BASIC FOOD SAFETY FOR

FOOD HANDLERS
MARY GEM R. CONDEZ, RN
Element 1
Introduction to Food Safety
Freedom of food from anything that might cause food
poisoning or to harm to people.

Foodborne Illness: used to describe any disease or illness

caused by eating contaminated food or drink (Food
Poisoning)

Importance:
Ethically: protects human lives, prevents death, sickness
pain, and suffering

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Element 1

Legally: FS is a legal requirement. Business owners who

are convicted of food poisoning cases may face
imprisonment, shut down their business, or pay fines
Financially/Economically: FS has a financial and
economical importance because cases are costly. On the
other hand food businesses may lose clients, production
time, and/or pay compensations

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Element 2
Food Hazard
Hazard: anything with potential to cause harm
Food Hazard: Anything in the food that could harm
consumers by causing illness, injury or discomfort.

Types:
Physical: when a physical object enters food at some stage of
the production or preparation process
• Broken glass • Jewelries
• Sharp objects • Hairs

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Element 2
Chemical: when food products or comes into contact with
toxic chemicals, which can lead to chemical food poisoning
• Industrial/agricultural products
• Cleaning chemicals
• Pest baits

Biological: food becomes contaminated by living organisms

or the substances they produce
• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Parasites

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Element 2
Chemical: when food products or comes into contact with
toxic chemicals, which can lead to chemical food poisoning
• Industrial/agricultural products
• Cleaning chemicals
• Pest baits
Biological: food becomes contaminated by living organisms
or the substances they produce
• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Parasites
• Allergens

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Element 2
Prevention
• Carrying out appropriate food safety measures such as
sieving and washing
• Watching out for physical contaminants in food and
following your workplace rules in dealing with them;
• Reporting any hazard that you spot that could result to
food contamination
• Working safely with cleaning chemicals and other chemical
products

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Brain check
Which among the following is NOT a physical hazard?
a. Chlorine solution
b. Wood scrap in tea
c. Piece of hair in rice
d. Razor in bread

All of the following are benefits of good safety practices except:

a. Loyal customers
b. Paying Fines
c. Good reputation
d. Compliance with food safety laws

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Element 3
Illness from Food
Food poisoning (Foodborne Illness):
CAUSES:
• Eating food contaminated by pathogenic bacteria that live on the
food
• Eating food contaminated by harmful substances, such as
poisonous plants, fish or fungi

Typical occurrence of bacterial poisoning:

High-risk – type that causes most food safety problems
(contaminated food)

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Element 3
Food kept in conditions such as a warm room that allows bacteria
to multiply to levels that causes illness
Bacteria are not destroyed through adequate cooking so they keep
living in food
Most Common Symptoms:
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever and headache
• Other foodborne illnesses have symptoms such as
kidney failure or paralysis that can lead to death

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Element 3
Illness from Food
Food Allergy:
Immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a
certain food.
• Rashes • Hives
• Digestive problems • Swollen airways
Illneses:
Virus: Hepatitis A or Norovirus
Parasites: Amebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica)

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Element 4
High Risk Food
Potentially Hazardous Food: Ready to eat Foods
Exposed to conditions ideal for bacteria to multiply

• Cooked meat and poultry: stews, gravy, soup made with

stock
• Milk ad eggs
• Seafoods
• Cooked rice
• Prepared salads

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Element 4
Ideal Condition for bacteria to multiply
F Food: some bacteria need proteins
A Acidity: levels can affect multiplication (vinegar)
T Temperature: High temp help kill most bacteria.
Prefers Time Danger Zone
T Time: Bacteria needs to grow

O Oxygen: aerobic bacteria (bacillus)

Moisture: Bacteria need water to grow and perform
M metabolism
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Brain check
All of the following are examples of bacteria except:
a. Salmonella
b. Hepatitis A
c. Staphylococcus Aureus
d. E. Coli

Which of the following is a factor most bacteria need to multiply?

a. Time
b. Temperature
c. Oxygen
d. All of the above

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Element 5
Time and Temperature Control
Taking Control: Restricting time that high risk food is left at
temperatures inside the danger zone.
Rule of Thumb: no more than 4 hours
WHO: 2 hours
Temperature Danger Zone:
This is the temperature range
(5ºC to 60ºC) which is most
suitable for bacterial
multiplication

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Element 5
Recognizing the Danger Times
It is most important to be aware of when food could be at a
danger zone temperature. Such times include when the food is:

