers by
causing illness, injury or
discomfort.
 Types of Hazards
Hazard Examples

Physical • Broken glass or packaging

materials such as string
• Sharp objects
• Fragments of shell or bone
• Parts of machinery
• Jewelry, hair and fingernails
• Dust and dirt
• Bodies of pests
 Types of Hazards
Hazard Hazard

Chemical • Industrial or agricultural

products in the food chain
• Cleaning chemicals used in
food premises
• Pest bait in food premises
• Dissolved metals from
inappropriate use of metal
containers
• Leaching chemicals from
inappropriate use of plastic
food containers
 Types of Hazards
Hazard Examples
• Bacteria that can cause
illness or spoil food
• Viruses, such as hepa A
• Fungi, such as mold and
yeast, that can spoil food
• Naturally occurring poisons,
such as those found in some
plants, fishes and mushrooms
• Microscopic parasites, such
as amoebiasis
 Your Role
Stay alert to biological hazards
To avoid cross-contamination, use separate
equipment & utensils for the preparation of
raw meats, poultry & fish, and other food.
 Types of Bacteria
• Pathogenic
Bacteria
• Spoilage Bacteria
• Helpful Bacteria
(good bacteria)
 Bacteria
1. Pathogenic Bacteria – is an organisms capable of causing
disease in its host.
Examples Sources
1. Salmonella • Consuming raw, undercooked eggs, poultry &
meat, contaminated raw fruits & vegetables such as
sprouts & melons as well as unpasteurized milk &
other dairy products
• It also can be transmitted through contact with
infected food handlers who have no washed their
hands after using the bathroom

2. Clostridium Common among this foods that has been sitting at

room temp in the danger zone.
perfringens
3. Campylobacter Eating raw or undercooked poultry
 Bacteria
Examples Sources
4. Staphylococcus Common found in the skin, throats & nostril of healthy
people & animals. Such as salads, bakery products,
aureus pastries & sandwiches

5. E. coli Meat products, unpasteurized beverages or dairy

products.

6. Listeria Found in refrigerated ready to eat foods such as hotdogs,

deli meats, unpasteurized & raw, undercooked meat,
monocytogenes poultry & seafood
 Bacteria
2. Spoilage Bacteria – are microorganisms too small to be
seen without a microscope that can cause food to deteriorate
& develop unpleasant odors, tastes & texture. Common these
among fruits & vegetables caused by bacteria, molds &
yeasts.
 Bacteria
3. Helpful Bacteria (good bacteria) – are live
bacteria and yeasts that are good in our body,
especially our digestive system. Such as
yogurt
Ideal conditions for multiplication of bacteria

F ood
A cidity
T emperature
T
ime
O
xygen
M
oisture
 Key Points
• For bacteria to multiply to levels that cause food
poisoning, they need food, moisture, warmth, time
suitable acidity and oxygen
• High-risk food needs special care to prevent food
poisoning. In particular, they need to be kept out of
the temperature danger zone
• Food is likely to be in the danger zone if it is left at
a room temperature
• Food passes through the danger zone while it is
being cooled, thawed or heated.
 What is High-Risk Food?
Also known as Potentially Hazardous Food
• Is ready to eat
• No extra preparation such as washing or full
cooking

They help:
•Provide the ideal conditions for bacterial
multiplication to the level that causes illness
 Typical High-Risk Food
• Cooked meat and cooked poultry
• Cooked meat products, such as stews, gravy
and soup made with meat or meat stock
• Meat or fish pâtés and spreads
• Milk and eggs, and uncooked and lightly-cooked
dish made with them, such as mayonnaise and
hollandaise sauces and mousses
• Shellfish and seafood, including prawns,
shrimps, mussels, oysters, crab, lobsters and
scampi
• Cooked rice
• Delicatessen products such as soft cheese
• Prepared salads, such as salad leaves and
vegetables
The following conditions are needed by bacteria
as a living organism to grow and multiply.
 Mayonnaise

