Safe Food Flashcards
Understand how food-borne illnesses can result from contaminated food, including risk factors and best practices for keeping food safe.
Who is the person in charge of foodservice operation?
Certified Food Protection Manager
This requirement is mandated by the FDA Food Code.
What is the significance of having a Certified Food Protection Manager?
It reduces the risk of a foodborne illness outbreak and correlates with better control of risk factors.
Define:
foodborne illness
Disease that are transmitted to people by food.
For example, listeria (a bacteria that can be found in many raw foods) can cause listeriosis, a serious and potentailly deadly infection.
What constitutes a foodborne illness outbreak?
An outbreak occurs when:
- Two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food.
- An investigation is conducted by authorities.
- The outbreak is confirmed by laboratory analysis.
What are the 7 biggest challenges to food safety?
- Time and money
- Language and culture
- Literacy and education
- Pathogens
- Unapproved suppliers
- High-risk customers
- Staff turnover
All of these challenges can contribute to a rise in foodborne illness if precautions are not taken.
What are the costs associated with foodborne illness?
- Loss of customers and sales
- Loss of reputation
- Negative media exposure
- Lowered staff morale
- Lawsuits and legal fees
- Staff missing work
- Increased insurance premiums
These costs can quickly add up, leading to real implications for staff and business owners.
What are the 5 most common food-handling mistakes?
- Purchasing food from unsafe sources
- Failing to cook food correctly
- Holding food at incorrect temperatures
- Using contaminated equipment
- Practicing poor personal hygiene
Define:
TCS
in food safety
Temperature Control for Safety
It refers to foods that need time and temperature control to remain safe.
What are some examples of TCS foods?
- Milk and dairy products
- Shell eggs
- Meat (beef, pork, lamb)
- Poultry
- Fish
- Shellfish and crustaceans
- Cooked rice, beans, and vegetables
- Tofu
- Sprouts
- Sliced melons and cut leafy greens
What defines ready-to-eat food?
These are food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking.
Examples include cooked food, washed fruits, and deli meats.
Who is at high risk for foodborne illnesses?
- Elderly people
- Preschool-age children
- People with compromised immune systems (e.g., cancer patients, transplant recipients)
What measures should managers focus on to keep food safe?
- Controlling time and temperature
- Preventing cross-contamination
- Practicing personal hygiene
- Purchasing from approved suppliers
- Cleaning and sanitizing
Which agencies are involved in food safety regulation?
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)
- State and local regulatory authorities
- OSHA
Define:
time-temperature abuse
When food has stayed too long at temperatures that are good for the growth of pathogens.
What can result from time-temperature abuse?
Foodborne illness
List ways time-temperature abuse can occur.
Food is not:
- held or stored at the correct temperatures
- cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens
- cooled correctly
Define:
cross-contamination
Pathogens can be transferred from one surface or food to another.
List ways cross-contamination can cause a foodborne illness.
- Contaminated ingredients are added to food that receives no further cooling.
- Ready-to-eat food touches contaminated surfaces.
- Contaminated food touches or drips fluids onto cooked or ready-to-eat food.
- A food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food.
- Contaminated wiping cloths touch food-contact surfaces.
What actions by food handlers can lead to foodborne illness due to poor personal hygiene?
- Fail to wash their hands correctly after using the restroom.
- Cough or sneeze on food.
- Touch or scratch wounds and then touch food.
- Work while sick.
What are the consequences of poor cleaning and sanitizing?
Pathogens can be spread to food if equipment has not been cleaned and sanitized correctly between uses.
List ways poor cleaning and sanitizing can occur.
- Equipment and utensils are not washed, rinsed, and sanitized between uses.
- Food-contact surfaces are wiped clean rather than being washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
- Wiping cloths are not stored in a sanitizer solution between uses.
- Sanitizing solutions are not at the required levels to sanitize objects.
What types of food are most likely to become unsafe?
TCS and ready-to-eat food are the most likely types of food to become unsafe.
What does the FDA inspect?
All food except meat, poultry, and eggs.
The FDA also regulates food transported across state lines.
What is the Food Code?
A science-based code providing recommendations for food safety regulations
Created for city, county, state, and tribal agencies.