! Left standing in a room (at an ambient temperature)

! Heated slowly

! Left exposed in sunlight

! Cooled slowly

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Element 5
How to check?
Making use of a food thermometer
Poor Practices: Unsafe
Cooling food too slowly before refrigeration
Preparing food far too ahead of sale or service and keeping
it at ambient temperature
Leaving food at ambient temperatures instead of
refrigerating it
Reheating food inadequately
Undercooking meat and poultry
Thawing frozen food insufficiently before cooking it

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Element 5
Food thermometer

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Element 5
Low Temperature High Temperature
• Refrigeration may slow • Cooking at 70ºC or above will
down bacterial activity and kill most pathogenic bacteria
multiplication, but • Used to make food safer
bacteria can still survive • Used to destroy pathogenic
low temperatures (Listeria) micro-org in food
• Freezing makes more • Limits chances of pathogenic
bacteria dormant. bacteria to multiply
• Some parasites can
survive freezing for quite
long periods

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Element 5
General Rule
1. Keep high risk food out of the danger zone whenever possible

2. Keep cool food really cold at 5 degrees Celsius or cooler; and

3. Keep hot food really hot at 60 degrees Celsius or hotter

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Element 6
Personal Hygiene
• Ensure that hands are clean at all times: wash your hands
for 40-60 seconds

• Protective clothing: Clean and in good condition

hand gloves Hairnet
Apron Spit Mask

• Ensure that food handlers are healthy

Must undergo medical exam and obtain health certificate
Must report when not feeling well and allowed to leave

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Element 7
Premises and Equipment
• Ensure continuous workflow from delivery to service
• Separate areas for storage and preparation of raw foods and high
risk or ready-to-eat foods
• Ensure separation of food and waste
• Reduce the risk of food contamination by separating equipment
for dry and wet
• Enable staff to control the temperature of food
• Enable adequate ventilation of premises
• Provide clean water
• Provide facilities for personal hygiene and first aid
• Provide safe disposal of waste
• Prevent pest infestation

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Element 8
Cleaning and Sanitizing
• Protect food from biological contaminants
• Reduce opportunities for bacterial multiplication by removing
food particles
• Protect food from physical and chemical contamination
• Avoid attracting pests
• Maintain a safe environment (slipping)

Cleaning
Clean as you go

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Element 8
Sanitizing/disinfection
• reduces the number of germs to a safe level:
Very hot water
Chemical sanitizer: bleach

Cleaning
• physical removal of dirt and some germs

Rubbish Disposal
• Bins nearby food preparation area (foot operated)
• Never let container overflow
• Always wash hands after handling waste

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Brain check
Food left at room temperature should be discarded after:
a. 2 hours
b. 1 hour
c. 5 hours
d. 8 hours

It reduces the number of germs on a surface.

a. Cleaning
b. Sanitizing
c. Disinfecting
d. All of the above

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Element 9
Food Pests
• Presence of pest that may cause food contamination
• Food premises are attractive to pests because they
contain everything most pests need to survive:
 Food and water  warmth
 Moisture  shelter

Typical Pests:
 Insects: flies, cockroaches, ants
 Rodents: rats, mice
 Animals: cats, dogs

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Element 9
Prevention:
• Keep food covered at all times
• Check deliveries/purchases carefully
• Check stored goods regularly
• Storing food waste in bins with securely fitting lids
• Sealing all wall holes and repairing ceiling leaks
• Guarding floor drains and installing screen around vents
• Maintain good housekeeping: Disinfection/Sanitizing

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Element 10
Staying Safe in the Kitchen
• As food handler you are responsible for your own safety
• You must be aware of the hazard around you and take all
measures to control the risk
Most common hazard:
 Slips, trips and fall: wet floor, objects
 Manual handling: lifting heavy items that may lead to musculo-
skeletal injuries or back pain
 Hot surfaces: burn
 Knives and sharp objects: cuts
 Hazardous chemicals: may cause physical injuries, burns or
health effects (eg. Dermatitis, disease)
 Electricity

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Flow of Food
The path that food follows from purchase to service or sale

Purchase Receive Store Prepare

Cook

Serve Hot Hold Reheat Cool

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30
Wash hands and surfaces often

Don't cross-contaminate

Right temperature
Refrigerate promptly.
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Brain check
What is the difference between a rat and a mice (mouse)?

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Create a Food Safety
Culture NOT a Food
Safety Program

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