These factors are more commonly present in

High-Risk-Food.
 Handling High-risk food

• Prevent cross-contamination
• Keep high-risk food out of the danger zone
whenever possible
• Keep cooled food really cold, ideally at 5oC or
cooler
• Keep hot food really hot, at 60oC or hotter
ILLNESS FROM FOOD

Element 3
 Illness from Food
Examples of Food Poisoning caused by Bacteria
Bacteria Linked Foods Typical Incubation Prevention
Symptoms Period
Salmonella Contaminated eggs, Diarrhea, 12-72 hours Cold holding , hand
poultry, meat, fever, washing, personal
unpasteurized milk or abdominal hygiene, through
juice, cheese, cramps, cooking, avoiding
contaminated raw vomiting cross-
fruits & vegetables contamination,
pasteurization for
juices, employee
health policy

S. Aureas Salads, bakery Nausea, 1-6 hours Proper hand

products, vomiting, washing, employee
sandwiches, milk & diarrhea, health policy, cold
dairy products, meat, loss of holding, hot
poultry, eggs & appetite, holding, safe
related products severe cooling, no bare
abdominal hand contact
cramps, mild
fever
 Illness from Food
Examples of Food Poisoning caused by Bacteria
Bacteria Linked Foods Typical Incubation Prevention
Symptoms Period
Clostri- Beef, poultry, gravies Diarrhea & 6-24 hours Thorough cooking,
dium abdominal hot holding, cold
perfringes cramps (not holding, safe cooling
fever or
vomiting)

Clostri- Home-canned food w/ Double vision, 1-6 hours Proper hand washing,
dium low acid content, blurred vision employee health
botili- improperly canned policy, cold holding,
commercial food, hot holding, safe
num home-canned fish, cooling, no bare hand
(botulism baked potatoes in contact
) aluminum foil, bottled
garlic, vacuum-packed
foods, reduced O2
packaged food
 Illness from Food
Examples of Food Poisoning caused by Bacteria
Bacteria Linked Foods Typical Incubation Prevention
Symptoms Period
Bacillus Rice & leftovers, as Abdominal 30 mins – 15 Cooking, cooling,
cereus well as sauces, soups pain, hours cold holding, hot
& other prepared nausea, holding
food that have sat out vomiting,
or too long at room diarrhea
temp, meat, poultry,
cooked veg.

Campylo- Raw & undercooked Diarrhea, 2-5 days Thorough cooking,

bacter poultry, meat, cramps, hand washing,
jejuni unpasteurized milk, fever, prevent cross-
contaminated water vomiting, contamination
diarrhea
may be
bloody
 Illness from Food
Examples of Food Poisoning caused by Bacteria
Bacteria Linked Foods Typical Incubation Prevention
Symptoms Period
E. Coli Raw ground beef, Severe 1- 10 days Thorough cooking, no
raw seed sprouts, diarrhea that bare hand contact,
raw milk, is often hand washing,
unpasteurized juice, bloody, prevention of cross-
foods contaminated severe contamination
by infected food abdominal
workers via fecal-oral pain &
route vomiting

Listeria Ready-to-eat deli Fever, muscle 3-70 days Thorough cooking,

monocytogen meats, hotdogs, aches, date marking, cold
es refrigerated patties, nausea, holding,
dairy products, vomiting & handwashing,
smoked seafoods & diarrhea prevention of cross-
salads sometimes contamination
 Illness from Food
Examples of Food Poisoning caused by Bacteria
Bacteria Linked Foods Typical Incubation Prevention
Symptoms Period

Shigella Contaminated food or Abdominal pain, 1-2 days` Thorough cooking, no

(Bacillary water, or contact with an
Dysentery) infected person, salads,
sandwiches that involve a
lot of hand contact in their
preparation &
contaminated raw
vegetables
cramps, bare hand contact, hand
diarrhea, fever, washing, prevention of
vomiting of cross-contamination
blood or pus or
mucus in stools